The dryer vents in your home or apartment complex are easy to overlook, since they’re very “out of sight, out of mind.” However, that doesn’t mean they should be forgotten entirely! Dryer vents will become clogged over time, and that doesn’t just reduce the efficiency of your clothes dryer. It can be a genuine fire hazard!
Periodically hiring a dryer vent cleaning service in Collegeville is a cheap and effective way of ensuring your dryers keep running properly, without causing problems.
The Importance of Regular Dryer Vent Cleaning
- Reduce fire hazards
Many people don’t realize that their clothes dryer is a genuine fire hazard. The National Fire Protection Association reports that dryers cause approximately 15,000 fires each year, causing hundreds of injuries and many millions in damages. And built-up lint is the most common cause.
The lint in your dryer vents is extremely flammable. If it isn’t cleaned out periodically, all it takes is one particularly hot dryer cycle and it could ignite.
- Prevent carbon monoxide buildup
If your dryer runs on gas, its vent is protecting you in another way: moving dangerous carbon monoxide gas and other emissions out of the house. If the vent is clogged, those gases could start building up in the laundry room instead.
(Fortunately, electric dryers don’t have this issue.)
- Improve your dryer’s efficiency
When the dryer vents are clogged, that makes it harder for the dryer to effectively remove moisture and send it outside. So, loads of clothes take longer to dry and require a lot more energy as well. They may even require more than one cycle! That’s wasting your time and your money. Also, in this situation, you may have a lot of extra heat building up due to the extended drying cycles – which just makes the fire risk that much higher.
If it seems like your clothes are taking too long to dry, that’s a big red flag that your dryer vents are clogged up and need a dryer vent cleaning service ASAP.
- Extend your dryer’s lifespan
Another side-effect of your dryer having to work harder to dry clothes is that it puts extra stress on the dryer. Every extra cycle cuts into its lifespan, plus the heat buildup can potentially damage the electronics inside. Keeping your vents clear and clean will directly help improve your dryer’s life and protect your investment.
- Protect your clothes
Finally, consider the effect that extra moisture and heat will have on your clothing. This encourages shrinking and may even do direct damage to thin or fragile clothes. We’ve even seen cases of polyester clothes, and clothing made of similar materials, melting if the dryer is too hot.
Along with our flagship power-washing services, Applied Power Wash also handles dryer vent cleaning. If it’s been more than a year since your vents were cleaned, or it seems like your dryer isn’t as efficient as it used to be, we’re here to help! Contact us to schedule an appointment.
