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Are Your Dryer Vents Really Clean?

Spring is the time of year that your thoughts turn to doing some deep down cleaning. Cleaning your closets and throwing out those clothes you don’t wear anymore, going through your drawers, even washing the windows. It feels so great to walk in and see the sparkling windows, smell the fresh spring air, and know that everything is right with the world. However, one thing that you don’t often think about cleaning is your dryer vents. Unlike your drawers or closets, if you neglect cleaning your dryer vents, you could be putting your home at risk!

How to Clean Your Vents

When you think of your dryer vents, you probably think of cleaning the lint tray after every load dried or every couple loads dried. This is a great thing to do. Plus, it does help prevent an excess buildup of lint. The thing is, even with regular cleaning of the lint tray, dust and other small particles get through and can lodge in the dryer duct work. Although most of these particles get out into the great outdoors, some get stuck in the duct work. Consequently, as that builds up, serious problems can occur.

Common Problems

When you have a build-up of lint in your dryer vent, the most catastrophic occurrence is fire. If that lint catches a spark from your dryer, it will instantly explode into a full-blown fire. It can quickly follow the trail of dryer lint in the hose and cause a major house fire if it isn’t caught immediately.

There are also health risks involved with having a full dryer vent. When moist dryer air blows through a dryer vent that is full of soft, fluffy lint, mold and mildew can begin to grow. If someone in your home has allergies, asthma, or other breathing conditions, this buildup can actually exacerbate the situation.

Another negative of having a full dryer vent? It makes your dryer run less efficiently. When there’s a build-up of lint and dust in your dryer vent, it causes less space for the air to get through. This causes your dryer to put extra effort in to get the clothes dry. How often have you run clothes through one cycle, only to discover that it is still damp?

If you run it through and don’t get to it right away because you think it’s going to be dry and then find out it’s still damp, you may find a load of clothes that smells musty and needs to be rewashed. Not only is this an annoyance, it also means you may be getting bigger electric bills. According to the National Filter Supply website, having a full dryer vent can also cause added strain to the motor of your dryer. This could mean having to replace your dryer sooner than normal.

Call in the Experts

It is recommended that you have your dryer vents cleaned at least once a year. When you call Santa’s Friend Chimney Service, you can be sure of getting your dryer vents cleared completely. You don’t have to worry about any of the risks listed above. Give them a call today to get your vents cleaned. Then rest assured knowing that your house is truly spring cleaned!

By Jim Robinson on May 3rd, 2017 | Tagged with: Tags: , , | Leave a Comment

When Was the Last Time You Had Your Dryer Vents Professionally Cleaned?

So many of our customers are surprised to learn that their clothes dryer venting system should be professionally cleaned once a year. Although it can be easy to neglect and ignore this maintenance task, neglecting to thoroughly clean your dryer vent annually can lead to a dangerous house fire. According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), 15,000 residential fires, 15 deaths, and 400 injuries caused by dirty clothes dryer vents were reported to the US Fire Administration each year between 2002 and 2004. To keep your dryer from becoming a fire hazard, an annual professional cleaning of the venting system is crucial for the safety of your house and family. The dryer vent technicians at Santa’s Friend Chimney Service are experienced in performing this task and can guarantee that you will receive the best possible service. To help you understand why your dryer vents should be professionally cleaned every year, we would like to share with you some of the reasons behind the importance of this annual maintenance task.

Pro Dryer Vent Cleaning - Jackson MS

A Dirty Clothes Dryer Vent Decreases the Efficiency of Your Dryer.

If your dryer vent is clogged with lint and debris, your clothes dryer will not work as efficiently as it should. Have you ever noticed clothes still being wet or damp after going through a full drying cycle? When this occurs, it is one of the main signs of a dirty vent and should be a clear signal that your venting system needs professional cleaning. If you have to use your dryer at its highest temperature to dry a load of clothes, it decreases the life of the appliance and can also lead to your heating element burning out or even a fire igniting.

Dirty Dryer Vents May Also Lead to the Possibility of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.

When your clothes dryer is powered by gas, safety reasons make it necessary to ensure that it is properly vented and that its exhaust vent has no blockages from lint and debris. This is crucial because if there are problems with the ventilation of your dryer’s exhaust, poisonous gases like carbon monoxide may be forced back into the home. If you do not have a carbon monoxide detector installed in your home, you may never realize you are breathing in carbon monoxide until it is too late because this toxic gas is odorless and tasteless. Even if you have an electric dryer, you still have the possibility of carbon monoxide leaks due to a dirty vent.

Just Because You Clean Your Dryer Vent Filter from Lint After Each Load Does Not Mean You Do Not Need an Annual Professional Vent Cleaning.

Yes, the routine removal of lint from the lint filter does reduce the risk of fire by 90%, but you still need to schedule a professional cleaning of the dryer vent every year. Large clogs of lint can be found in the venting ducts as well as in the inner side of the wall. To guarantee proper cleaning of your dryer’s venting system, you need to call an experienced dryer exhaust technician from Santa’s Friend Chimney Service to do this job for you.

Want to schedule your annual dryer vent cleaning? Contact Santa’s Friend Chimney Service to make your appointment today to be sure your clothes dryer is not a fire hazard.

By Jim Robinson on January 30th, 2015 | Tagged with: Tags: , , | Leave a Comment

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.

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!