Owning a home is wonderful, but with home ownership comes a lot of responsibility. As spring weather finally makes its way to Northeast, many homeowners are tackling their spring cleaning checklists. Be sure to add dryer vent cleaning to your list to be sure your clothes dryer is working safely and efficiently.
Reasons To Clean Your Dryer Vent
When you use your clothes washer and dryer every day, a lot of build-up can occur. Lint, dirt and debris can build up in your lint trap, as well as your dryer vent and dryer vent hose. When build-up occurs, your dryer has to work extra hard to push hot air through the appliance and into the drum to dry your clothes. If you haven’t cleaned your dryer vent you may notice you have to run your load of laundry twice or even three times for your clothes to get dry. It’s important to clean your dryer to keep it working in top shape.
Benefits To Cleaning Your Dryer Vents Regularly
- Your clothes dryer will operate more efficiently
- Your utility bill will be lower when you don’t have to repeat drying cycles
- Your dryer and the surrounding area will be cleaner, as well as safer
- You will spend less time doing laundry
- You will maintain your clothes dryer appliance so you won’t have to replace it for several years
- Failure to clean dryer vents is still the leading cause of residential dryer fires in the US
Another reason to have your dryer vents cleaned is for safety. Lint is highly flammable and if left to build-up can cause fires in your home. Beyond lint, some small animals like rats and mice can nest in dryer vent hoses and the nests can become highly flammable too. Prevent your dryer from overheating or igniting by having a professional clean your dryer vent and dryer vent hose once a year as part of your spring cleaning ritual.
Additional Dryer Vent Maintenance
- Clean behind the dryer to prevent lint build-up
- Clean the lint screen before drying every load
- Replace ducting if it becomes damaged
- Use caution when washing clothes with chemicals
While you can perform some basic dryer maintenance at home on a daily basis it is important to hire a professional dryer vent cleaning company to handle the large task of cleaning out your vent and vent hose. Dryer vent cleaning companies like Total Chimney Care serving New Haven and Fairfield can come to your home and use professional grade tools to remove lint, dirt and debris. If an animal has been nesting in your dryer vent hose, your vent cleaning technician can properly remove the nest to ensure the dryer is safely operating at all times.
In many cases, dryer vents and hoses are ignored because they aren’t visible on a daily basis. However, if left uncleaned lint can build up and prevent your dryer from working properly as well as potentially cause a fire in your home. Call your dryer vent cleaning company today to schedule a dryer vent cleaning this spring.