Dryer Vent Safety
One of the leading causes of house fires is due to neglecting the care are maintenance of dryer vents. Be sure to have regular cleaning and inspection done.
Clean your dryer vents before serious problems occur.
Santa's Friend Chimney Service Blog
Don’t Forget the Vents!
With things like carpools, soccer practices, and other family-related activities with which to contend, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that some things, often through no fault of our own, take a back seat to everything else that’s going on. One thing that is commonly overlooked by homeowners is the proper maintenance and cleaning of dryer vents. People may think that cleaning these vents isn’t all that important. This couldn’t be further from the truth!
Dryer Lint Buildup is Dangerous!
If your dryer seems to not be working at its peak efficiency, you likely need your vents cleaned. Don’t wait, as this can impact both performance and safety.
There are thousands of fires caused by dryer lint buildup that happen every year. One of the ways to decrease the chances of fire is to clean your dryer vent after every laundry load you use it for. In fact, studies prove that effective cleaning maintenance of dryer vents can reduce the chances of fire by 90%. Not only does vent cleaning help prevent house fires, it also will make sure our clothes are dry and smelling nice after each use.
Dryer Lint Buildup Causes Increased Energy Consumption
Aside from the dangers of fire, buildup of dirt and lint in the dryer vent can also significantly increase your energy consumption. This is due in large part to the fact that a clogged vent makes your dryer take more time to dry your clothes. There are numerous warning signs that you can watch for that will indicate that you have a dirty dryer vent. Possible signs that the vent may be clogged is if the dryer no longer dries the clothes in one cycle, the clothes carry a musty smell after a drying cycle, the dryer seems to run hotter than normal, a visible amount of lint is noticed around the lint filter, and debris is noticed within the outside dryer vent opening.
Dryer Lint Buildup Must be Removed Regularly
To avoid this potentially dangerous buildup in your vents, you need to follow a predetermined maintenance schedule. As a general rule of thumb, the majority of dryer vents need to be cleaned at least once a year; some dryer ducts need more frequent attention. Some determining factors include:
- The number of people who are using the same dryer
- The age and condition of the dryer
- The length of your dryer vent
The best way to ensure dryer safety is to clean the lint screen after every use and to have your vent and duct cleaned regularly.
Each time you use your dryer, lint builds up in the vent. Cleaning the lint screen will help you keep the dryer running and working well, but a little lint will remain within the vent. It’s very important to keep up with dryer vent cleaning, as the built up lint poses a very serious hazard to your house and everyone in it. If you’re ready to see exactly what’s lurking in your dryer vent, call Santa’s Friend today, and we’ll schedule a convenient time to come out and take care of it for you!
Fire Safety
There are simple things you can do to lessen the chance that there will be a fire in your home. However, because you cannot be 100% sure, you also need to know your family members know what to do in case of a fire.
Your family is likely the most important thing to you, with your home being close to second. Make sure and take steps to protect what you love.