Vent Maintenance: Bridging the Gap

Cleaning the lint screen after every load is good dryer maintenance, but it only catches part of the lint a dryer produces. Fine lint can still move into the exhaust duct and collect along long runs, bends, damaged sections, or the outside termination. That is the maintenance gap many homeowners miss: the lint trap can look perfectly clean while the dryer vent farther downstream is restricted.

Pay attention to changes in drying time and airflow. Clothes taking longer to dry, a dryer running hotter than it used to, weak airflow outside, lint collecting behind the machine, or a crushed or kinked transition are all reasons to check the vent. Dryer vent cleaning removes lint and debris when buildup is the problem. Dryer vent repair is different—if the exhaust is torn, disconnected, crushed, or physically damaged, cleaning alone will not fix it.