When you think of all the time and energy that your clothes dryer saves you, it really is a must-have appliance for every home. However, clothes dryers need to be inspected and maintained for safe usage. People don’t often associate their clothes dryer with being a potential safety hazard, but they should. The United States Fire Administration (USFA) states that approximately 2,900 home clothes dryer fires are reported every year causing 100 injuries, 5 deaths, and nearly 35 million dollars in property loss annually. Almost one-third of these fires could have been prevented by taking simple, preventative measures. At Old Smokey’s, we take your household’s health and safety very seriously. That is why we offer dryer vent cleaning services from professionally trained, CSIA certified ventilation experts.
How do dryers become hazardous?
When you operate your dryer, warm air is pushed through your clothes and out of the back of your dryer through a ventilation system which blows out of your home. This warm air also blows lint and other small particles off your clothing. Most lint is caught by your dryer’s lint trap, however, some lint is able to make it past the lint trap and rests in your dryer vent. Over time, lint can start to accumulate in your dryer vent to the point that it will eventually clog. Once your vent is clogged, there is nowhere for excess heat and gases to escape, which can cause your dryer to overheat and potentially start on fire. In addition to being a fire hazard, a clogged dryer vent can also cause toxic carbon monoxide to leak into your home. Although clogs formed by lint are common, your ventilation can also get clogged by debris and animal nesting.
Clogged dryer vents also cause your dryer to operate less efficiently due to restricted airflow. This can cost you time as well as money. If your clothes aren’t drying as well as they usually do, there is a good chance that you have a clogged dryer vent.
We can help!
Sometimes contractors will be in a hurry and not install your dryer vent properly, or use sub-par equipment to hook up your dryer vents. At Old Smokey’s we think this is unacceptable, especially since it concerns your family’s health and safety. During a dryer vent cleaning, we will make sure that all your dryer vents are clear of obstructions and make sure your vents are properly hooked up and not sagging.
If it’s been a while since you’ve used your dryer, or your dryer doesn’t seem to be drying as well as it used to, call Old Smokey’s at 800-876-6539 or 260-424-0009 or reach us online to set up a dryer vent cleaning with one of our professional, certified ventilation technicians. We look forward to serving you!