A handheld vacuum should do the trick. Sweep up the debris and toss it. If the lint leaves residue behind, you may need to use soapy water with a squirt of dish soap to clean up. When finished, plug the dryer back in and reconnect the duct back into the dryer vent.
Dirty or clogged dryer vents and ductwork don't just reduce your dryer's performance. The combination of heat and accumulated dryer lint and dust can lead to a fire hazard. In fact, clogged clothes dryer vents cause thousands of fires per year in the United States.
The average cost of dryer vent cleaning is $143. It can range between $103 and $184, depending on where you live and where your dryer is placed in your home. Dryer vent cleaning costs $143 on average, making it a low-cost way to keep your appliance running smoothly.
Using a leaf blower to clean your dryer vent is quick but may damage ducts and increase fire hazards. Safer DIY alternatives include using a dryer vent cleaning kit or a vacuum with a long hose attachment. Professional cleaning services ensure safety and efficiency by removing all lint and preventing fire risks.
Some dryer vent installations also have an external lint trap, which is also known as a secondary dryer lint trap or a 4″ In-Line Dryer Lint Trap.
Below are a few of the main indications you must watch for when attempting to figure out whether your dryer vent is clogged. Clogged dryer vents can cause your dryer to overwork and overheat. To prevent fires, your dryer may be warning you by shutting down.
Our knowledgeable technician's initial step will be to locate the external dryer cap and take it off. They will slip a vacuum and snake brush into the vent, dislodge, and remove any obstructions. They'll use the snake brush to scrub any blockages off the inside of the vents.
Find Dryer Vent Cleaning Near You
Call 1-800-STEEMER® or enter your zip code to check availability.
Having a clogged or dirty lint screen or a clogged or obstructed dryer vent are not necessarily reasons why the dryer won't heat, but they are common reasons why the dryer may not be properly or fully drying clothing.
A clogged dryer vent can smell a few different ways depending on the operational state of the dryer. If the dryer is on, it can smell like something is on fire. This usually means that the lint is dry and starting to burn slightly. Other common smells include the concentrated smell of fabric softener or a musty odor.
The more loads you run, the more lint that accumulates. That said, we typically recommend a professional dryer vent cleaning once or twice a year. If you do fewer loads of laundry, or if you're diligent in cleaning your lint trap after each load, you may be able to go longer without a cleaning.
Dryer Vent Cleaning Service
Lowe's Air Duct Cleaning offers dryer duct cleaning and recommends that along with regular dryer lint trap cleaning (with every load of laundry), that homeowners schedule an annual dryer vent cleaning. Unlock special pricing online or call (800) 699-0955.
The offer price is most likely per vent pricing and does not factor in the cost of the entire cleaning. While it may seem like a money-saving deal, the final price tag will probably be closer to that $450-$1000 range.
When you pull the brush out, it's likely going to come with a shower of lint and dust, especially if you haven't used a shop-vac. This is one reason to learn how to clean dryer vents from outside - there's less clean-up than there would be in your laundry room.
First, check under the vents in the room. See if you notice any larger objects obstructing the duct. If it is easily removable, clean out the duct and monitor the temperature of the room to see if it levels out with the rest of your home.
Behind or within the Wall: In most cases, the vent pipe for a toilet should run vertically from the toilet's waste pipe (known as the closet bend) and extend upward to connect with the main vent stack or a branch vent line that ultimately exits through the roof of your home.
Often the first signal that a fan is becoming clogged is that it starts to make a lot more noise when it is running.