Cleaning out the dryer vent … for Mother’s Day!My wife smelled an awful sulfur-like smell recently when a load of clothes was in the dryer.
Why it matters: An overheating dryer is no joke — it can lead to an electrical fire!
- On top of increased drying times and less effective drying.
The bottom line: Clean your lint trap after every load AND clean your dryer duct work as often as needed.
Skip to the end for resources.
How it works: The shorter the distance between your dryer’s exhaust vent and the outside, the better.
- If the linear footage of the duct work is greater than 50 feet, you might need a dryer booster fan like this one.
Reality check: Every bend in your duct work adds a distance “penalty” to your calculation.
- 50 feet for a 90 degree and 25 feet for a 45 degree turn —> which means my 20 foot run is more like 150 feet!
Guess who needs a booster fan! 
For your Smart Homeowner list
- Nothing says “Happy Mother’s Day” like giving the dryer exhaust vent a thorough cleanout!
- Here’s a great kit from Home Depot.
- Or this version you can attach to a drill.
Best,
Travis
P.S. If you have a roof top vent, make sure it’s not trapping lint — I see that mistake frequently. Sometimes the installer failed to remove a wire screen that can be used when the same vent is used for bath fans.