As you begin to work out the layout of the interior of your home, you might enjoy arranging and rearranging furniture and appliances. Most people do a lot of moving of items before they get the exact look and feel they want. When it comes to some appliances however, your flexibility is limited. One of these is the clothes dryer.

In many older homes, and even a few newer ones, the basement acts as the de facto laundry room. As basement renovation started to catch on, this started to change. Sometimes, the basements became well equipped laundry rooms. Some basement renovations ruled this out as basements became extra living space or entertainment areas. This meant that homeowners had to find new locations for their dryers.

The problem with finding a new place for the dryer is that the laundry room is not always in the ideal location. This is sometimes the case with newer homes, but it often happens after a renovation. The further the dryer is positioned from the outside wall, the longer the venting system will have to be. This also means that the vent pipes will have more bends to take the heated air from the dryer to the outside. This is one of the main reasons for excessive lint buildup, especially where there are sharp turns. The best vent systems are shorter, and with as few bends as possible.

Longer vents with many bends slow the flow of air from the dryer. This will make it more difficult for the dryer to perform its function quickly. It will be using more energy than necessary, so you could see an increase in your electricity bill as well.

The placement of your dryer requires some planning. If you are planning to convert a section of your home to a laundry room, take some time to work out a floor plan. The dryer should be as close as possible to the outside wall. This will minimize the need for a long vent line, and one that has numerous bends. Some dryers vent through the attic, so a long vent will be unavoidable. To keep the dryer from becoming a fire hazard in this case, the installation should have as few bends as possible.

No matter what type of vent system you have, you can greatly reduce the risk of a fire with regular maintenance, which includes visits from a chimney sweep. Lou Curley’s Chimney Service is a local, family-owned and operated company with two CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps to better serve homeowners along the Main Line. Give us a call at 610-626-2439 to schedule an appointment for a dryer vent hose cleaning or inspection. Also follow us on Facebook for even more great information about keeping your dryer safe for years to come.