Old Smokey's Fireplace & Chimney's Blog

Having an efficient dryer vent

Home appliances make our lives so much easier, but sometimes it’s easy to forget that our appliances need periodic maintenance and, inspections. Annual dryer vent inspections are important for a few reasons. At Old Smokey’s our ventilation experts want to remind you that having a clean dryer vent can make your dryer run more efficiently, saving you time and money. It also has the added benefit of keeping your home safer.

Clogged vents

It takes a lot of hot moving air to dry wet clothing. To avoid overheating, dryers need a place to vent the air it pushes through your clothing. For most models of clothes dryers, there is an opening for ventilation in the back. This opening is usually about four to six inches and is connected to a duct that directs the air into your home’s main ventilation ductwork, or outside of your home. When your dryer is in use, tiny pieces of cloth called lint break loose from your clothing. This lint gets caught up in your dryer’s airflow and is propelled toward your dryer’s vent until it is intercepted by your dryer’s lint trap. A lint trap prevents lint from entering your dryer and home’s ductwork.

Efficiency

Your lint trap doesn’t catch all of the lint pushed towards your ventilation, however. When lint gets past your lint trap, it can settle in your dryer’s ventilation. A build-up of just a little bit of lint can reduce airflow significantly. This reduction in airflow does two things: first, it makes it more likely that lint will get trapped in your ventilation duct; and second, it pushes cooler air back into your dryer making your dryer less efficient by extending drying times. If it gets to the point that there is a significant clog in your ventilation, not only does it drain your efficiency, but it can be a very serious safety hazard. Clogged dryer vents can lead to your dryer overheating, causing it to start on fire, or it can cause dangerous carbon monoxide gas to leak into your home.

Vent Cleaning

The best way to keep your dryer running efficiently and keep your home safe is to make sure your dryer vent is inspected annually by a Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) certified ventilation expert. At Old Smokey’s, our CSIA certified ventilation technicians have had a ton of knowledge and experience inspecting and cleaning dryer ventilation duct. You can be sure that our technicians will have your dryer running efficiently and safely, year after year.

Once lint gets into your dryer ventilation, it will accumulate quickly, so don’t push off cleaning your ventilation for another year. If you live in northern Indiana, northern Ohio, or mid-Michigan and it’s been a while since you’ve had your ventilation inspected, call Old Smokey’s today at 800-876-6539 or 260-587-9691, or schedule an in-home appointment online.

The Advantages of a Professional Dryer Vent Cleaning

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!