Signs of a clogged dryer vent
Most people notice the first sign. Once you do, the rest are worth checking:
- Clothes still damp at the end of a normal cycle, or drying that takes longer than it used to. CPSC lists both as signs the lint screen or exhaust duct may be blocked.
- Jeans and towels that take a long time to dry, or clothes that feel hotter than usual at the end of the cycle. The U.S. Fire Administration says a clogged vent is the likely cause.
- A burning or hot-lint smell in the laundry room.
- Little or no air coming out of the outside vent while the dryer runs.
- A flap on the outside hood that won’t open, or one stuck open.
- Lint collecting around the outside hood or behind the dryer.
- Birds, twigs or nesting material at the vent opening.
A two-minute check you can do now
Clean the lint filter, start the dryer on a heated cycle, and go outside to the vent hood. You should feel a strong, warm stream of air and see the flap open. If you feel little or nothing, CPSC says the vent or exhaust duct may be blocked.
Then look behind the dryer. The U.S. Fire Administration recommends making sure the venting there isn’t damaged, crushed or restricted. A hose squashed flat against the wall can choke the airflow on its own.
Burning smell? Stop first
Turn the dryer off and don’t run it again until the lint areas and the vent have been cleared. Lint is highly combustible, and the U.S. Fire Administration found dust, fiber and lint were the leading items first ignited in residential dryer fires, at 28% (2008–2010 data).
If you see smoke or flames, get everyone out and call 911.
Why it’s worth fixing now
A clogged vent makes every load take longer, but the bigger issue is heat. The U.S. Fire Administration estimates 2,900 clothes dryer fires in residential buildings each year, with failure to clean the leading factor at 34% (2008–2010 data), and those fires peak in January.
If these signs sound familiar, the fix is a cleaning of the full run, from the dryer to the outside hood, not just the lint screen.