New Dryer Isn’t Working Any Better Than The Old One?

Here's the Reason Why

It's a common scenario: Your trusty old dryer just isn't drying your clothes like it used to, so you figure it's worn out. It happened recently to a Dryer Vent Wizard customer. His 12-year-old dryer was taking two drying cycles to get a load of clothes dry. After putting it off for a couple years, he finally decided it was time to replace it.

This is why Dryer Vent Wizard of Wisconsin and Fire Marshals everywhere recommend a yearly dryer vent cleaning.

He spent a lot of time researching dryers. A decision was finally made, the dryer was installed and…alas, the new dryer didn’t work any better than the old one!

Naturally, the hapless homeowner called the appliance store and told them his new dryer wasn't working properly. The service manager correctly deduced the problem was likely an obstruction in their vent line and recommended a vent cleaning. That's what led him to Dryer Vent Wizard of Wisconsin.

After inspecting the outside of the homeowner's dryer vent line, which was made of sheet metal that had started rusting out in a couple of spots, our technician tested the flow of dryer exhaust at the exhaust vent and found it barely registered—a clear sign of a lint-clogged vent line.

The Dryer Vent Wizard technician cleaned the vent line and replaced the corroded sections of the vent line with galvanized steel venting. You can see how clogged the vent line was in the photo to the right. After cleaning, an air flow test showed the dryer exhaust was going through the vent line to the exhaust vent as it should.

And how did the dryer work? Perfectly.

Could this customer have gotten by with his old dryer? Most likely. In most cases, the reason a dryer no longer dries properly has nothing to do with the dryer and everything to do with the vent line. There's something to be said for a newer dryer, though. In most cases, they're considerably more efficient than dryers from 10 years ago, and the lint traps are able to trap more lint than the ones in older dryers.

How Does Lint Get Into a Dryer Vent Line?

You might think “Wait a minute, I have a lint trap on my dryer. How does lint get into the vent line?” Actually, the lint trap on a dryer isn't able to catch all the lint produced by the tumbling of clothing inside a dryer. Every time you run a load, a small amount of lint gets past the lint trap and ends up accumulating inside the vent line.

Over time, lint particles accumulating inside a vent line can build up to the point they obstruct the flow of exhaust from your dryer. When the hot, damp air from your dryer isn't exhausted properly, it stays inside the dryer. As you can imagine, your clothes will come out of the dryer damp if your dryer is full of damp air.

4 Reasons to Have Your Dryer Vent Inspected and Cleaned

• Lint clogs in vent line and vent lines that are too long will reduce the flow of dryer exhaust through the vent line and compromise the ability of dryer to dry your clothing.
• A lint clog can ignite, and the fire can spread to your dryer. On average, over 15,000 house fires every year get their start in the laundry room, with dryer fires accounting for 92% of them.
• Your dryer will dry more efficiently if it is properly vented.
• When your dryer is operating efficiently, you use less electricity and your clothing is subjected to less wear and tear from tumbling inside the dryer.

How Often Should Dryer Vents Be Cleaned?

For most households, an annual cleaning is recommended. However, if you have a large family and run more than 5 loads of laundry per week, or if you have pets and regularly launder pet blankets with hairs on them, we recommend a twice yearly vent cleaning. Pet hairs have an uncanny way of slipping through lint traps.

Why You Should Schedule a Dryer Vent Inspection by Dryer Vent Wizard

Dryer Vent Wizard is the only company in Wisconsin focused solely on the cleaning, installation, rerouting and repair of dryer vent lines. All our technicians are C-DET certified, meaning they have passed the rigorous requirements of the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and have earned the Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician certificate. No one knows dryer vents like we do.

During a dryer vent inspection, our technician will test the air flow at your exhaust vent and look at the condition of your vent line (inside and out). If the air flow is inadequate and there are clear signs of a lint obstruction in the line, we'll recommend a dryer vent cleaning. If we spot any problems with the condition of your vent line or the way it's installed, we'll provide a quote for addressing it.

Since we have all the materials needed for most jobs with us, there's usually no need to make a second appointment to get the work done. We can get everything done on the day of your appointment.

So, now that you're thinking about it, go ahead and schedule a dryer vent inspection.

Contact the Dryer Vent Wizard of Wisconsin Nearest You:

Northeast Wisconsin: Fond du lac, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Kewaunee and the Fox Valley Counties. 920-644-3797

North Milwaukee: All locations north of Highway 94 in Dane County, Waukesha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Dodge counties. 262-757-8368

Southeast Wisconsin: All locations south of Highway 94 in Dane County, Waukesha, Milwaukee, Walworth, Racine and Kenosha counties.  262-312-1991. For property managers and condo associations, call 262-501-5240.