Clean Dryer Vents
Clean Dryer Vents or Risk a Fire
Clean Dryer Vents or Risk a Fire
Ok, you just did a load of laundry, into the dryer they go, now you notice
• A burnt smell (popcorn smell) from the laundry room whenever you turn the dryer on
• Your clothes are hotter than normal at the end of the dryer normal cycle
• Your clothes aren’t fully dry after one cycle
• Your laundry room is hot and humid
Now it's time to clean your dryer vent. It’s hard to believe that your home’s dryer vent is also one of its most dangerous fire hazards. Besides the fire risk, a clogged dryer vent mixed with the warm, humid air of your dryer can lead to mold problems also. A clogged dryer vent will cause your dryer to run inefficiently, and that's not good. Dryers that are centrally located in houses are most prone to clogging because of the longer ducts and doesn’t vent directly outside (if your laundry room isn’t adjacent to an exterior wall), it’s time to call in a professional dryer vent cleaning service, it’s well worth it to prevent a house fire. Excess lint is only one reason ducts get clogged; nesting pests and stuck exhaust hood flappers can also cause backups.
Tip: How to Prevent a Clogged Dryer Vent
The best way by far to keep your dryer vent as clear of lint as possible is to clean the lint trap after every load of laundry. This captures the vast majority of lint before it can make its way into the actual vent. Even if you clean the trap every time, a little bit of lint will still make its way through. If you have the kind of tubing that’s made of flexible ribbed material, lint can build up over time in the ribbing and cause problems. You can replace your ribbed dryer hose with a smooth-walled metal one, which will go a long way to keep lint from building up.