Get matched with top dryer vent cleaners in San Diego, TX

It’s possible to clean your dryer vent yourself in most cases, but it’s usually best to leave this important task to a professional. If you make a mistake when reinstalling the vent, you could kink it, which makes it easier for a blockage to form. Instead, call in a professional annually to do a thorough cleaning and an inspection. They will make sure there are no kinks in the vent that could promote blockages in addition to cleaning it. If your vent runs through a wall, you’ll need help from a professional regardless.

The frequency of cleaning your dryer depends on how often you use it. For regular households, it is recommended to clean the lint trap after each load of laundry. Additionally, thorough cleaning of the dryer—lint trap, drum, and exterior—should be done every few months. It's important to pay attention to the vent system as well. Ideally, it should be cleaned at least once a year, or six months if your dryer takes care of huge loads often, or more frequently if you notice reduced drying efficiency.

Using a leaf blower to clean your dryer vent isn't a good idea. Theoretically, the leaf blower should push the lint and debris toward the exterior vent opening, helping it exit. That's usually not what happens, though. 

Instead, the lint can get stuck further in the vent, creating a blockage and making the problem worse. You need a scrubbing tool, such as the rotating brush head on a dryer cleaning kit, to push the lint out of the ductwork.

Look for some common warning signs regarding a potential blockage when wondering how to check a dryer vent for clogging. If you are suddenly seeing more lint left inside the dryer and in the lint trap, you may have an active blockage. Additionally, if the dryer is taking longer than usual to dry clothing, a clogged vent may be the culprit. If the dryer is turning itself off because of overheating, this is a potentially dangerous sign of a blockage that requires immediate cleaning of the vent. Clogged vents could introduce a fire hazard.