The average homeowner might have a washer and dryer professionally installed after purchasing it, but they seldom call in a professional when moving the dryer. Should you hire a professional every time you relocate? If you’re cleaning the lint trap regularly, should you worry about risk of fire?
The Truth About Your Dryer Vent
Not all dryer vents are created equally. Some ventilation hoses are longer than others, stretched around corners and behind walls and furniture. Some are shorter, but are easily accessed by small animals. Both of these situations raise the risk of dryer vent fire. Add the natural buildup of lint over time, and you have a recipe for disaster.
What we know as lint is actually hundred and thousands of tiny fibers that collect on a screen in the lint trap which is cleaned between drying cycles for optimum use. However, these tiny fibers make it through and around the screen all the time, building up on the sides of the ventilation ducts. Eventually this buildup can restrict air flow or obstruct it completely. Just like a chimney or automobile exhaust, if the hot gases have nowhere to go, they will back up, warm up, and can ignite. This is the cause of hundred of house fires each year, and dozens of deaths.
Signs to Look For
- Long Drying Cycle, or multiple cycles to dry one load: If your clothes begin taking longer than usual to dry, don’t assume your dryer is simply worn out. You most likely have a clog!
- Hot Laundry Room or Dryer: The dryer vent the exhaust from the dryer, including heat. If your laundry room stays hot while the dryer is running you most likely have a clogged duct.
- Lint on the floor around the vent: The dryer vent is designed to vent gases and fibers out of the house. If you find lint on the floor or on the dryer around the vent, your duct is most likely clogged or leaking.
Avoid a Clogged or Leaky Dryer Vent
You can avoid a clog or leak in your dryer vent by maintaining your appliance. First, have it professionally installed when you buy it, and when you move it. A CSIA Certified Exhaust Technician® is experienced and trained in installation, cleaning, inspection, repair, and replacement of dryer vents. A Brickliners technician is always available to service your dryer vents because we put our customer’s safety first. We not only clean the vents, but can also trouble shoot if you are having a problem with your dryer ventilation that isn’t the cause of a clog. It may be that there is a leak, the outlet to the outside is damaged or missing, or there is simply an issue with the dryer itself.
It is our goal at Brickliners to keep our customers safe and happy. If you see signs that your dryer vent is clogged you should discontinue use and call a professional immediately. Call Brickliners for your dryer vent needs in Northern Vermont.
