Dryer Vent Cleaning
Dangers of clogged dryer vents
If there’s one appliance most homeowners rely on to get chores done, it’s the clothes dryer. Don’t let your dryer become a fire hazard because it’s not cleaned regularly and properly.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Data Center, clothes dryers are responsible for approximately 15,600 structure fires around the country each year. Eighty percent of these fires start with clogged dryer vents, and result in 15 deaths and 400 injuries on average annually. Thousands of other home occupants are treated for symptoms of poisonous gas fumes that back up into the home due to blocked dryer vents.
Yes, cleaning the lint trap in your dryer is a good practice, but it’s not enough to prevent a fire from sparking in your dryer vent. To keep your dryer efficient and safe, replace any vinyl or plastic flexible transition ducts between the dryer and the main vent (often located inside a wall) with a a semi-rigid metal transition duct, since plastic and vinyl transition ducts can catch fire, unlike the semi-rigid metal ducts.
Make sure the opening of the dryer vent pipe outside is free of any birds’ nests, bushes or other debris that accumulates over time
When your dryer vent system can’t exhaust properly, it overheats and can threaten your home, health and safety. You can clean your dryer vent system yourself, but if you don’t know how or want expert advice, EES SERVICES is a professional dryer vent cleaning service We can clean and inspect your system to make sure it’s safe, as well as answer your questions.
Decreasing dryer vent lint and debris
The U.S. Fire Administration recommends that homeowners have their residential dryer vents cleaned at least once a year so that excessive debris does not build up within the ventilation pipes causing risks such as residential structural fires, gas leaks into the home and large energy usage for operating the dryer.
For homes that use the dryer more than two times per week regularly throughout the year the cleaning services sought should be increased accordingly.
When there is a blockage (such as lint or a bird’s nest) in your dryer exhaust vent:
Your dryer will overheat- which may damage it
Your dryer will cost more to operate
You may begin to have humidity/mold problems
You will spend a lot more time waiting for clothes to dry
You will have a much higher risk of having a dryer fire.
Fire prevention
Reduced energy costs/utility bills
Reduced drying times
Increased life of your dryer and increased dryer efficiency
Reduced maintenance calls
Less wear on clothes from overheating and excessive tumbling
Annual dryer vent cleaning is more necessary than ever before because of the construction of homes today. Newer homes tend to have the dryers located away from an outside wall, in areas like bathrooms, kitchens and hall closets. While convenient to the homeowner, these new locations mean that the dryers tend to be vented for longer distances and may have more bends to accommodate the extended path. As a result, the dryer ducts are harder to access and this additional length creates more places where lint, animals and birds can nest and hide.
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