6 Important Reasons to Clean Your Dryer Vent

The Reasons You Should Clean Your Dryer Vent

Have a clothes dryer in your Peachtree Corners home? Here are six reasons to have your dryer vents cleaned by a professional.

1. Safety

The biggest reason to work with a Peachtree Corners dryer vent cleaning company is that a clean dryer vent is a safe dryer vent. Lint is flammable, so if too much of it builds up in the dryer vent and becomes too hot, it could create a spark. This spark could lead to a fire, potentially causing significant property damage. It's estimated that about 3,000 dryer fires are reported every year, according to data from the U.S. Fire Administration. The leading cause of a dryer fire is failure to clean lint out.

2. Save Energy

A clean dryer vent is also an efficient dryer vent. Think of this the same way you think about your home's air ducts. Air ducts - like dryer vents - accumulate particulate over time. When buildup becomes too significant, such as with a dirty air filter, it can restrict airflow from the vents, causing your HVAC system to work harder to heat or cool the home adequately. The same is true of dryer vents. If there's too much lint buildup in the system, it will not be able to exhaust outside of the property effectively. This will result in the dryer expelling more energy.

3. Accelerate Drying Times

As mentioned in the above bullet point, a lint-filled vent leads to an inefficient dryer. You may learn that a heavily contaminated duct takes several drying cycles to dry specific garments adequately. Hence, a clean vent will lead to a better operating dryer and will likely accelerate drying times. This will also save you money on energy and wear and tear on the dryer itself.

4. Reduce Wear and Tear on Your Dryer

A more efficient dryer will take less time to dry your clothes adequately. And with decreased usage comes decreased wear and tear. The average dryer lasts anywhere from 10 to 13 years. To maximize its lifetime, one of the best things you can do is regularly clean the lint trap and have the dryer vent cleaned.

5. Keep Your Clothes Looking Great

Your clothing has a shelf life - and every time you wash and dry an article of clothing, it will lose a small amount of its quality. Think of your clothes like the tires on your car. The more you drive on your tires, the more the tread will wear. The more you wear, wash and dry your clothes. Eventually, the fibers will deteriorate, and your clothes will become stretched and have a "worn" look and feel. But as we've noted, cleaning the dryer vent can ensure that your machine is running effectively and efficiently, which can help decrease dry times and extend the life of your clothing.

6. Reduce Allergens, Improve Indoor Air Quality

Dryer vents can capture more than just lint, but dampness from your clothing and allergens. Over time, this may lead to mold growth, which can spread and circulate throughout the rest of your home. For people with heightened allergies, symptoms might include skin irritation, cold-like symptoms, headaches, fatigue, and more.

Furthermore, if you have a gas dryer, a clogged vent may cause carbon monoxide to back up and circulate throughout your home. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, tasteless, colorless - yet deadly - gas. A thorough annual vent cleaning is essential with any dryer, but it's perhaps all the more critical if you have a gas dryer.

It's essential to clean out the lint trap on your dryer after every drying cycle. But at least once a year, the dryer vent should also be thoroughly cleaned with an appropriate device. Your household vacuum cleaner or shop vacuum is only likely to reach so far into the vent to vacuum up debris, which is where a professional cleaning comes in handy. The professionals have the right equipment to reach through the dryer vent to capture all of the lint and other debris that may be present in it.

Contact Us Today

If you live nearby and want to learn more about dryer vent cleaning, please see our page here. We serve Peachtree Corners, Norcross, Duluth and the surrounding areas.