Most people know to clean the lint trap after a load of laundry, but the dryer vent itself is easier to forget. Over time, lint, dust, pet hair, and debris can build up inside the vent line. When airflow is restricted, the dryer has to work harder, clothes take longer to dry, and heat can build up w…

The dust shows up first. You wipe down the furniture on Saturday and by Wednesday there is a fresh gray film on it. A back bedroom never quite cools. The house smells faintly stale for the first ten minutes after the system kicks on. In Wilson County, where homes run their HVAC systems through humid…