1. Clothes take longer to dry
If a normal load needs a second cycle, the dryer may not be able to push hot, damp air out of the house. This is the most common sign of a clogged vent.
2. The dryer or the laundry room gets very hot
When hot air can't escape, the heat stays in the dryer and the room. If the top of the dryer or your clothes feel unusually hot, check the vent.
3. A burning smell
A burning smell while the dryer runs can mean lint is overheating somewhere in the vent. Stop using the dryer and have the vent checked.
4. Lint around the outside vent
Look at the vent cap on the outside of your home. If lint is collecting around it, or the flap doesn't open when the dryer runs, air isn't flowing freely.
5. It's been more than a year
Even without warning signs, lint keeps building up. Most homes benefit from a dryer vent cleaning about once a year, and homes with long vent runs or large families may need it more often.
Why it matters: dryer fires
Lint is very flammable. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, failure to clean is a leading cause of home clothes dryer fires. Keeping the vent clear lowers that risk and helps the dryer run more efficiently.
What a professional cleaning includes
We disconnect the dryer, run a rotary brush through the full vent line while a vacuum collects the lint, clear the exterior vent cap, check that air flows freely and reconnect the dryer. For most homes it takes about an hour.