With so many things on your home maintenance to-do list, it is easy to let tasks fall by the wayside. Clothes dryer vent cleaning is an often forgotten or put-off task, but this task is very important. Here are the key reasons to have your dryer vents cleaned by the professionals at least once a year. At Total Chimney Care, we offer this service for your family to protect your home and extend the life of your clothe dryer.

Reason No. 1: Dryer vent cleaning lowers your home’s fire risk.

clothes dryerThe biggest risk of not having your clothing dryer vents cleaned is the risk of a home fire. When you have clogged dryer vents, the dryer’s heating element can easily overheat and cause your dryer to ignite. Nearly 15,000 home fires each year are caused by clothes dryers. To lower your risk of a fire caused by a clothes dryer, the National Fire Protection Association recommends having your dryer vents cleaned and inspected by a professional at least once per year.

Reason No. 2: Clogged dryer vents pose a carbon monoxide risk.

If your clothes dryer is gas fueled, a fire isn’t the only risk posed by clogged dryer vents. Clogged dryer vents also can lead to a dangerous, or deadly buildup of carbon monoxide within your home. Gas dryers are a combustion appliance. When your dryer is at work, carbon monoxide is generated. Your dryer vents allow the carbon monoxide to safely exit your home. When clothes dryer vents are clogged, the carbon monoxide is forced back into your home. If carbon monoxide levels build up to dangerous levels within your home, it can sicken your family.

Reason No. 3: Clean dryer vents can save you time and money.

If your clothes dryer vents are clogged, your dryer won’t operate efficiently. This causes your clothes to not dry within a single dryer cycle, which means you’ll spend more time doing laundry. Therefore, you are running multiple cycles to simply dry your clothes. Those extra dryer cycles also cost money. By having your dryer vents professionally cleaned, you allow your clothes dryer to operate efficiently, which saves you time when you do laundry. It also helps to keep your energy bills low because you won’t have to run your dryer overtime.

Reason No. 4: Keeping dryer vents clean extends your dryer’s lifespan.

Dirty dryer vents can take a toll on your clothes dryer. The additional cycles that is needed to dry clothes when dryer vents are clogged means extra work for your clothes dryer. Overheating caused by clogged dryer vents can damage your dryer’s working components. Because of the toll clogged dryer vents have on the dryer, cleaning your clothing dryer vents can extend the lifespan of your clothes dryer. This helps to save you money from having to replace your dryer prematurely.

There are many reasons to have your clothing dryer vents cleaned, from keeping your home and family safe to lowering your energy bills and keeping your dryer running smoothly. If your clothing dryer vents are overdue for a cleaning, call Total Chimney Care to schedule your dryer vent cleaning at 203-874-6772 today.