Clothes Drying Slower? It’s Time to Have Your Dryer Vent Cleaned
One of the biggest signs that you have a clogged clothes dryer vent is when it takes more than one cycle to completely dry one load of clothes. If you have noticed that it is taking your clothes longer to dry, you should contact us at Hudson Chimney to schedule an appointment for our professional dryer vent cleaning services. Not only does a dirty dryer vent cause your dryer to not work as well as it should, it also creates a dangerous fire hazard. According to the US Fire Administration, 2,900 clothes dryer fires were reported each year between 2008 and 2010, and these fires resulted in approximately five deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property losses. Most of these fires started due to dirty and clogged dryer vents. This is why many national fire safety organizations recommend that homeowners have their dryer vent system professionally cleaned at least once a year. This service will also save you money on utility bills because you will not have to run your dryer twice as long to dry your clothes. We would like to share some more clothes dryer safety tips to help you reduce this fire risk and prevent clothes dryer fires.
Never use your dryer without a lint filter.
Lint is so flammable that the Boy Scouts of America recommend using it to start campfires. Since your clothes dryer produces a lot of lint, you need the lint filter to collect as much of it as possible. You should always clean the lint filter before or after each load. Although this does trap a lot of lint, your vent will still have loose lint that accumulates over time. When lint builds up enough to block the vent, you could easily have a dryer fire since the excessive heat from the dryer can ignite lint.
Be sure your vent is made from the right material.
For proper air flow, your vent should be constructed from rigid or flexible metal venting material. You also should ensure that the air exhaust vent pipe has no restrictions. The vent flap on the outside of your home should open when your dryer is in use.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Read the owner’s manual for your clothes dryer, and do not overload your dryer with too many clothes. Check the plug for your dryer and be sure it is plugged into the right type of outlet. If you have a gas-powered dryer, it should be inspected annually to ensure the gas line and connection have no leaks.
If you have damp clothes at the end of one drying cycle, your dryer vent is most likely clogged. Contact us at Hudson Chimney to schedule an appointment for our professional dryer vent cleaning services.