Get matched with top dryer vent cleaners in Cuba, NM

You’ll find the backdraft damper near the top of the range hood (where it connects to the ductwork). However, some range hoods also have a second damper, which is located close to the roof or exterior wall where the ductwork ends. If you don’t see a damper in either of these places, you might not have one.

You can clean a dryer vent yourself by unplugging the dryer from your wall outlet, removing your vent pipe from your dryer, removing debris from the pipe and dryer area, and looking at the exterior vent exit for any debris or blockages. 

If you're unfamiliar with how vents work, call in a pro for an annual vent cleaning and inspection and for help with how to clean a dryer vent.

There are a few things you can look out for that indicate it’s time to clean your dryer vent, including the following:

• It has been a year or more since the last professional cleaning.

• Your clothes are taking longer to dry than usual.

• Your clothes smell musty or burnt when they come out of the dryer.

• You see lint building up around the outside dryer vent cap.

• Your laundry room is unusually hot.

• Your dryer is unusually hot to the touch during operation.

• You notice a kink in or damage to the vent.

Call 911 immediately. If you have a fire extinguisher or fire blanket near the laundry room, you can attempt to extinguish the fire, but don’t open or touch the dryer. If you can’t put the fire out, evacuate yourself, your family, and your pets from the house, closing the laundry room door behind you. Turn off the electricity to your home via the outside fuse box, then wait for the fire department. After a dryer fire, have your home’s electrical system inspected to make sure there isn’t any damage.