How Often Should Dryer Vents Be Cleaned in a Condo in Toronto?

Wondering how often condo dryer vents should be cleaned in your condo? Learn the ideal frequency, fire safety risks, condo rules, and signs your vent needs service.

Hudson HVAC
November 27, 2025
8 min read

How Often Should Dryer Vents Be Cleaned in a Condo in Toronto?

If you live in a Toronto condo, your dryer vent is probably out of sight and out of mind—until something goes wrong.

Slow drying times, musty smells, hot laundry rooms, and even fire alarms can all be linked to one simple maintenance item: dryer vent cleaning. In high-rise buildings across Toronto, clogged dryer vents are a leading cause of nuisance fire alarms, energy waste, and preventable damage inside suites.

So, how often should dryer vents be cleaned in a condo? Let’s break it down clearly for Toronto condo residents.

How Often Should Condo Dryer Vents Be Cleaned? (Short Answer)

For most Toronto condos, a good rule of thumb is:

Every 1–2 years for owner-occupied suites
Every year for high-use suites (large families, rentals, Airbnbs, in-suite laundry used daily)
Every year if your building is older or has long, shared exhaust runs

Some condo corporations now require dryer vent cleaning on a scheduled cycle (for example, every 2 years) and may coordinate building-wide dryer vent cleaning to keep the entire exhaust system safe and clear.

If you notice warning signs (listed below), you shouldn’t wait for the next schedule—you should book a cleaning sooner.

Why Dryer Vents in Condos Need Regular Cleaning

1. Fire Safety in High-Rise Buildings

Dryer lint is extremely flammable. In a condo, that lint isn’t just sitting in the little tray inside your dryer—it also accumulates inside the ductwork that exhausts air from your unit to the exterior.

In many Toronto condos, dryer vents:

Run long distances behind walls or ceilings
Connect into common exhaust risers
Make multiple turns where lint easily builds up

When vents clog, hot air can’t escape properly. That means:

The dryer runs hotter and longer
Lint can overheat
The risk of a dryer vent fire increases

In a high-rise building, a single vent fire can trigger the fire alarm system, cause smoke damage, and in the worst case, spread beyond the suite. Regular cleaning drastically reduces that risk.

2. Protecting Your Condo Unit From Moisture and Mould

A clogged dryer vent doesn’t just trap lint—it also traps moisture.

If the vent is partially blocked:

Warm, moist air can leak back into your laundry closet or suite
Humidity levels rise around the drywall, ceilings, and cabinets
Over time, this can contribute to mould growth, bubbling paint, and damaged finishes

In buildings where laundry closets share walls with bedrooms or hallways, that hidden moisture can damage spaces you don’t see until repairs are expensive.

3. Energy Bills and Appliance Wear

When your dryer vent is dirty, your dryer has to work much harder:

Clothes take two or three cycles to dry
You’re paying more for electricity or gas every month
The dryer’s motor, bearings, and heating elements wear out faster

In other words, a dryer vent cleaning every 1–2 years can easily pay for itself in reduced energy usage and longer appliance life—especially in a busy Toronto household.

Typical Dryer Vent Cleaning Frequency for Toronto Condo Residents

Here’s a simple guide based on how you use your dryer:

Light Use (1–2 Loads per Week)

Suggested frequency: Every 2 years
Best for: Singles, couples, or owners who don’t use the dryer daily

Moderate Use (3–5 Loads per Week)

Suggested frequency: Every 1–2 years
Best for: Small families, work-from-home residents, shared units

Heavy Use (Daily or Multiple Loads per Day)

Suggested frequency: Every year
Best for: Families with kids, pet owners, short-term rentals, or multi-tenant units

Older Buildings or Long Vent Runs

If your building is 15–20+ years old, or you know the dryer vents run a long distance with multiple elbows, it’s safer to aim for annual cleaning, even with moderate use.

5 Warning Signs Your Condo Dryer Vent Needs Cleaning Now

You don’t have to guess—your dryer will tell you when the vent is clogged. Watch for these signs:

1. Clothes Take Longer Than Normal to Dry

If a normal cycle used to take 45 minutes and now takes 90 minutes or more, that’s often a vent restriction, not a failing dryer.

2. The Laundry Closet Feels Very Hot or Humid

After a drying cycle:

Is the laundry closet unusually hot?
Do you feel moist, heavy air when you open the door?

That often means hot, moist air is not being exhausted properly.

3. Burning or Musty Smell During or After Drying

If you smell:

A burning, hot lint smell
A musty, damp smell near the dryer

Turn the dryer off and report it to your building management or schedule a professional dryer vent cleaning.

4. Excess Lint or Dust Around the Laundry Area

Visible lint on:

Walls or doors near the dryer
The back of the dryer
Around the vent connection

…is a red flag that lint is escaping and potentially building up where you can’t see it.

5. Your Building Hasn’t Done Vent Cleaning in Years

If you’ve lived in your Toronto condo for 3+ years and no one has:

Offered in-suite dryer vent cleaning
Entered your unit to service the vent

…there’s a very good chance your vent is overdue for maintenance.

Who Is Responsible for Dryer Vent Cleaning in a Condo?

In Toronto, responsibility is usually split:

Dryer appliance itself
Typically the unit owner’s responsibility (inside your suite).
Inside dryer vent flex hose and in-suite duct
Often treated as part of the unit or a “service unit” element, but this can vary by condo declaration.
Common exhaust risers and rooftop/exterior terminations
Usually maintained by the condo corporation as common elements.

Because every condo is governed by its own declaration and rules, the safest move is to:

Check your condo’s rules or maintenance notices
Ask management:
- “How often are dryer vents cleaned in this building?”
- “Am I responsible for my in-suite dryer vent, or do you coordinate this?”

Many corporations will hire a specialized HVAC / dryer vent contractor to perform building-wide cleaning, entering each suite on a schedule. In that case, you may not be allowed to hire your own vendor without approval.

Benefits of Building-Wide Dryer Vent Cleaning for Condo Residents

When your condo corporation organizes a building-wide dryer vent cleaning program, residents benefit from:

Consistent safety across all suites
Lower risk of fire alarms and emergencies
Better performance for shared exhaust fans and risers
Easier compliance with insurance and fire code expectations

For individual owners, it’s also:

More cost-effective (bulk pricing)
More convenient (one scheduled visit, coordinated access)

If your building doesn’t currently offer this, it’s worth suggesting it to your property manager or board.

DIY vs Professional Dryer Vent Cleaning in a Condo

What You Can Safely Do Yourself

As a resident, you can:

Clean the lint trap after every load
Vacuum around the dryer area and behind the machine (if accessible)
Wipe reachable dust off the flex vent (if visible and not tightly tucked in)

These steps help, but they do not replace a full vent cleaning, because they don’t remove lint from the ductwork behind the walls or up the riser.

Why Professional Cleaning Is Recommended in Condos

In Toronto high-rise condos, professional dryer vent technicians:

Use specialized brushes, air whips, and vacuums designed for long runs
Know how to access vents from both the suite and sometimes from roof or mechanical rooms
Understand your building’s fire safety systems and access rules
Can identify crushed flex lines, disconnected vents, or unsafe setups you might not see

For condos, hiring a professional isn’t just about convenience—it’s about safety, compliance, and building-wide performance.

How Toronto Condo Residents Can Stay Ahead of Dryer Vent Issues

To keep your suite safe and your dryer running efficiently:

Mark your calendar
- Set a reminder every 12–24 months (depending on your usage) to ask about or schedule a dryer vent cleaning.
Watch for early warning signs
- Longer drying times
- Heat and humidity in the laundry area
- Burning or musty smells
Respond quickly to management notices
- If your condo sends emails or notices about building-wide dryer vent cleaning, don’t ignore them. This is your opportunity to get it done efficiently and properly.
Use your dryer responsibly
- Clean the lint trap after every load
- Avoid overloading the dryer
- Don’t run the dryer while you’re sleeping or away from the unit for long periods

Final Takeaway: How Often Should Dryer Vents Be Cleaned in a Condo?

For most Toronto condo residents, the safest and most cost-effective approach is:

Clean your dryer vent every 1–2 years
Every year if you have heavy use, longer vent runs, or an older building
And immediately if you notice warning signs like long drying times, burning smells, or excessive heat and humidity

Regular dryer vent cleaning isn’t just another chore—it’s a key part of fire safety, energy efficiency, and protecting your suite in a high-rise building.

Book a Dryer Vent Cleaning for Your Condo Today

Hudson provides fast, professional condo AC and Dryer Vent services across Toronto.

🌐 Website: hudsonhvac.ca
✉️ Email: service@hudsonhvac.ca
📞 Phone: +1 (437) 448-0640
📍 Serving Toronto, Mississauga, Etobicoke, North York, and Scarborough
⚡ Same-day AC repair available

Hudson — Toronto’s Condo AC & Vent Experts.