Dryer Vent Cleaning - Get It Done Before It’s Too Cold!
Dryer vent cleaning is a crucial service for homeowners, irrespective of the season. As long as there is washing going on, lint, fibres, and dust will continue building up along the walls of your dryer vent. This can be dangerous, expensive and an inconvenience to you.
The importance of a clean dryer vent going into winter cannot be overemphasized. Homeowners who are overdue for professional vent cleaning may experience any or all of the following:
- Dryer vent fires: Winter conditions may cause the lint build-up on the inner walls of your dryer vent system to freeze. This makes it difficult for you to clean the ducts and the lint accumulation also presents a fire hazard. Over 15,000 dryer and washing machine-related home fires are reported across the US annually.
- Increased utility bills: Clogged dryer vents can take up as much as 30% more energy to dry a load of clothes. If you do laundry a couple of times a week, the utility bills can easily skyrocket. Also, as the lint accumulates in the ducting, it lengthens the time taken to dry clothes. This means that the dryer will have to run for longer periods of time.
- Carbon monoxide poisoning: If you are running a gas dryer, you are at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning if your dryer vent is clogged. Instead of exhausting through the dryer vents, carbon monoxide fumes build up inside your home.
- Clothes taking longer to dry: If you let your dryer vent system to clog, clothes that used to take you 30 minutes to dry may end up taking up to an hour or more.
Not to mention that all these inefficiencies will, in the end, shorten the lifespan of your dryer. It will start breaking down and eventually stop working altogether. Replacing the dryer can be expensive.
Keeping your dryer clean, efficient, and safe
Having read about the dangers of clogged dryers, it is time to think about what you can do to ensure none of that happens in your home. While DIY dryer vent cleaning looks attractive because of the presumed cost savings, getting a professional to do the cleaning is highly recommended and will save you money in the long run.
Dryer vents are installed differently depending on the design of the house and personal preferences. For instance, some homeowners prefer that their exhaust port is installed at the roof while others prefer having it installed through the wall. Whatever the case, the technician will first seek to understand the installation design before getting down to inspections and cleaning.
The Cleaning Process
The dryer vent cleaning job is tasking and requires some level of skill and experience to work through the process. Here is a bit about what goes on during the cleaning process.
The technician will book an appointment with you. For dryer vent cleaning companies, this is a standard procedure and part of our workflow processes. On the cleaning day, the assigned technicians will come with the required materials including:
- A cordless power drill to attach to the ends of the flexible rods.
- Flexible rods that are enough to cover the length of the duct system.
- A high-performance Shop Vacuum to help suck the lint.
- Cleaning brushes
After assessing the ductwork, the technicians will turn off the gas system or power before unplugging the transition horse from the dryer box. Then they will fix the brush onto the flexible rod, screw and tape the rods together to the desired length and insert the brush into the ductwork.
Thereafter, they’ll power the drill which will rotate the brush in a clockwise direction thereby loosening the lint. The dislodged lint is sucked by the vacuum cleaner. The process goes on and on until all the lint has been removed.
At times, the dryer vent system may be clogged up with no airflow coming out when the dryer is switched on. In this case, technicians use special blockage removal tools to unblock the ductwork.
Important Tips for Dryer Vent Cleaning and Care
As the homeowner, you have a role to play in ensuring that your dryer vent system is always in top condition. Here are some tips to start you off.
- Cleaning frequency: Ensure your dryer vent system is cleaned at least twice a year. The frequency may increase if you load your dyer many times a week.
- Clean the dryer filter: Dyers are fitted with lint traps designed to catch lint before it escapes into the ductwork. Clean the traps after every load.
- Turn off the dryer: Ensure you turn the dryer off as you leave the house.
- Connect the dryer safety alarm: This is a special device that alerts you when lint builds up to a given level. Brands such as LG have automated sensors that show error codes when they sense airflow restrictions in the dryer vent exhaust system.
The dryer vent cleaning technicians will also advise you on whether or not to replace your transition hose. Holes, kinks, and compressions in the transition hose can restrict airflow. Always consider replacing damaged transition hoses with varieties that meet both the international residential code (IRC) and international mechanical code (IMC) M1502.4.3 and 504.6.3.
Instead of hassling through your dryer vent cleaning process, our Vacu-Man technicians can save you the time and trouble. We have decades of experience between us and can help you clean your entire ductwork leaving your family happy and lint-free all winter. Visit our website or call us today to get a free estimate.
