Check the dryer and bath exhaust ducts
Four in ten homes we inspect have a bath fan duct disconnected or dumping into the attic instead of outside, and one in six has dryer lint built up to the level of a fire hazard. The first one soaks your attic; the second one starts fires.
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- Run the dryer and feel outside. Put your hand under the exterior vent hood while the dryer runs. Strong, warm airflow is good. Weak or none means a clog or a disconnect.
- Pull the dryer out and look at the duct. Foil accordion duct or white vinyl is a fire hazard and should be replaced with rigid or semi-rigid metal. Check that both ends are clamped, not taped.
- Clean the duct. Disconnect at the dryer, run a vent brush through, and vacuum the dryer's exhaust port. Reconnect with a clamp and seal joints with foil tape.
- Check the exterior hood. The flap should open when the dryer runs and close when it stops. Clear lint, leaves, and nests. No screen: screens clog with lint.
- Look at the bath fan ducts from the attic access. Each bath fan should have a duct that runs all the way to a roof or wall vent. A duct lying loose in the insulation, or no duct at all, is dumping shower steam into your attic every day.
- Reconnect anything loose. Slide the duct back over the fan collar or the vent, secure with a clamp, and seal with foil tape. Insulated duct is better in an attic because it stops condensation inside the duct.
When it's past the do-it-yourself line
Long dryer runs through walls or ceilings, a duct that needs a new exterior termination, or a bath fan with no roof vent at all are jobs for a handyman or HVAC company. Anything that means cutting a roof penetration is not a DIY.
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Questions about anything here? Text us a photo. We'll tell you whether it matters.