4 Signs That It Is Time To Get Your Dryer Vent Cleaned

So how do you know if your dryer vent system is clogged and perhaps a ticking “time bomb”? Check out our list below of 4 signs it is time to clean your dryer vent.

1. Drying time for clothes takes longer and longer  

When a dryer vent is clogged, the drying cycle can double or triple in time.  You will notice that clothes are not completely dry at the end of a regular cycle. A dryer is designed to push out the hot moist air for clothing to dry. If your vent is blocked by lint, the air will stay in your dryer keeping your clothes hot and moist. Your dryer works harder when it takes longer to dry clothes putting more wear and tear on it and cutting the machine’s life.

2. Your clothing and the outside of the dryer are very hot

Do you notice that your clothing is very hot at the end of a cycle or the dryer is hot to touch? This warning sign means the vent is not exhausting properly because your system is clogged. Besides wasting energy, It is causing the heating element and blower in the dryer to wear out faster.

3. Burning smell

When you run your dryer do you smell a burning odor? Lint, which is very flammable, can build up in the exhaust tube, lint trap and even in the drum casing. When the lint gets hot it causes a burning smell but if it gets too hot it might cause a fire.

4. Lint around the outside vent opening

Another visual red flag that you are due for cleaning is when you see lint around the outside vent opening.