Why It’s Important to Keep Your Dryer Vent Clean
With all the information available at your fingertips via the Internet, you’ve probably learned how to clean just about every nook and cranny of your home, with the exception of one area that is critical, but very often forgotten — your dryer vent.
Keeping your dryer vent clean and free from clogs and debris is essential for ensuring your dryer continues to operate efficiently. A clean, well-maintained vent will also reduce the chance of a dryer vent fire that could have disastrous consequences.
In this article, you’ll learn about the benefits of dryer vent cleaning, the best way to get your vent cleaned, and how regular maintenance will ensure your vent system operates safely and efficiently for years.
The Benefits of Proper Dryer Vent Cleaning
A dryer vent that has been properly cleaned and maintained will provide the following benefits:
Improved Dryer Efficiency: A clean dryer vent means your dryer doesn’t have to work as hard to dry your clothes. Most dryer loads should dry completely within about 45 minutes. If you notice your clothes are taking longer and longer to dry, it’s time to have your vent checked. Airflow may be restricted by the accumulation of lint, or it may be completely clogged with lint, bird/animal nests, or other debris at the vent opening located on the exterior of your home.
Lower Energy Costs: When your dryer is operating efficiently and running less, it stands to reason that it uses less energy. This means lower energy costs. So, ensuring your vent is clean and stays that way will result in optimal energy consumption, which should translate to lower energy bills.
Protect your home and family: Every year, thousands of preventable house fires occur due to a dirty or clogged dryer vent. While maintaining a clean dryer vent is important for many reasons, protecting your home and family from a potential disaster is at the top of the list. Unfortunately, for many homeowners, a well-maintained dryer vent is not the first thing they think about when it comes to home safety. When your vent is restricted or, worse, completely clogged, the hot air produced by your dryer has nowhere to go and any material, including the highly flammable lint from your dryer, is susceptible to ignition.
Proper Cleaning Requires the Right Tools
Properly cleaning your dryer vent starts with using the tools required to get the job done right. While pulling the lint that accumulates in your dryer lint trap is easy enough, cleaning lint and any other debris that accumulates in your vent is an entirely different challenge — one that requires special tools and expertise.
In addition to properly cleaning the vent, special care must be taken to avoid damaging the vent tubing, which typically consists of lightweight aluminum. This is why hiring an experienced professional to clean your dryer vent is the best option. Scheduling a dryer vent cleaning with a local professional will ensure the job is done right without damaging any of the other dryer vent components.
A professional will use specialized equipment to clean the entire vent system, from the section connected to your dryer all the way to where it vents at the exterior of your home. Depending on the location of your dryer, your outside vent may be located on a second story or the roof, which requires getting on a ladder and working at a height that may not be comfortable for many people.
Have your vents checked to remove any clogs or repair damage that could be restricting proper ventilation.
Trust Your Vent Cleaning and Maintenance To the Pros
Properly cleaning your dryer vent system requires a level of expertise and specialized equipment that many homeowners just don’t have, which is why this is a job that’s best handled by a trained professional.
There are many home maintenance projects that fit into the DIY category. However, cleaning your dryer vent system is not one of them. Proper cleaning takes time and considerable effort to ensure the job is done right. And while it may seem straightforward, there are a lot of things that can go wrong if you don’t have the experience and right equipment.
When it comes to dryer vent cleaning and maintenance, count on the local pros at Dryer Vent Wizard. They have the experience, right tools, and expertise to ensure your dryer vent system is working properly.
Call to schedule an appointment today!