You better believe it. We understand that, provided it is doing its job (drying clothes), a lot of homeowners probably do not give all that much thought to their clothes dryers. The responsible ones will remove and clean the lint trap before each and every load, of course. However, the actual vents of their dryers, which release heat and moisture and, yes, lint, into the air outside go largely unconsidered. This is not only irresponsible, but potentially dangerous.
The good news is that keeping your dryer vent clean and functioning safely is really no more difficult than picking up the phone and dialing our number. We offer dryer vent cleaning in Minneapolis, MN, and we have the right tools and training to clean this difficult to access area thoroughly and effectively. If you have never had your dryer vent cleaned out, or if you notice any of the symptoms outlined below, do not hesitate to give us a call.
Why Does the Dryer Vent Need to Be Cleaned?
Essentially for the same reasons that your lint trap does. The dryer is there to, well, dry things. That includes the lint that your clothes shed throughout the drying cycle. And when you are talking about dry lint and the heat generated by a dryer, you are talking about a fire hazard.
Does this mean that you have to turn your back on this incredibly convenient appliance? Of course not. It just means that, like any other appliance, you need to use it responsibly. Part of doing so is having your dryer vent professionally cleaned. You may remove the cage over the vent exhaust found outside to remove the lint that collects there. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Your dryer vent pipe itself also needs to be cleaned out, and doing so is not the most convenient of tasks. You’ll need the dryer to be disconnected, and you’ll really need to get in there deep. That’s why the professionals on our team are the ones to call. We’ll do a thorough job of it and we’ll assess our work before calling the job complete.
Signs of Trouble
Dryer vent cleaning should be something of a regular service, ideally. That being said, we know that homeowners are a busy lot. Sometimes, they are just not going to contact us to have their dryer vents cleaned until trouble arises. We hope that you’ll reconsider this strategy, but for safety’s sake, here are some signs of trouble to watch out for.
- Your clothes come out of the dryer wet. It’s not just heat that is vented through the dryer vent, but moisture, too. If your clothes are coming out of the dryer wet, it could be due to an obstruction in the vent.
- Your dryer shuts down prematurely. Is your dryer failing to complete a full drying cycle? If so, it may well be overheating because of a blockage in the vent.
- Your dryer emits a burning odor. Stop using it—NOW. Do not risk a fire just because you want to wear an article of clothing that needs to be dried!
Schedule your dryer vent cleaning with 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc.