Cleaning Out Your Dryer Vents Could Save Your Life
Maintaining your dryer vent in a suitable manner may save you tens of thousands of dollars in property damage costs and could possibly save your life. How? The risk of starting a fire is the most significant hazard associated with clothes dryers. Between the years of 2010 and 2014, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) received reports of over 16,000 dryer fires on an annual basis. The phrase “failure to clean” was identified as the primary factor in the causation of those fires. Each time they run, dryers collect lint, which is a highly combustible byproduct of the drying process. As more lint accumulates, the risk becomes a greater concern.
Keeping this in mind, what steps can you take to safeguard your property and your loved ones?
LET’S DISCUSS DRYER VENTS ONE AT A TIME
1. What exactly is it?
If you’re thinking anything along the lines of “Oh, I clean the dryer vent before each load of laundry,” you’re thinking about the wrong thing. Lint accumulates in the filter of every dryer, which must be cleaned either before or after each load of laundry is dried. You should be commended for cleaning things up! In addition to scraping off the lint, make sure that it is washed from time to time with warm water and soap. Certain fabric softener sheets might leave residue that clogs the mesh, so it is important that this be done.
On the other hand, the filter is not the same thing as the dryer vent. It is the tube that is located behind the dryer that is responsible for venting the hot, humid air that is produced by the machine outside of your house. Pliable aluminum foil is the material that the vent is often constructed of; however, it might alternatively be composed of PVC or flexible plastic. Additionally, it has to be cleaned much way the lint filter does.
2. How frequently do I need to clean it?
The straightforward response is that you should clean the vent for your clothes dryer at least once each year. If you have a big family or do a lot of laundry during the week, you should probably clear out your dryer vent two or three times a year at the very least. The accumulation in the vent is what causes fire threats, thus it is preferable to be cautious than sorry in this situation.
3. What is the best way to clean it?
The cleaning of the dryer vent requires three separate steps. First, check out and clean the area behind the actual machine. Dryers draw air in from the rear, and if there is lint that has accumulated between the machine and the wall or around the floor, it has the potential to be pulled into the machine, further contributing to the accumulation of lint in the vent.
Check the area surrounding the external vent second. Because the air that is leaving is warm and damp, the vent has the potential to cultivate mold or to draw in animals. You might need to remove any nests of birds or rodents that are obstructing the vent.
In the end, you should clean the interior of the vent. You may do this with the assistance of a vacuum hose, or you can use a brush with a long handle. It is essential to clean the whole vent, beginning at one end and working your way to the other, in order to get rid of any and all lint (and, by extension, all fire hazards).
In the same way that you should hopefully make it a routine to clean the lint filter after each load of laundry, you should also make it a habit to do maintenance on the dryer vent at least once every year. If it is too much for you to handle on your own, hiring a professional will save you headache and provide you peace of mind. If it is too much for you to handle on your own, hire a professional.
Additionally, you should constantly be on the lookout for warning indicators that your dryer vent may require cleaning. There may be a buildup of lint in the dryer vent if your garments smell like they’ve been burned, your laundry takes many cycles to dry, or the dryer is hot after a cycle has finished. When it comes to the safety of your home and family, being vigilant and staying on top of even the most routine upkeep may make all the difference.
All these reminders are best practiced when you are also assured of having a reliable company at your side. Contact Local Chimney Sweep Cleaning today for Chimney Cleaning Richvale and repairing.