Dryer Vent Maintenance in Kansas City, MO

Why does one load take three cycles to dry?

Almost always it is restriction, not the dryer. Lint narrows the duct. Moist air slows down and condenses. Wet lint sticks to wet lint. Heat backs up and the thermal limit trips the machine off. A hot, humid laundry room tells the same story.

Where it packs depends on the run. Prewar and postwar basements usually vent along a joist bay to the rim joist. Second-floor laundry climbs to a roof jack, and the 90-degree elbow at the base of that vertical collects the worst of it. Garage-corner laundry goes out a side wall or up a gable. Condo and townhome closets hide long runs with no access between.

Mechanical faults matter as much as lint. Foil flex gets crushed flat behind the dryer in tight closets. Duct tape joints let go after enough heat cycling. Birds and squirrels nest in gable and roof terminations each spring. In January, condensation freezes a flap shut. Screened and louvered covers trap lint within weeks and should be swapped for a proper flapper hood.

Check it yourself: run the dryer, then stand at the termination. Weak or no airflow means a blockage. Short ground-floor runs with light use go a year. Roof-terminated runs, bigger households, and shedding pets need it closer to every six to nine months.