Dyers are a helpful household appliance that helps keep a family's clothing clean and ready to wear. Every dryer will have a dryer hose vent that is necessary to blow lint and debris from clothing, towels and other laundry items to the outside. But did you know that you have to frequently clean it and check if it’s free of debris?
A clogged hose dryer vent can not only damage your clothes, but it can also impact your energy bills and improve house fire risks. Keep reading to learn more about the issue and that the warning signs are!
“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today. – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
The Purpose of a Dryer Vent
The vent needs to be installed properly and provides a way for hot air, built up debris and humidity to escape through the vent pushing it outdoors. This action helps to keep the dryer from overheating which is a major risk of fires and other problems.
Warning Signs Indicating You Need Dryer Vent Cleaning
Proper dryer vent installation is crucial to help prevent dangerous buildup of flammable lint and other debris posing a huge fire risk that puts everyone inside the home at grave risk for injuries and even death should a fire occur. These 5 warning indicator signs show that it may be time to clean out your dryer vent.
1. At End of Dry Cycle, Your Clothes Feel Very Hot to Touch
Most people love that their freshly laundered towels and other items are warm and snuggly when removed from the dryer after the cycle is complete. However, if the laundry is hot-to-touch making your hand burn if it touches the clothes or the interior dryer metal, this could be a warning sign that your dryer vent has become stopped up and clogged with lint or other debris.
2. It Seems to Take Forever for a Load of Laundry to Get Dry
Another important sign that a dryer vent needs a good cleaning is that your laundry seems to take much longer to dry than it used to. As the debris collects inside the vent, it can block the necessary air exchange that helps the dryer stay at a consistent temperature hot enough to dry your laundry items without being too hot to overheat the delicate machine parts during operation.
3. There Is a Burnt or Hot Smell When Dryer Is Running
If you smell a burnt or hot smell when your drying is running, this is a critical warning sign that your dryer is likely overheating. Turn off the dryer immediately and unplug. After the dryer and vent cools off, clean out the drying vent or call for a professional to do the job for you before running the appliance again.
4. The Last Time Your Dryer Vent Was Cleaned Is Over a Year Ago
For the average sized family, a household dryer vent needs to be cleaned out at least once a year. If there are lots of children or a larger number of people living in the household, this important regular appliance maintenance job should be done more often.
5. There Is Visible Dryer Lint On the Outside Dryer Vent Trap or Around Hose
Take time to go outside to view the outside dryer vent trap and look around the air vent usually attached at the back of the dryer going outside through the wall. If there is visible dryer lint, fuzz or obvious debris seen on the outside vent lap, you should call a local dryer vent cleaning professional to clean out your dryer vent and/or complete any needed dryer vent repair tasks.
Top Dangers That a Clogged Dryer Vent Can Cause
There are some other problems and dangers that a clogged dryer vent can cause. Consider the following:
Higher Energy Bills
Inefficient dryer vent air exchange overheats the appliance's delicate motor parts and causes the dryer to work harder and longer to dry a load of clothes. This will result in higher energy bills every month and is a waste of the planet's valuable energy resources.
Possible Entryway for Pests to Gain Access to Your Home
If a dryer vent becomes clogged up enough to push the outside flap outwards, this may create a welcome sign to enter your home to any nearby pests and smaller wildlife creatures like mice and other rodents, insects and birds. The debris and warmer environment makes a perfect nesting spot for these pests.
Clogged Dryer Vents Are a Common Cause of Household Fires
Clogged dryer vents are a common cause of household fires every year. If your vent becomes clogged, call for professional dryer vent cleaning and repair to resolve the issue fast.
Check Your Dryer Vent Now
Continued use of a dryer when a vent is clogged can be costly and may damage your dryer. Cleaning the vent out on a regular basis can help avoid the cost to replace dryer vent. Also, keeping the vent clean can reduce the risk of fire keeping your family safe.
Contact a local dryer vent cleaning company and request a free quote for your project and any repairs you may need!
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