Include Dryer Vent Cleaning in Your Spring To-do List
While you plan your spring cleaning, auto maintenance, and decluttering, don't forget your dryer vent. The reason for this necessary maintenance every year is largely for safety and longevity. Your car will last longer if maintained. It's the same with your clothes dryer and similar appliances. Many homeowners make the mistake of assuming that large household appliances are low maintenance. The clothes dryer, especially, needs routine maintenance because of the risk it poses if it's not properly maintained.
Facts about Clothes Dryers
According to the U.S. Fire Administration there are 2,900 clothes dryer fires each year.
There are five deaths each year as a result of clothes dryer fires.
There are 100 injuries each year as a result of clothes dryer fires.
Clothes dryer fires result in $35 million worth of property damage each year.
The leading cause of clothes dryer fires is failure to clean the dryer vent.
Clothes dryer fires most often occur during fall and winter months, peaking in January.
Prevent a Fire, Call a Professional
A professional should service your clothes dryer each year. A professional will clean the dryer vent thoroughly, removing flammable lint buildups, and improve efficiency. Then, they will finish with a quick inspection of the dryer vent. Scheduling your dryer vent cleaning in the spring means that it will work well and last longer, but it will also correct some annoying problems that occur when a dryer vent is clogged--problems that can affect your utility bill this summer.
These annoyances are clear signs that you need to schedule a cleaning:
Your dryer is unusually hot and heats the room where it's installed, and sometimes the whole house.
Your dryer and the room where it's installed is humid, with moisture beading on the walls and windows while the dryer is in use.
It takes more than one cycle to dry a moderately sized load of laundry.
If your dryer isn't venting the heat, moisture, and lint, you'll be able to tell. You will find lint in your home, as well as find it difficult to cool the house while the dryer is in use. The most common indicator the there's a clog, however, is a drop in efficiency. If your dryer doesn't completely dry a load in one cycle, then there is a clog in the vent--maybe a dangerous one. Not only is it a fire hazard, but if the dryer takes two or three times what it should to dry clothes, then it shortens the life of your dryer by two of three times. The average dryer or washer should last ten years according to consumer studies, but it can shorten to a mere three years if a clog is allowed to persist.You can hire a professional to clean your dryer vent today, and lengthen the life of your dryer as well.
At White Glove Chimney and Air Duct we know that dryer vents can be as dangerous as a chimney if neglected. Our technicians are trained and experienced in installing, cleaning, and repairing clothes dryer vents and are happy to discuss questions or concerns you might have. Contact us today!