Recently I received a call from a homeowner in Glastonbury Connecticut. Their dryer wasn’t drying and, after a call to a repairman, they determined that the vent was clogged. Throughout this article I want to relay the signs you, the homeowner, can detect so that you can save yourself some money and call a vent specialist first.
When a dryer vent becomes clogged the heat and moisture created during the drying process can not properly exhaust out of your house. The heat and moisture will often find seams in the vent and escape that way. If the clog is large enough, the water vapor will return to its liquid form and eventually settle in the vent or drip out a seam. If your dryer is not properly drying, and you happen to see water marks where the dryer vent runs, it is likely that there is a clog.
An abundant amount of lint behind your dryer is another sign of a clogged vent. If a clog has caused airflow to back up, and there are seams in the vent, then lint and dust will start to blow through those seams. The most common place for this is right behind the dryer where you have, at least, two connection points (dryer to vent and vent to elbow in the wall).
The easiest way to determine if your vent is clogged is to check for airflow outside. With your dryer on, you should be able to see/hear/feel air exiting your home through the vent. Air speed should be in excess of 1000 feet per minute, so you should feel air coming out rather quickly. If your dryer is on, and the airflow is inadequate it is likely a venting issue.
Much like other household maintenance issues, your dryer vent should be properly cleaned and cared for before it becomes a problem. Maintenance schedules are often based on several factors (amount of use, vent length, vent design, venting material, etc), but the recommended frequency for a cleaning is annually. Call us today to have your vent cleaned or inspected to ensure that you address any issues before they become a problem.