3 Essential Reasons to Have Your Dryer Vent Cleaned

Most people tend to forget about the dryer vent until it becomes clogged and we have to clean it. The dryer vent is the tube that goes from your clothes dryer to the outside of your house. It’s essential to keep this tube clean. If it becomes clogged, it can cause many problems. If you don’t do it right, and you leave the vent clogged for a long time, then your dryer could break down and stop working.

Fire Hazard

A clogged dryer vent can pose a severe fire hazard. According to the National Fire Protection Association, clothes dryers are responsible for approximately 15,600 fires per year. These fires are prevented by getting your vents cleaned out every few years or so. Ensure there is nothing wrong with the vents since fires would probably happen more often if not kept clean. If too much lint is built up in the tubes, it can easily ignite and cause a fire in your home. Not only could this potentially damage or destroy your home, but it puts everyone inside at risk as well.

Efficiency

A clean dryer vent will make your clothes dryer run more efficiently. Lint in the tube can restrict airflow and cause longer drying times for your clothes. The more the drying time of clothes, the higher the energy bills each month. All extra minutes spent running on high-heat instead of low-heat settings adds to the bills. Efficiency reduces wear and tear in the appliance by reducing strain caused by having too much lint built up inside its tubes. Possible damage over time due to constant use without proper maintenance is expected.

Quality of Air

A clogged dryer vent can reduce air quality in your home. The lint builds up, creating a blockage that prevents proper ventilation and airflow through the tubes. Minimal ventilation pollutes indoor environments due to poor circulatory systems. If you want to eliminate this problem, ensure no leaks along the line. Water leakage will only expedite its formation while causing other issues like mold growth. The best way of doing so will be using sealant on every joint where two pieces meet or weld the joints. Welding creates much tighter connections than screws do.

How Often Should I Do This?

The frequency depends on how much laundry you wash, but most people recommend having their dryer vents cleaned out once every three years. If you have children under six living at home, maybe twice per year would be better. How often you use the clothes dryer and other factors like a screen in it, many turns, and some bends are too sharp determines how much cleaning is needed.

How Do I Clean My Dryer Vent?

It’s best to leave this task to the professionals, but if you insist on doing it yourself, make sure you have a vacuum cleaner that can reach deep into the crevices of your tube. You can clean by vacuuming with a crevice tool while the dryer is running. Ensure you have cleaned the lint trap regularly; it will help reduce the amount of lint that accumulates in the tubes.