Experts say cleaning your dryer vent is an annual maintenance task. “While most of us remember to clean the lint filter in between laundry loads, Hippo’s Housepower Report revealed that most homeowners wait 2+ years to clean their dryer exhaust vent, if ever,” Klosterman says. Cleaning the vent each year prevents problematic build-ups, and it’s something most homeowners can do themselves.
When it comes to a professional clean, Gary Collins, owner of Dryer Vent Wizard of Greater Cleveland, recommends having your dryer vent cleaned at least once every two years. “The most important thing is the connection between the vent and wall,” Collins says.
Collins says cleaning a functioning or newer dryer once every two years is sufficient to clear our major blocks and prevent more serious complications such as clogs that can lead to fires. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association responded to an average of nearly 14,000 annual fires between 2014 and 2018. A third of those fires ignited due to a build-up of lint, dust, or fiber due to a “failure to clean.”1
Cleaning your dryer vent every other year also keeps things running smoothly. Collins says if you do a lot of laundry—say your kids are in sports or you have pets that shed—you might want to get that cleaning done more often, such as once every 18 months and, in some cases, annually.
“Once a vent is clogged with lint, it fills up with moisture and you can sometimes see dripping at the seams of the vent,” Collins says. “Or the inside of the dryer is full of wet lint.”
You might also need to have your vent cleaned more regularly if your laundry is on the second floor, on an interior wall of your home, or much older and less efficient. “It’s important to remember that not all dryer vents are the same,” Klosterman says. “If the dryer vent is particularly long with multiple turns it may be more challenging to clean.”
Not only does a clean dryer vent protect against fires, but it also makes your dryer more efficient and can therefore save money on your electric bill. “In some instances, you may even see a reduction in overall energy usage in the home which is something many homeowners are thinking about this time of year with summer heat,” Klosterman says.
