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7 Reasons to Clean the Chimney and Dryer Vent Every Spring

by | Jun 22, 2016 | Fire Safety

 

Many house fires start from dirty chimneys or dirty and blocked dryer vents. These are two items that most homeowners either forget about or they do not realize that it needs to be done. As the old saying goes, out of sight, out of mind, and unfortunately this oversight creates serious problems for many homeowners each year.

Here are 7 reasons why we recommend homeowners clean both their chimneys and dryer vents every spring:

  1. A chimney can become blocked by animals or debris which can become dangerous when the fireplace is in use. It can also damage the chimney and cause bricks to crack.
  2. The room that the fireplace is in may start to smell as the weather gets warmer and the humidity rises. This is caused from the buildup of creosote on the inside of the chimney.
  3. Cleaning the chimney means that there will be less creosote buildup inside the chimney. The fumes from the creosote buildup are dangerous to everyone’s health and can cause breathing problems.
  4. An accumulation of soot inside the chimney can occur if it is not cleaned and this can cause smoke damage inside the home.
  5. Clothes can take longer to dry in a dryer when the dryer vent is filled with lint and clogged.
  6. If the outside of the dryer is very hot it can mean that the dryer vent is not exhausting properly. This can waste energy and the heating element in the dryer will wear out faster.
  7. We recommend cleaning the lint trap in a dryer after every use, so that the vent does not have as much lint built up. A collection of lint can actually start to smoke and catch fire quite easily.

You should have the chimney and dryer vent cleaned by a professional chimney sweep every spring while you are doing the rest of your spring cleaning. This will mean that everything in the house will be checked and in perfect working order and these two tasks will not be forgotten. All you have to do is get in a habit of adding them to the honey-do list or the home improvement list each year.

The chimney sweeps here at Lou Curley’s Chimney Service are CSIA Certified, and we participate in continued education throughout the year so that we’re always up to speed on the latest changes in our field. We’re located in Drexel Hill and provide all types of chimney services to homeowners and commercial property owners in the surrounding areas and along the Main Line. Give us a call at 610-626-2439 if you’re interested in scheduling an appointment for a consultation, a chimney inspection, chimney cleaning, or dryer vent cleaning.