If your dryer emits an offensive scent while operating, this could be a telltale sign that its vents have become blocked with lint accumulations that require professional inspection and removal. Lint can quickly ignite into flames if left accumulating inside, so professional help should always be sought to address it properly.
Cleaning the lint trap after each load of laundry can be beneficial in maintaining optimal dryer operation, but that alone won’t keep it running smoothly. Here are three indicators it may be time to clean your dryer vent.
1. Your clothes are taking longer to dry
Removing the lint trap after every use may help, but this alone won’t keep your dryer operating efficiently. Lint build-up in your vents can impede airflow, slowing drying times and increasing energy costs.
Clean your dryer vent regularly if you own pets that shed fur, especially if drying times and fire risks increase significantly. If it has been longer than 12 months since you last serviced the vent, now may be the time to contact a professional cleaner.
If your clothes seem to take longer to dry than usual, this could be a telltale sign that your dryer is overheating due to a blocked dryer vent. Without adequate ventilation for exhaust gases to escape from inside your dryer and escape outside via venting pipes, clogged vents could allow too much heat and carbon monoxide into your home, potentially leading to fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.
2. Your clothes are smelling musty
Clothing that smells musty after being washed and dried could be an indicator that your dryer vent requires maintenance. Clogs in a dryer vent prevent hot, humid air from exiting your laundry room into your home resulting in musty smells, higher energy costs, and potential fire hazards.
Whenever your clothes come out smelling musty after being washed and dried, the likely source may be bacteria and fungus growing on damp fabric – especially synthetic materials which tend to trap these substances. If this smell persists with every load of laundry you do, now might be the time for professional dryer vent cleaning services to come clean it for you.
Clogged or dirty dryer vents restricting exhaust can block lint from overheating in your dryer, posing a serious fire risk that releases poisonous carbon monoxide into your home and can increase fire risks by 16,800 home fires annually attributed to clothes dryers and washing machines – many caused by not properly maintaining dryer vents.
3. Your laundry room is heating up
If your laundry room feels hotter and more humid during certain seasons, this could be down to climate and weather factors. But if humidity and temperature increase when your dryer is operating, this could be an indicator that its vent has become blocked up. Clogged dryer vents prevent your dryer from venting efficiently, and can lead to numerous hazards like mold growth and high energy bills.
One effective way of testing whether your vent is clogged is to shut off your machine, wait a moment or two, and then monitor whether humidity and temperature decrease after shutting it off – if this occurs then likely there is an accumulation of lint in your dryer vent which should be addressed professionally.
If you notice any of these signs, it’s time to hire the right team for your dryer vent cleaning.