Dryer Vent Cleaning
Is cleaning out the lint trap enough?
Most of us know that a dryer’s lint trap needs to be cleaned out regularly. Yet, every time we check the trap, we are shocked by how much debris has accumulated there. We find dog hairs, little pieces of paper, tissue and, of course, lint. Now, imagine what your neglected dryer vents have collected over the months and years. Horrifying, right? Well, The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) understands just how horrifying it is and recommends having your dryer vent system inspected and cleaned annually to ensure that it is working efficiently and safely.
Three Reasons Why You Should Have Your Vents Cleaned: Fire, Carbon Monoxide, & Efficiency
When your dryer vents are neglected, the welfare and safety of your family is threatened. According to the NFPA‘s (National Fire Protection Association) Fire Analysis and Research division, there were over 16,000 dryer and/or washer-related home fires in the year 2010 alone. Of these 16,000+ fires, 92% were clothes dryer-related. Some of these fires resulted in massive property loss, civilian injury, and even death. The saddest part is that many of these fires could easily have been prevented, had the washers/dryers been regularly cleaned. The NFPA tells us that this failure to clean was the number one cause of these fires.
In addition to the fire hazard that an improperly-maintained dryer presents, a dirty dryer can also be a source of carbon monoxide in your home. When a gas dryer has congested ducts or is improperly ventilated, the gas is not burned completely and carbon monoxide spills into the home. Because it is invisible, colorless and odorless, your family could be inhaling this life-threatening gas without even knowing it. Sadly, carbon monoxide incidents are on the rise and, even in small doses, exposure can cause permanent brain and organ damage. Many individuals do not even recognize the symptoms of exposure because they appear as common headaches, nausea, dizziness and lethargy. The longer an individual is exposed to carbon monoxide in any amount, the higher their risk of permanent and possibly fatal damage.
When you have your dryer vents professionally cleaned by a White Glove professional, you can be confident that your laundry room is not a source of toxic air or a fire waiting to happen. You will also notice a significant decrease in required drying time with the use of lower heats. Because your dryer won’t have to work so hard, you can expect it to last longer and run more efficiently. Your clothes will thank you, too!
What exactly does a dryer vent cleaning entail?
When White Glove cleans your dryer system, we use rotating brushes and a powerful, tri-motor vacuum to remove lint from beginning to end. We also check the interior of the cabinet for buildup if it is accessible to us.
At the start and finish of our cleaning, the air flow and temperature of your dryer is measured, revealing immediate results in efficiency and safety. This measurement also gives us a point of reference for future cleanings. If we know the air flow when the dryer is in need of cleaning and freshly cleaned, we can schedule future cleanings based on those measurements. We highly recommend a product called Lint-Alert, which detects changes in your dryer performance over time. This device can be set to your dryer’s optimal performance (i.e. the air flow and temperature after a cleaning) and alert you when your dryer is no longer running as efficiently. This device takes away the guess-work, and lets you know exactly when you should call us back for a cleaning. A White Glove professional will gladly show you this product at a scheduled cleaning and answer any questions you may have.
When would a vent require repair?
With new home constructions, the trend is to have the laundry room a good distance away from an exterior wall. Although this is appealingly-convenient to the homeowner, this requires the dryer ducts to travel much greater distances. With the added distance, twists and turns, the ducts are more difficult to access and present more nooks and crannies for lint buildup and even animal habitation. As lint and animal debris accumulates in a long duct system, the dryer is deprived of much needed air flow, causing high heat and inefficiency problems. In a gas dryer, this can also lead to a release of carbon monoxide.
As ducts make their way throughout the home, there is also more opportunity for damage to the ducts or even detachment at points. In many new home constructions, the duct seals are not secure from the start and the high heats of damaged, congested or inefficient ducts can easily loosen a seal. Duct leaks are impossible to locate in these lengthy systems without a professional.
Your system may also need to be evaluated for current building and fire safety codes. These codes include strict guidelines that every dryer ventilation system must adhere to. Unless you yourself are a builder (or a White Glove professional), you probably do not know what these codes require or even if you are out-of-code. A White Glove professional will make sure that your system meets the required codes for safety and efficiency. For example, if your dryer is joined to the wall by plastic flex ducts, they will need to be replaced with metal. The reason that code calls for metal ducts as opposed to plastic flex ducts is that metal ducts ensure a smooth, seamless flow of air while plastic flex ducts cause resistance and inefficiency.
Why re-route?
In many of these cases, the ducts are not conducive to air flow and simply won’t allow your system to work efficiently. For example, if your duct system involves inclines and turns, air simply won’t have the force to efficiently run up and out of the system. When a dryer is placed based on homeowner convenience, air flow efficiency is often sacrificed. If your dryer is located on an interior wall, there is a good possibility that your system may need to be rerouted for better air flow. A White Glove professional will inspect for efficiency and air flow and reroute your system if needed. We will also analyze whether the type of duct being used is safe and appropriate for your individual system.