Dryer Vent Cleaning 101: The 30-Minute Job That Speeds Up Drying, Cuts Your Hydro Bill, and Prevents Fires

If your dryer suddenly needs two cycles to finish a load, the machine usually isn't the problem — the vent is. Lint builds up in the duct that runs from the back of your dryer to the outside of your house, choking off airflow. The result: longer drying times, higher hydro bills, a hotter laundry room, and a real fire risk. Lint is extremely flammable, and blocked dryer vents are consistently cited as one of the leading causes of residential fires in Canada.

The good news? Cleaning a dryer vent is a 30-minute job that most homeowners can do with a vacuum and a $30 brush kit. Here's how.

Warning signs your vent is clogged

• Loads take longer than one cycle — the #1 symptom. A healthy dryer dries a normal load in 40–60 minutes.
• Clothes come out hotter than usual — trapped heat means trapped air.
• The laundry room feels humid while the dryer runs — moist air is leaking instead of venting.
• A burning smell during a cycle — stop using the dryer and clean the vent immediately.
• The outside vent flap barely moves when the dryer is running — airflow should push it wide open.

How to clean your dryer vent in 6 steps

1. Unplug the dryer (for gas dryers, also shut the gas valve) and pull it away from the wall.
2. Disconnect the duct from the back of the machine — it's usually held on by a spring clamp or a screw-tightened band.
3. Vacuum both ends: the duct opening, the port on the back of the dryer, and inside the dryer's lint trap housing. A shop vac with a crevice attachment works best.
4. Brush the full duct run. A flexible dryer vent brush kit (about $25–$40 at any Canadian hardware store) extends 10–20 feet. Feed it through the duct with a drill on low speed and pull the lint toward you.
5. Clear the exterior vent hood. Head outside, pop off the cover, pull out any lint nest (birds love these in spring), and make sure the flap swings freely.
6. Reconnect and test. Reattach the duct, push the dryer back — don't crush the duct against the wall — and run a 10-minute air-dry cycle. Check that the outside flap opens firmly.

What it saves you

A clogged vent can add 15–30 minutes to every load. For a family drying five loads a week, clearing it can save real money on your hydro bill every year — an electric dryer is one of the most power-hungry appliances in your home. You'll also extend the life of the dryer itself: when hot, moist air can't escape, the heating element and thermostat cycle harder and burn out sooner. Many of the "broken" dryers we see traded in simply cooked themselves behind a blocked vent.

Make it a habit

• Every load: clean the lint screen. No exceptions.
• Every 3 months: vacuum behind and under the dryer.
• Once a year: full duct cleaning as described above — twice a year if your run is long, has multiple elbows, or you dry heavy items like towels and bedding often.
• When you replace a dryer: swap flimsy foil ducting for rigid or semi-rigid metal duct. It traps far less lint and is safer.

When cleaning isn't enough

If your dryer still takes forever after a full vent cleaning, the machine itself may be at the end of the road — worn heating elements, tired blower motors, and failing thermostats all mimic vent problems. Before you pay big-box prices for a replacement, see what we have in stock. At Oxbury Appliances, every dryer comes in three grades — NEW BOX, OPEN BOX – SCRATCH & DENT, and FACTORY REFURBISHED — so you can save up to 50% versus buying new at a big-box store, with the same performance where it counts.

Ready for faster, safer laundry days? Shop our electric and gas dryers — new, open-box and refurbished units from top brands, priced in CAD and ready for delivery across Ontario.