Dryer vent cleaning
As we are now a month into the new year, I wanted to revisit a home maintenance item that is overlooked by many homeowners. Dryer vent cleaning.
As you may be aware the dryer vent duct is designed to exhaust moisture from the clothes drying process to the outside. If installed properly, the vent will consist of 4” galvanized hard pipe (vented to the outside) and the length will be less than what the building code allows.
During the drying process, the lint screen will accumulate lint, which should be removed after every load of laundry. Over time though, lint, pet hair, and other material will get past the screen and be pushed through the vent and begin to accumulate. This accumulation may be quick, or take a significant amount of time. It’s based on many factors, amount of laundry, type of laundry, pet or pets in the residence, and also the how the vent is run. I.E. through the attic or crawl space. Vents run through the crawl space/attic, experience additional issues due to the warm moist air from the dryer, going through a pipe that runs through a cool environment. Over time this accumulation restricts the air flow and causes the dryer to become less efficient and in extreme cases, can cause a fire.
If you are experiencing extended dry times, or it takes an additional cycle to dry your laundry, it is time to have your dryer vent line cleaned. Many have contacted an appliance repair service only to find out that their vent needed to be cleaned. It’s also important to ensure the vent is cleaned properly including, the duct from the dryer to the wall, as well as the area under the lint screen. This will ensure the proper air flow and improve overall performance.
So, if it’s been a while, or never, or if you’re experiencing drying issues, schedule a service to have your vent cleaned. You’ll save time, money, and reduce the risk of appliance damage or fire.