The Importance of Maintaining Your Dryer Vent

June 22nd, 2018

Do you need help cleaning your dryer vent?

 

Today’s post is by Troy Lowe; Vice President of Development at SafeSourcing.

A friend of ours recently used a local company to clean their dryer vent.  From being a fireman in the past, I know that clogged vents can lead to overheating and fires, but I did not know there are companies that specialize in this service.  I guess the reason I did not know this is because all of the places that I had lived in the past had the dryer located on an outside wall. Because of the location, the vent was usually less than a foot long because it went straight through the wall to the outside. To clean the vents, I would just move out the dryer twice a year and manually inspect the vent and use a vacuum to clean up any residue.  This isn’t the case in our new house. The laundry room is located in a central part of the upstairs so the vent is located in the wall and goes under the floor boards to an outside wall. Because of the length, there is a greater possibility of having a clog.  These clogs are not just fire hazards, as stated above, but can also cost you a lot of money by lowering the efficiency of the drying.  Clogged or partially clogged vents restrict the airflow which causes the dryer to take longer and be less efficient.  It also makes the machine work harder which causes wear and tear leading to costly maintenance repairs.  As you know, dryers do contain lint traps but these traps do not trap all of the lint that is produced when drying which leads to the possible build up within the vent.  So it is recommended that you clean the vents at least once a year.  Below are some common signs that you may need to clean your vent.

  • Longer drying times
  • Damp or moldy smelling clothes
  • Lint visible in the opening outside
  • Outside vent flap not opening during use
  • Outside of dryer and clothes are very hot
  • Noticeable burning smell

If you need help with your dryer vent maintenance, we can gather all the necessary information for you and help you decide which company meets your needs.  If you would like more information on how SafeSourcing can help you, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service representative.  We have an entire team ready to assist you today.

 

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