Clean Dryer Vent for Fire Safety
Keeping a clean dryer vent is an idea that not only can save us money on gas and electric bills, but in addition to this, we also are helping to prevent fire in our homes. If your clothes seem to be taking longer to dry, with more cycles required, perhaps the problem is dirt and lint inside the dryer’s venting pipe.
It is all too easy to assume that the dryer itself is at fault – after all, if the clothes are not drying properly, the obvious thing to do is to question the working mechanics of the dryer. However, this could prove to be a very expensive mistake if you, as a result of this idea, decide to call a professional in to fix the dryer, or even replace it. The problem actually is often a lot simpler, and often several times cheaper to fix.
If the dryer vent is being obstructed by a build-up of filth, then the washing will not dry efficiently, since the dryer cannot properly release the moisture in the clothes, and as a result, the washing will take a lot longer to dry. This can lead to clothes smelling generally unpleasant even after they have been in the dryer. If the dryer is run in this way continuously, you will find that damage is done to the dryer itself, resulting in you having to incur the cost of expensive repairs to the machinery.
Perhaps the most worrying feature of having an unclean dryer vent is the possibility that fire could arise. A lot of new dryers have a feature whereby the dryer will automatically turn its heat off if an obstruction is present to prevent the hazard of fire. The problem with this is that your clothes will unfortunately not end up being dried. However, dangerously, the older dryers do not have such a feature, and as a result are a real fire hazard. Due to more heat being pumped out and the heat being released inefficiently, the dryer will continue to heat up. This is a very serious fire safety issue, and if you feel something like dirt is a problem in your dryer, you should get it checked out at the earliest opportunity, without further delay.
Obviously in a lot of cases it is impractical to try to clean the dryer vent properly yourself, so you will want to call in a trained professional. However, you will find that most specialists will not be willing to sort the ventilation system for you. You should instead contact a chimney sweeping service or a duct cleaning company.
One way of helping your dryer out is simply to stop the build-up of unwanted things in the ventilation system before it occurs. This can be done by making sure all pieces of paper, handkerchiefs and so on are removed from clothing before they are placed into the dryer. Another hazard is losing money or jewelry in this way – an expensive mistake to make.
In 1998, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission gave an estimated figure of 15,600 fires caused by dryers, resulting in 20 deaths and 370 injuries. The build-up of dirt and paper is one of the main causes of these fires, and it is completely unnecessary to take this risk. A fire can cause thousands of pounds worth of damage to your home, or even worse, damage to yourself, so it is well worth investing in having a qualified professional come around to clean the dryer properly. Keep an eye on how the professional does the cleaning; it might be the case that your dryer is a type that you can clean yourself, resulting in even more money being saved. For obvious reasons you will want to keep anything flammable well away from the dryer.
It is good practice to clean the lint screen before you dry each load of laundry. Bear in mind that while you might want to use a fabric softener, these can result in a chemical film being left on the lint screen that can increase overheating in the dryer. Periodically take the lint screen out and wash it thoroughly with hot water, dishwashing soap, and a toothbrush.
Your dryer will have a flexible connector hose from the wall, and if this is not treated properly, the heat exhaustion can be even more inefficient. You do not want the connector hose to be plastic since a lot of plastics are flammable or do not resist heat well. An aluminum connector hose is good, but there should be no kinks in it, due to further inefficiencies. The connector hose should be short enough so that it only just stretches between the dryer and wall, with a little slack in case the dryer is pulled.
You should leave the door open when your dryer is on, as this will improve circulation and provide new, fresh, cool air for the dryer to use in exchange for its hot air, helping to prevent overheating. A dryer needs at least 100 square inches of oxygen, that’s 10” by 10”. Any exhaust fans in the room should be off whilst the dryer is running to prevent more heat being released.
Due to the high incidence of dryer fires, we need to be very careful about what we do whilst the dryer is running; it is not wise to leave the house, and it is certainly not wise to leave the dryer running at night when you are in bed. It may save a little time in your day, but the consequences could be disastrous.
Make sure that the person you are going to hire to clean out your dryer vent is going to use a viper high pressure air technique; a simple vacuuming or will not properly remove the lint from the venting system. This is even more the case if the build-up is moist since it will stick to the inside of the pipe even more firmly if this technique is used.
Next time you use your dryer, consider what you have read and think how much money you could be saving in energy bills and dryer replacements if you simply take the time to get the ventilation cleaned. Safer and cheaper – you are winning both ways.
A-1 Ductworks is a full service duct cleaning company serving the fort mcmurray and Wood Buffalo Region of Alberta Canada
