Dryer Vent Cleaning in Gallup, NM
Tell us about your home, and a licensed contractor who covers McKinley 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 pushes warm, wet air out through the vent. In Gallup, that vent runs through air that sits at 18 degrees on winter nights. The warm air cools fast once it hits the pipe, and the moisture in it settles on the walls of the vent. Lint sticks to that damp surface instead of blowing outside.
Layer by layer, the vent narrows. Air stops moving through it the way it should, and the dryer has to push harder to clear the load. A blocked vent also traps heat in the line behind it, which is how dryer fires start.
- 18°F
- the average winter night, and cold vents catch damp lint
- 8 months
- October 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 contractor can tell you for sure after looking at the length and shape of your vent run, but most homes do well with a cleaning once a year. Lint builds up along the whole run, not just in the trap, and that buildup slows the airflow down over time. If your dryer runs hotter than usual or takes longer to dry a load, that is a sign it needs attention sooner.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the first few feet near the dryer yourself, but that is not the whole vent. Most vents run several feet through a wall or ceiling to an outside hood, and lint collects along the whole length, not just near the machine. A contractor uses a rod and brush system or a vacuum built for the full run, and can also check that the outside hood flap opens and closes the way it should.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take longer than one cycle to dry, or that come out hot to the touch instead of just warm, are the first signs. You may also notice the outside vent hood barely moving when the dryer runs, a burning smell, or more lint than usual collecting around the dryer door. Any of these means air is not moving through the vent the way it should, and it is worth having someone check the full run rather than just the lint trap.