There are several serious consequences that a home or business owner can face when they do not clean a dryer vent. It’s essential that you take the proper steps in caring for the machine to improve the possibility of the unit lasting for years with minimal stress.

A good rule of thumb is to schedule a professional and comprehensive cleaning for your dryer vent at least once per year. But guidance in what you can do to ensure that your machine stays in good working order.

What Is A Dryer Vent?

If you’ve cleaned out the lint filter in the dryer body or door and thought “Cool, that’s that,” think again. Many of our customers forget about what’s happening with the tubing at the rear of the dryer. That’s what leads to the dryer vent and, ideally, outside.

How Can Heat Be Dangerous?

Lint and debris collect in dryer vents. This causes the clothes to remain moist. The dryer has to work overtime with more and more heat in order to dry the clothes. The machine wasn’t made for that degree of heat. With the debris blocking the vent, the machine overheats. This could and has caused a house fire.

What Happen If You Skip Your Dryer Vent Cleaning?

If you skip your dryer exhaust vent cleaning, there are a few key things that could happen ranging from time consuming and costly to catastrophic.

• Your clothes will take longer to dry – wasting your time and consuming more energy, which costs you more money in operating costs
• The heating element in your dryer can burn out resulting in costly repairs
• Your dryer and home could catch on fire

Dryer vents should be cleaned annually depending on the length of the vents and duct work itself. Lint build up will vary for each system so keeping a close eye for warning signs is important. Contact us if you are unsure or believe your dryer vents need cleaning.

The Risks of an Uncleaned Dryer Vent

• Fire

Many people do not realize the fact lint is highly flammable. Lint is produced after nearly every load of laundry so when you overlook cleaning out your vent, you run the risk of that lint catching on fire.

• Buildup of debris

When you do not clean your dryer vent, there may not only be a buildup on lint, but a buildup of other debris that small birds or animals may use to make nests or use as their home during the cold winter months.

• Exposure to carbon monoxide

When there is a buildup of lint or debris, air cannot circulate correctly throughout the unit. This can also lead to a buildup of carbon monoxide in your laundry room which can be potentially deadly for anyone that comes into the space.