Clothes Dryer Care: Dryer Vent Cleaning, Dryer Ducts and Lint Traps

The clothes dryer is a convenience most people refuse to be without and many take for granted. It seems to be the simplest appliance that rarely breaks down; it just keeps working. It may be slowing down over the years, but don’t all clothes dryers eventually take an extra cycle to get the laundry dry? Sadly, this is misconception; many people think it is normal when an older dryer takes longer to dry a load of clothes.

The most common cause of a dryer cycle taking longer to complete is lint build-up in the dryer duct and vent system. The lint that escapes the trap should make it outside, but some gets trapped in the ductwork along the way. Eventually, it builds up and reduces the air flow needed by the dryer to properly dry the clothes. The duct system is responsible for removing the lint and moisture from the laundry as it dries. Without air flow, the hot moisture is trapped in the dryer drum with the wet laundry.

The Lint Screen

The lint screen catches most of the lint that is removed from your laundry and should be cleaned after each load. Notice as you pull it out that not all of the lint remains on the screen. Some is already dusted on the housing for the screen; some probably fell off way down in there. It will be forced down further as you replace the lint screen. It isn’t much, but this much, each time you do a load of laundry, adds up.

Dryer Ducts and Dryer Vent

The dryer ducts and vent that leads to the outside of your home is designed to remove the heat and moisture from the dryer as the clothing dries. With sufficient air flow, a great deal of the lint that escaped the screen should float out through the vent as well; however, moist lint can easily stick to the sides of the ducts, especially if your duct system is very long or if it takes one or more turns on the way to the vent. Moist lint attracts more moist lint; it eventually builds up and clogs the vent, reducing air flow and increasing drying time.

Proper Maintenance

Keeping the lint screen clean after each load of laundry is only one small part of clothes dryer maintenance. A professional dryer vent cleaning specialist should inspect your dryer vent system and perform a thorough cleaning at least once a year. Dryer vent cleaning will make your clothes dryer run more efficiently, save on drying time and energy costs, reduce the chances of break-down, avoiding appliance repair bills and increase the life of your appliance. Most importantly, dryer vent cleaning will prevent a clothes dryer fire which is the ultimate result of lint build-up in a dryer vent system.

This article was written by Emilie Benvegna, owner of Dryer Vent Wizard of Charlotte, North Carolina. Emilie happily began her rewarding career in the dryer vent cleaning business in 2006. Her goal is to provide great customer service and educate consumers with tips to save energy and prevent fires with proper dryer maintenance. Dryer Vent Wizard services consumers in Cabarrus and Mecklenburg Counties, Charlotte, Concord, Huntersville, Kannapolis, Harrisburg, Matthews, Pineville, Monroe, Mooresville, Gastonia, Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Cornelius, Monroe, Salisbury, Lake Norman Ballentine and neighboring cities and communities.