How often should I clean my dryer vent?
Most homes should have their dryer vent professionally cleaned once a year. Households with long vent runs (over 25 feet), pets, or more than four loads of laundry per week should plan for every six months. The NFPA cites 'failure to clean' as the leading factor in U.S. dryer fires.
The National Fire Protection Association and every major dryer manufacturer (Whirlpool, LG, Samsung, GE, Maytag) recommend at least annual dryer vent cleaning. NFPA's 'Home Fires Involving Clothes Dryers and Washing Machines' report consistently identifies failure to clean as the leading cited factor in the roughly 13,000–15,000 home dryer fires reported to U.S. fire departments each year.
Annual is the baseline. Step up the frequency if you have: long or bendy vent runs, a ground-floor laundry room venting all the way to the roof, pets that shed, a household that averages more than four loads a week, or a dryer that has started taking two cycles to fully dry.
You can also let the dryer tell you. When drying time noticeably increases, clothes come out hot but damp, or the laundry room gets warmer than usual while a load is running, airflow is restricted — and the restriction is almost always in the vent, not the machine.
Our residential service is priced on this annual cadence: a flat $49.99 inspection confirms whether cleaning is actually needed, and a standard routine cleaning is $220. If the inspection shows you're still clear, you only pay the $49.99.
Need a pro?
If this is beyond DIY, here's what we'd recommend:
From $220