While you may know us as a chimney company, we can do much more than just clean your fireplace – we can also take care of your dryer vents! Having your dryer vents cleaned is an important part of home maintenance and can significantly help reduce the risk of dryer fires.
The dangers of clogged dryer vents
Lint is extremely flammable; it is what makes it a great tool for fire starting as well as why it must be removed from the lint trap after every dryer cycle. However, the same lint that accumulates in the lint trap is also slowly accumulating in the dryer vents.
Accumulation of lint in the dryer vents can cause problems with dryer performance as well as increase your risk of dryer fire. As the air flow in the dryer vents becomes restricted due to lint buildup, the dryer has to work harder and harder to produce enough heat to dry the clothes. The more clogged the vents are, the harder the dryer has to work and the hotter the air it creates is. This supercharged air can eventually cause the lint in the dryer vents to ignite.
According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are more than 15,000 house fires caused by clogged dryer vents each year. Thankfully, these kind of fires can be prevented with regular dryer vent cleaning and maintenance.
Why trust Lords Chimney with your dryer vents
At Lords Chimney, we can care for your chimney as well as your dryer vents. Our professional technicians are trained on how to correctly clean dryer vents and have a number of specialty tools at their disposal.
Our technicians begin by checking your dryer vents and connecting hoses to make sure they are correctly installed. One tool that is used to evaluate dryer vents is small video cameras. These cameras are used to look inside the vents to check for lint accumulation or kinks and knots in the vents. Likewise, our technicians also have gauges that can evaluate air flow before and after the dryer vent cleaning; most homeowners are amazed at how much removing the lint positively affects air flow and dryer performance!
Four signs your dryer vents need to be cleaned
The dryer is one of the most-used appliances in many homes; despite this, most homeowners do not know when to have their dryer vents cleaned. The following are four signs your dryer vents may need to be cleaned.
- Clothes are still damp after a full dry cycle
- Clothes over time begin to take progressively longer and longer to dry
- Clothes or the inside of the dryer smell moldy or musty
- Clothes are too hot to touch after being dried; the dryer or laundry room may also be excessively hot
Make dryer vent cleaning a regular part of your annual home maintenance. Contact Lords Chimney today to schedule your dryer vent cleaning!