Dryer Vent

Why dryer vents clog and why it is dangerous

Every load of laundry sends lint into the exhaust duct, and the lint screen inside the dryer catches only part of it. The rest snags on duct walls, screws, elbows, and especially on ribbed flexible foil duct, narrowing the passage over time. Long runs and vents that travel up through walls or roofs clog fastest. Lint is highly flammable, and a restricted vent traps the dryer's heat exactly where that fuel collects, which is why lint buildup is a well-documented cause of house fires. Blocked vents also dump moisture into walls or attics, and with gas dryers a restricted vent can interfere with proper venting of combustion gases.

Warning signs and when to schedule a cleaning

• ✓Loads take two or more cycles to dry
• ✓The dryer top, laundry room, or clothes feel unusually hot
• ✓A burning smell during operation
• ✓The outdoor vent flap barely moves, or lint collects around it
• ✓No memory of the vent ever being cleaned

Annual cleaning is a sensible baseline for most households, sooner for big families or long duct runs. Rowhomes and older houses around Philadelphia often have lengthy, twisting vent paths that homeowners cannot reach with a brush kit. PJ MAC HVAC offers dryer vent cleaning, often paired with air duct cleaning in a single visit.