As you settle into the new year, you are going to start searching for various improvements to make to your home as well as routine services that some of your appliances will need. One of the services that we recommend is to have professionals perform air duct cleaning. It’s a great way to give your entire HVAC system an easier year ahead, which means lower utility bills and fewer repair issues. You’ll even enjoy improved air quality.
But when you’re scheduling air duct cleaning, there’s another service we strongly recommend that you include: dryer vent cleaning.
What the inside of dryer vent looks like before cleaning.
Why does the dryer vent even need to be cleaned?
The dryer vent is where your clothes dryer releases heat and moisture as it runs. The vent and the hose will trap lint from clothing, towels, linens, and other items over time. If the vent becomes heavily clogged, it will take longer to dry out a load of laundry and end up costing you more to run.
But, more importantly, a clogged dryer vent poses a significant fire hazard. Lint is extremely flammable. This is why campers often take lint with them as a way to start fires easier. The heat inside the hose and vent can ignite this dry lint build-up, and the fire will quickly spread.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, there are almost 3,000 home clothes dryer fires annually, resulting in an estimated 100 injuries and $35 million in property loss. This makes dryer fires one of the leading causes of house fires in the nation. Most of these fires were preventable with routine vent cleaning.
If you haven’t arrange for dryer vent cleaning in a few years, or you’ve noticed your dryer struggling to clean clothes thoroughly, then contact our ductwork professionals to arrange to have the vent cleaned ASAP!
Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning: Serving Fresno, CA and the Central Valley with Quality Since 1952.