Dryer Vent Cleaning in Jamestown, ND
Tell us about your home, and a licensed contractor who covers Stutsman County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold air turns dryer lint into a wall of buildup
Every load of laundry sends warm, damp air down the vent and out through a wall or roof that sits in December cold. On nights that average 4°F, the air cools fast once it hits that cold metal, and the moisture in it settles on the walls of the vent. Lint sticks to damp surfaces far more than dry ones, so the buildup packs in tighter than it would in a warmer month.
A vent that is closing up does two things at once. The dryer takes longer to dry a load because the air it needs to push out has nowhere to go, and the heat that has no way out stays inside the vent with the lint.
- 4°F
- the average winter night, and cold vents catch damp lint
- 9 months
- September through May, the vent stays cold
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
- How often should a dryer vent be cleaned?
- A dryer vent should be cleaned about once a year. If loads are taking longer to dry than they used to, that is the vent telling you it needs cleaning sooner, not on schedule. Lint builds up gradually, and once enough of it packs into the duct, the dryer has to work harder to push air out.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clear the first few feet behind the dryer and the outside hood yourself. What you usually cannot reach is the lint packed further down the duct, especially where it bends or runs through a wall. A contractor uses a rod and brush system built to clean the full length of the vent, not just the ends.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that come out hot but still damp, a dryer that runs noticeably longer than it used to, and an outside vent hood flap that barely moves or does not move at all when the dryer runs are the clearest signs. You might also notice the laundry room getting warmer than usual, or a burnt smell during the cycle. Any one of these is worth checking, since a clogged vent restricts the airflow the dryer needs to work safely.