Our CSIA-Certified Dryer Exhaust Technicians (CDET) Can Take Care Of Your Dryer Vent Cleaning
You may be thinking, why bother with a dryer vent cleaning? Well, clothes dryer vents need to be maintained just like anything else. Here are several reasons to get your dryer vents cleaned and inspected regularly:
- Fire Safety — Lint can build up inside of your dryer vents, and because it’s highly flammable, it can easily catch fire with enough heat, even without directly coming into contact with a flame.
- Carbon Monoxide Safety — Gas appliances produce carbon monoxide, but if the dryer venting is clogged with lint, it can prevent the gases of combustion from properly exiting the home. As a result, you and your family could be exposed to carbon monoxide, a potentially fatal, invisible, and odorless gas.
- Wear & Tear — When your dryer vents are filled with lint, it’ll take longer to dry your clothes. Running your dryer through two cycles or more just to dry your clothes can take a toll on your dryer and force it to work twice as hard, which could lead your clothes dryer to reach the end of its service life twice as fast. All that extra time and heat can take a toll on the clothes and linens you’re drying as well.
- Efficiency —The exhaust vent for your dryer is pretty small in diameter, and a little bit of lint can quickly accumulate and cut that vent size down even smaller. When this happens, your dryer simply can’t work as efficiently as it should, which means higher energy bills and wasted time doing laundry.
- Money Savings — Every time you have to run your dryer twice just to dry your clothes, you’re adding to your energy bills. Why pay to run your dryer twice every time you use it?
Signs It’s Time To Have Your Dryer Vent Serviced
So how can you tell if it’s time to have your dryer vent serviced and cleaned? Here are some indications:
- It takes you more than one cycle to dry a single load of laundry
- Your clothes come out of the dryer piping hot
- You have a plastic dryer vent or a plastic connector connecting your dryer to the metal vent
- There’s excessive lint in the area surrounding the clothes dryer and venting
- You haven’t had your dryer vent inspected or cleaned in the last year
How Important Is Cleaning My Dryer’s Lint Trap?
Frankly – super important! A good majority of your lint gets blocked from your vents by hitting your lint trap first, but if it’s already full of lint? Well, then the lint will have to go elsewhere (like back in your dryer or into your dryer vent).
So, how often should your dryer’s lint trap be cleared out?
Easy. After every load.
It’s easy to overlook this step, especially when you’re in a rush and just want to get loads switched over quickly, but trust us – it’s well worth taking the extra 30 seconds to wipe that lint trap clean. It’s a quick and easy thing to do, and it makes a big difference.
Can you wash the lint trap?
Absolutely! In fact, it’s recommended to do this every so often. Just take out the lint trap, wash it gently with soap and water, rinse it well, then let it fully dry before putting it back into your dryer.
Why is this good practice? Because, believe it or not, those tiny pores can fill up with microscopic particles that we aren’t even seeing. This then blocks air from escaping your dryer, which can put more wear and tear on it in the long run. If you want a system that lasts, this one simple step can definitely make an impact.
Can I Lower Lint Buildup?
Like creosote in a chimney, lint in your dryer vent is inevitable. But while you can’t stop it entirely, are there things you can do to lower the accumulation of it?
You bet. Keep the following tips in mind:
- Clean your lint trap after every load of laundry.
- Regularly clear out your outdoor vent cap.
- Replace accordion-style ductwork with something smoother and more rigid.
- Don’t hold off of any necessary dryer repairs.
- Replace your dryer if it isn’t performing well.
- Don’t overload your dryer.
- Invest in a shorter vent, if possible.
- Don’t neglect annual dryer vent cleanings.
Can I DIY Dryer Vent Cleaning?
We certainly don’t recommend it. It’s simply too easy for homeowners to miss spots or accidentally damage piping, especially if you’re still working with the thinner, accordion-style vents.
In addition, sometimes homeowners think they are pushing out a clog, when they’re really just compacting it further into the vent system. This is especially true for vents that have lots of twists and turns. This makes clogs worse and more likely to ignite, increasing the risk of fires, rather than lowering it.
And then there’s always the risk of injuring yourself or others in the process. Not following processes correctly or not using the right equipment can cause dryer vent particles to enter your air and affect overall indoor air quality. This will also make your home venting system work harder and your air filters clog up more quickly.
To sum up? Don’t attempt a DIY dryer vent cleaning and risk further damage, personal injury, fire hazards, and all of the additional expenses that come with even a minor mistake. Rather, hire our professional from a start to ensure the job is done right.
Book Your Dryer Vent Cleaning Today
Although you may not need to have your dryer vents cleaned every year, an annual inspection is recommended. Just like regular chimney inspections, having your dryer vent looked over at least once a year will ensure that your system is operating at its peak efficiency. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), in addition to certifying chimney sweeps, has a certification program for dryer exhaust technicians as well. To obtain this credential, the technician must pass a test on the dryer vent cleaning procedures, as well as all applicable codes pertaining to dryer vents.
Is it time to have your dryer vents cleaned? Don’t leave your dryer vent cleaning to someone with no training — call on our CSIA-Certified Dryer Exhaust Technicians (CDET) at 610-626-2439. We’ll provide a quick, effective, mess-free cleaning so you can enjoy a safer, more efficient dryer that lasts. Plus, you can schedule your annual chimney cleaning for the same day and save time; a definite win-win.
Prefer to reach out to us online? Fill out our online appointment request form!
Lou Curley’s Chimney Service wants you to know as much as you can about us so you’ll feel confident about our expertise and courteous service.