Whenever you place laundry into a clothes dryer, what’s one of the important steps to take? Clean out the lint trap, of course. Without this air passage kept clear in the dryer, the machine will heat far less efficiently and end up making clothes damp instead of dry, all while draining the same amount of power.
However, the lint trap isn’t the only part of your clothes dryer that requires cleaning. The dryer has a ventilation system to the outside to prevent extra heat from entering your home, as well removing other debris plucked from the clothes. The dryer vent needs to stay clean, and with regular visit from specialists, you’ll have a dryer that runs without draining power, gets your clothes dry, and… most important of all… won’t create a fire hazard.
2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. does more than chimney sweeping and restoration. We handle dryer vent cleaning to take care of lint and the exhaust hose. When you’re looking for top people for dryer vent cleaning in the Twin Cities, MN, make us your first call.
Why dryer vent cleaning is necessary
Before we get to anything else, we want to share a frightening statistic: According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, approximately 15,000 house fires occur every year because of obstructions inside dryer vents. The lint from clothing is highly combustible, and once enough gathers in the vent hose between a dryer and the outside of a house, it doesn’t take much heat to cause it to ignite. It’s vital for the safety of your home and family to have the dryer vent clean of flammable material.
The safety issue is enough reason to schedule dryer vent cleaners, but there are other advantages as well. Basic energy efficiency increases with a clear passage, the same way that a clean air filter makes for a more efficient air conditioning system. Lack of venting of moist air from the dryer means the moisture trapped inside with the clothes makes it harder for them to lose additional heat. You can expect your clothes to keep coming out damp, no matter how high you run the dryer. (Damp clothes are a good warning sign that you must have the dryer vent cleaned.)
How often should I clean the dryer vent and how do I do it?
The frequency that a dryer vents needs cleaning varies. When you notice damp clothes or the need to run the dryer for longer, or if the top surface of the dryer becomes extremely hot, then you are due for cleaning. If you don’t recall ever cleaning the vent before, then it’s definitely time to take care of it. In general, get into the habit of having cleaning twice a year.
Instead of spending hours trying to access and clean your dryer vents, call 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. and schedule a dryer vent cleaning in the Twin Cities, MN.