Old Smokey's Fireplace & Chimney's Blog

Don’t forget about dryer vent cleaning!

People used to tie a string on a finger to keep them from forgetting something. How would that work? What if looking at the string served to remind them of SOMETHING, but they forgot what it was they were supposed to remember?

How’s this? To remind yourself of the need for dryer vent cleaning, place those little plastic dryer balls around the house.

Dryer vent cleaning is important enough that reminder tricks might well be worth it, no matter how eccentric. Here at Old Smokey’s Fireplace & Chimney dryer vent cleaning is a key part of our business.

Let’s review why this relatively straightforward task is prudent and smart.

First, it’s the safe thing to do. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the leading cause of home clothes dryer and washer fires is failure to clean. (Incidentally, here are some tips the NFPA offers regarding dryer vent safety.)

What is this “failure to clean”?

Dryer vents tend to get blocked or clogged over the course of time and repeated use. If the dryer vent is not cleaned, lint and other debris collected there can start a fire. The lint is dry and flammable. It poses a fire risk. These vents need to be professionally cleaned.

Old Smokey’s has the trained professionals and equipment to properly clean your dryer vent. Our experts will clear clogs and remove blockages to allow air to ventilate and flow freely – and safely. Old Smokey’s knows how to professionally clean your dryer vent, including the vent line, the lint trap, and connections and fittings.

A dryer vent cleaning yields several benefits.

You save money because your dryer is more efficient. (Plus, you won’t have to take as long to dry clothes.) You can reduce health risks by ventilating carbon monoxide to the outside. And you can lessen the likelihood that lint buildup can create conditions for mold to form.

We at Old Smokey’s Fireplace & Chimney suggest that you have your dryer vents inspected annually by a qualified professional. In line with that annual inspection, have your vents professionally cleaned to clear away any potentially fire-inducing lint blockages.

Call Old Smokey’s today!

Call us at 260-424-0009 or 800-876-6539 to set up a dryer vent inspection and professional cleaning. Or schedule an appointment online.

Our 30+ years of experience testifies to the trust Old Smokey’s has built throughout northeast Indiana, northwest Ohio, and mid-south Michigan. We are proud of the thousands of satisfied customers we have capably served.

Is your dryer vent backed up?

Yes, we are called Old Smokey’s Fireplace & Chimney. We concede that Old Linty’s Dryer Vent Cleaners is not as catchy. Nor is Old Linty’s Airflow Protectors. But those names are not as silly as they might appear. Dryer vent cleaning is a significant part of our business. And rightly so.

Is your dryer vent backed up? How would you know? At the risk of sounding indelicate, let us make some comparisons to human anatomy. Humans get colonoscopies to determine whether obstructions or other conditions may prove harmful if left untreated. Perhaps a better analogy is our lungs. An X-ray or other diagnostic test can definitively portray the condition of one’s lungs with respect to airflow. Obstructions caused by deterioration or congestion could be harmful. What about dryer vents? How do we know if there are obstructions and potentially serious clogs or backups?

An inspection conducted by a qualified professional is the best way to assess whether your dryer vent is clogged. More on that in a minute.

Repeated use can cause a dryer vent to get blocked or clogged. If your dryer vent is not cleaned, lint and other debris that gets caught or clogged can start a fire. Lint or other material clogged in your dryer vent is most likely dry and therefore flammable. In fact, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the leading cause of home clothes dryer and washer fires is failure to clean. The NFPA has noted that for 2006-2010, dryers and washing machines were involved in 1 out of 22 home fires. The NFPA offers worthwhile tips regarding dryer vent safety.

Back to the notion of inspections. It makes good sense for the health and safety of your home’s occupants to have your dryer vents inspected annually. These vents need to be professionally cleaned to clear away any potentially fire-inducing lint blockages. Call Old Smokey’s at 260-424-0009 or 800-876-6539 to set up a dryer vent inspection and professional cleaning.

When you deal with Old Smokey’s, rest assured you are receiving the services of qualified and experienced professionals. Don’t hesitate another day to have dryer vent clogs and blockages removed to allow air to flow freely.

An Old Smokey’s dryer vent cleaning yields good dividends. For example, you can save money on energy costs as a result of increased drying efficiency. With smooth airflow after blockages are removed, your dryer doesn’t need to take as long to dry your wet loads of wash. Also, we can help reduce health risks by ventilating carbon monoxide as it should be ventilated — to the outdoors. And, as noted, you reduce the potential for fire when you clean your dryer vents annually.

Call Old Smokey’s now at 800-876-6539 to give you peace of mind when it comes to proper dryer vent exhaust. And as for our company name, Old Linty’s Airflow Protectors is, um, different, but we’ll stick with Old Smokey’s Fireplace & Chimney.