I have posted many times about the importance of dryer vent maintenance. Maintaining a regular cleaning schedule for your dryer vent duct system. This will ensure an efficient, effective drying cycle for your clothes, resulting in time and energy savings.

Over the past several months I have been receiving calls from clients that stated their brand-new dryers were shutting off before the clothes were dry. What these clients did not realize is thar their new dryers are equipped with sensors that detect air flow. If the air flow is not sufficient to properly dry the clothes, the unit will shut down to prevent damage to the dryer. Older dryers that do not have this technology will just keep running, eventually burning out the heating element at the very least, and in some instances causing a fire.

On a recent call with the aforementioned scenario, I noticed a bird cover over the dryer vent hood, and there were obvious signs of a bird nest. I removed the cover and the flaps to reveal the vent was filled with birds’ nest. Someone had taken the time to address the birds’ access to the duct, but never removed the nest/s. After removing the nest, the cleaning tool I use would not go through the entire duct. I sent the nest removal tool through again and hooked something and was surprised to find a store-bought vent cleaning head and three attached extension rods. Someone had attempted to clean the duct and most likely spun the drill in the wrong direction, leaving it inside for someone else to deal with. This increased the likelihood of a potential fire exponentially.

As I have said many times, it is important to keep a regular dryer vent maintenance schedule. If you plan on replacing your dryer, I suggest adding a dryer vent cleaning to the budget prior to the installation. This will ensure an efficient drying experience and possibly cut down on warranty calls when it is a clogged vent.