Marinelle Adams
How Often Should You Ask For Residential Dryer Vent Services?
We all have to wash our clothes, and depending on how big some family is, some have to do this chore more often than others, but what we all have in common is something we often overlook in terms of maintenance, and that is a dryer vent. For those not familiar with what it is, it is a part responsible for letting out heated air and moisture from dryers, and if the vent is not regularly checked and cleaned, dust builds up, and this causes inefficiency and many other mechanical problems. The machine tends to use more energy, and this strains its mechanical parts causing damages. That can deliver you higher electricity and repair bills, but it can also have more severe consequences. Lint is highly flammable, and since the device is using more power and heating up due to inefficiency, this heat can lead to house fires.
There are many reasons why regular maintenance of these vents is something of a must, as it has many benefits, some of them being that it will increase air circulation and stop overheating, hence reducing the chances of a fire outbreak. Although the professional will advise you on how often you should clean them, there are signs to show that the time has come to clean them. Click here more information.
Signs that commercial/residential dryer vent needs to be cleaned
1. Long drying hours
It is pretty easy to check whether there is some vent-related problem, and if one notices that their clothes are taking much longer to dry, it is not only necessary but required to check the drying vent. This signifies that the dryer is not working adequately, and one of the main reasons for that could be the building up of dust. To be sure, call the professional who will fix the problem because it is never a good idea to try to fix it on your own.
2. The clothes are hot afterward
Although the clothes might be warm after a drying process, they should not be so hot that you cannot touch them. When/if that happens, it is a sign that you should take a look and check if the dryer is heating up during work. It is one of the signs that something is wrong since the heating is caused by a build-up of dust and filth that prevents air circulation and traps moisture. It is not something to ignore because overheating can be pretty dangerous and can further cause other serious problems, causing a fire.
3. Debris around the dryer
If you see any debris around the dryer horse, it is necessary to remove it before using it. That will improve the performance of the dryers and thus save a lot of power. Besides that, it will prevent spoilage and extend service life, which will further reduce costs.
4. If you have not checked your commercial dryer vent for over a year, there is a likelihood of lint and dust building up
It is recommended to clean the lint filter after every cycle for safety and energy efficiency. If you have not done this for a long time, then it is crucial to do it as soon as possible for your own safety. Cleaning the filter is not difficult and will not take too much time, but it can prevent many problems. In the end, it is better to set aside time for cleaning, which is for sure a much better option than to set aside the money for repairs.
5. If you notice that the clothes come out of the dryer with a burning smell, or the laundry room has the same smell afterward
The burning smell is never a good sign, so if you feel it after taking the clothes off the dryer, it is an alarm signal and a sign that it needs an immediate reaction. Call the professionals and do not turn it on again before doing so, as they will fix any malfunction and because if you ignore it and still turn it on, it can lead to a serious fire. That may be the most serious sign that something is wrong, and one should never overlook it.
6. How often to clean them?
As some studies have shown and experts agreed, it is recommended to clean up your residential dryer vent every year to remove any filth and dust that might cause clogging. However, other factors will determine how long you should take before the next cleaning exercise. It all depends from case to case, but the important thing is not to forget about it or stall the cleaning.
7. The size of the family
If the family is big, it means that you wash a lot of clothes daily. The more you wash them, the more fiber is likely to accumulate, and this means that one should keep checking whether the vents are clogged regularly.
8. Pets
If there are pets in your home, the vent will likely get clogged much faster than in homes without any dogs or cats. As you already know, pets often shed, so their hair often ends up on your clothes or bedding, and because of that, the cleaning needs to be done much more often.
Advantages of dryer vent cleaning
- It saves energy and money because the machine will be more efficient and not use a lot of power to do its work.
- There will be a reduced maintenance cost. With proper and regular maintenance of the vents, there will be no chances of overheating and overworking the machine, meaning that its other components will be secure. Moreover, when the dryer is in the top shape, it uses much less energy as opposed to when it is overheating, meaning that it uses much more power. So, it is beneficial for many reasons, and you can actually save more money with proper maintenance.
- It reduces the chances of a fire breakout. Lint is highly flammable, and the fire is caused by clogging of the vent due to reduced air circulation. Cleaning the vent ensures there is enough air circulation hence no overheating, which reduces chances of fires.