What signs point to a clogged dryer vent?
Watch for these common signs.
- Clothes take more than one cycle to dry, or feel hot and damp at the end.
- The laundry room or the dryer itself feels unusually hot.
- A burning or musty smell when the dryer runs.
- Lint around the outside vent opening, or a flap that does not open fully.
- The vent hood is stuffed with lint or a bird or rodent nest.
None of these proves a clog, since a worn heating element or a blocked trap can cause similar problems. Still, they are good reasons to look at the vent before you replace the machine.

