ARE CLOGGED CLOTHES DRYER VENTS A FIRE HAZARD?
Have You Had Your Dryer Vent Cleaning This Year???
If you’re like most of our valued customers you’re concerned about the fire hazard caused by lint accumulations in the dryer vent and the dryer itself. Dryer vent cleaning will significantly reduce this fire hazard, giving you peace of mind. It also reduces the amount of time it takes to dry each load of laundry which saves you money on your electric bill.
If You Notice ANY Of The Following It Is Time To Schedule A Cleaning:
- Damper (flapper) on exhaust termination barely opens
when dryer is on. - Clothes are damp or hotter than usual at the end of the cycle.
- Laundry room feels warmer or more humid than normal.
- Clothes take an unusually long time to dry.
- Dryer is producing airflow, but no heat.
- Outside of dryer is unusually hot.
- It has been over a year since you had your dryer vent cleaned.
Is Dryer Vent Cleaning Really Necessary?
Most homeowners fail to include dryer vent cleaning on their list of yearly maintenance service calls. The cost of a dryer vent cleaning can pay for itself in as little as 3-6 months in energy savings alone. Just because your dryer seems to be working fine is definitely not a good reason to put off having it cleaned.
Dryer vents are one of those “hidden” maintenance items that is often forgotten. The old adage; “out of sight – out of mind” really holds true when it comes to dryer vent cleaning. Unfortunately, neglecting this one simple yearly maintenance can produce harmful and in some instances, even fatal results. Dryer lint is extremely flammable. Keeping your lint trap clean after every drying cycle and having your dryer vent professionally cleaned every year is mandatory to help prevent dryer and vent fires. Clothes dryers cause more home fires than wood burning fireplaces.
Did you know that your dryer is hands down, the most expensive appliance to run in your entire house, it is second only to your Air Conditioner! A dryer vent clogged with lint will certainly cause a dryer to run hotter and harder, costing you money by way of higher utility bills. The longer it runs the more it costs. When the vent is restricted it is overheating your dryer and damaging internal parts like the heating elements or the heat sensor safety switches and/or expensive computer-boards. A half-inch buildup of lint in a 4 inch diameter duct reduces its efficiency by almost 50%! As of this writing, the average service call from an appliance company is $200.00 and that’s just to knock on your door.