The gap between cooling and heating season is the only stretch of the year when the HVAC system is not working hard. That is when this work should happen.
Dryer vents are a safety item
Lint accumulation in the vent line is a leading cause of residential dryer fires. Warning signs: clothes taking two cycles, a hot laundry room, or a weak flap at the exterior hood.
Clean the full line, not just the trap, and confirm the exterior damper opens freely and is not screened with mesh, which traps lint.
The seasonal HVAC list
Change the filter, vacuum accessible registers and returns, verify the condensate line is clear before it sits unused, and have the blower and coil inspected for accumulation.
If the system was installed during a renovation or you have never seen inside the ducts, this is the year to look.
Sequence it with the rest
Do duct and vent work before carpet and upholstery cleaning so settled dust from the HVAC work lands on floors you are about to clean, not after.
That ordering saves you a second vacuum pass and gets the whole house on the same maintenance cycle.
Key takeaways
- Dryer vent lint is a fire hazard, not just an efficiency issue
- Do HVAC work in the shoulder season, before heating starts
- Clean ducts before carpets so dust falls only once
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More from week 4: Prep & maintenance
End-of-summer checklists that prevent the next loss before fall arrives.