Chimney Care Company's Blog
When was the last time you have your clothing dryer vents cleaned?
Keeping your clothing dryer vents cleaned is an incredibly important part of your home maintenance. Clean dryer vents help to prevent the dryer from overheating to cause a fire. A clean dryer vent also runs more efficiently while saving you time and money, as it takes less time for it to dry each load of laundry. When was the last time you had your dryer vents cleaned? How do you know it is time to get your clothing dryer vents cleaned?
The experts in the industry recommend getting your dryer vents cleaned at least once every year. However, if you do more laundry than the average household, your dryer vents might need to be cleaned more often. If you struggle with remembering the last time you had your dryer vents cleaned, then it is likely that it’s time to schedule a dryer vent cleaning. Here are some signs for a clogged dryer vent.
Signs of a dysfunctional Dryer Vent
- Longer dry times. One of the first signs that your dryer vents need a cleaning is longer than normal dry times when doing a single load of laundry. When your dryer vents are clogged, you’ll have to run additional dryer cycles for your clothes to dry completely. A single load of laundry shouldn’t take longer than 30 to 40 minutes to dry, and heavier loads of towels or linens shouldn’t take more than 50 minutes to dry.
- Lint buildup. Your dryer could be bogged down with an accumulation of lint. When dryer vents are clogged, you might see lint collecting around the lint trap, on the floor behind the dryer, or even outside around your dryer vent exhaust.
- An overheating dryer. When your dryer vents are clogged, your dryer can’t vent and cool itself as it should. As a result, the dryer will overheat while running. A dryer that’s hot to the touch, or if there is a heat build up in your laundry room when your dryer is running. These are both signs of clogged dryer vents. You might also notice that the clothes coming out of the dryer seem unusually hot.
- Strong smells in the laundry room. There are a variety of smells as a result of clogged dryer vents. While the dryer is running, you might smell a strong burning odor while the dryer overheats, or the smell of your dryer sheets seem unusually strong. If clothes sit damp in the dryer for a long time, your laundry or your laundry room might also take on a musty smell.
Call the Chimney Care Co. Professionals
Clogged dryer vents can put your home at risk of potential dangers such as a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. If it’s been awhile since you last serviced your dryer vents, or if you have noticed some signs that your dryer vents have become clogged, call the professionals at Chimney Care Co. to schedule your dryer vent cleaning today!
Protect Your Family From Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Your home houses many devices that create carbon monoxide: Your furnace, your fireplace or heating stove, your gas stove or oven, your clothing dryer, your water heater and your car, to name a few. We all know that these devices are perfectly safe when they are well vented and operating properly. But when vents get blocked or damaged, when appliances fail, or when human error intervenes, these devices can put you and your family at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning.
At its lowest levels, carbon monoxide poisoning can cause nausea, vomited, feeling lightheaded or sleepiness. At worst, it can result in confusion, organ damage or even death. That is why it is crucial that you take steps to protect your family from the dangers of carbon monoxide.
To prevent carbon monoxide from building up within your home and to keep your family safe:
- Have heating appliances cleaned and inspected annually. Furnaces, fireplaces and heating stoves should have their vents cleaned at least once per year, and the appliances should be checked for damage or malfunction that could put your home or your family in danger.
- Make sure appliance vents stay clear. Appliance vents should remain clear at all times. Check that vents are clear after major storms or in heavy snows. Make sure that vents do not get covered during home renovations.
- Clean your dryer vents. Over time, clothing dryer vents can become clogged with lint. Just like your chimney and furnace flues, your dryer vents should be cleaned at least once per year to lower your risk of carbon monoxide buildup or a home fire.
- Only use gas appliances as directed. Never use your gas stove or oven as a heat source. Leave camp stoves or portable gas heaters outdoors where they belong. Do not run a gas-powered generator within your home.
- Never leave your car running inside your garage. Your car’s exhaust can cause carbon monoxide to build up to dangerous levels in your garage and in your attached home, even if the garage door has been left open while the car is running.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide detectors can be life savers, literally. You should have carbon monoxide detectors installed on each level of your home and near each sleeping area within your home. Test carbon monoxide detectors at least once per month, and replace batteries at least once per year.
Know what to do when carbon monoxide detectors sound!
Make sure every member of your home knows what the alarms sound like and what to do if they hear the alarms’ signals. Exit the home immediately and call 911. Do not re-enter the home until the danger has been cleared. If you experience any of the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning — dizziness, nausea, sleepiness, confusion — seek medical attention.
The prospect of carbon monoxide poisoning frightens most homeowners, as it should, but by taking precautions to prevent it and by having alarms in place, you can keep your family safe from the dangers of carbon monoxide.
Protect your home with our dryer vent services
Dryer vents are often neglected when it comes to home maintenance, but just like your chimney or gutters, regular dryer vent cleaning can keep your home safe and efficient. Making your dryer vents a home maintenance priority can help keep your home safe. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that homeowners have their dryer vents cleaned and inspected at least once per year.
The importance of dryer vent cleaning
Each time you dry a load of clothes, hair and lint makes it pass your dryer’s lint trap and builds up in your dryer vents. When dryer vents become too clogged, the heat from the dryer can cause the extremely flammable lint to ignite, posing a major fire hazard to your home. Dryer vents also can be clogged by animal nests and other debris, or poorly placed plants can grow up into the vents, causing blockages.
According to the NFPA, clothes dryers are responsible for more than 15,000 house fires each year, causing more than $230 million in property damage and more than 50 deaths. The NFPA blames the majority of those fires on clogged dryer vents. Blocked dryer vents also can force the gases, including carbon monoxide, created by your dryer back into your home. At the very least, clogged dryer vents decrease the efficiency of your dryer and make it work harder to dry your clothes. That costs you time, as it takes longer to dry each load of clothes, and it increases your home’s energy costs.
Signs of clogged dryer vents
Your dryer may be warning you that your vents are in need of a cleaning. If your clothes are taking longer to dry than normal, or if they feel abnormally hot to the touch at the end of each cycle, your dryer vents probably aren’t allowing all of the hot air to escape from the dryer. Clogged dryer vents can cause your laundry room to heat up when the dryer is running, or can cause a slight burning smell when the dryer is in use. Your dryer sheets also may smell abnormally strong if your dryer vents are clogged.
If you’re concerned about your dryer vents, a quick visual inspection of the vent’s exterior can help you determine if you’re in need of a dryer vent cleaning. Lint blowing out of the vent is a sure sign you’re due for a cleaning. Or, if the vent flap isn’t opening and closing when the dryer is running, it’s a sign that air isn’t properly flowing out of the dryer, and vents should be cleaned immediately.
How dryer vent cleaning works
If you’re overdue for a dryer vent cleaning, or if you’ve observed any of the signs above, call The Chimney Care Co. We’ll use specialized brushes to gently clean the lint from your dryer. As the lint is loosened, we’ll suck it up with our high-powered vacuums, saving your home from any mess. We will also visually inspect your dryer vent system and help you with any needed repairs. With The Chimney Care Co., you can be confident that your dryer vents are clean and damage free, keeping your home safe from a potential fire and maintaining your dryer’s efficiency.
The importance of dryer vent cleaning
Particles of lint like the ones you regularly clean from your dryer’s lint screen also make their way into your dryer’s vent system, clogging the vent and causing a potential fire or carbon monoxide hazard. Because of that, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that homeowners have their dryer vents cleaned at least once per year, more often for households that do a high volume of laundry. Having your dryer vents professionally cleaned will help you realize several benefits.
Reduce your fire risk
As lint builds up in your clothing dryer vent, the hot air and gases created by the dryer cannot escape your home. The dryer becomes hotter and hotter, leading the highly combustible lint to catch fire. In fact, more than 15,000 house fires, causing more than $230 million in property damage, are caused each year by clothes dryers. The majority of those 15,000 dryer fires, according to the NFPA, could have been prevented with dryer vent cleaning.
In addition to lint build up, your dryer vent can become clogged from the outside by a variety of items. Animals can make their way into your dryer vent and nest or die, blocking the system. Plants growing close to the dryer vent can grow up into the vent if they’re not maintained. The exterior flap on the vent also can get stuck in a closed position. Having your dryer vent cleaned and inspected annually ensures that your dryer vent is cleared, opened and fully functioning.
Increase your dryer’s efficiency
A clogged dryer vent also reduces the efficiency of your dryer. That means clothes will take longer to dry, meaning you’ll increase the time you spend doing laundry and energy costs related to keeping your dryer going. The lack of efficiency also taxes your dryer. When your dryer is fighting with clogged vents to do its jobs, the dryer becomes overworked. Because of that, clogged dryer vents can reduce the lifespan of your clothes dryer.
Know when to have your dryer vent cleaned
While the general recommendation is to have your dryer vent cleaned and inspected at least once a year, there are some signs that indicate your dryer vents are overdue for a cleaning. When your dryer vent isn’t working optimally, your clothes will take longer to dry than normal; your dryer, the clothes in the dryer or your laundry room may seem unusually hot when you’re drying clothes; you may notice a burning smell when your dryer is running; or the scent of your dryer sheets may seem stronger than usual. You also can perform a quick visual inspection of your dryer vent on the outside of your home: If you see lint blowing out of the vent, or if the flap isn’t opening when the dryer is running, your dryer vent should be serviced immediately.
If you’re overdue for a dryer vent cleaning, or if you’ve noticed some of the warning signs listed above, call the Chimney Care Company at 513-248-9600. We can clean your dryer vents and have your dryer running safely and efficiently.
Dryer Vent Safety
In case you didn’t know, a major cause of house fires originates from dryer vents. That is why it is imperative that you have your dryer vents cleaned by professionals.