Failure to clean was the leading factor contributing to the ignition of clothes dryer fires in residential buildings. Dryer vent cleaning is an area of routine home maintenance neglected by many homeowners.
– Clothes (especially towels and jeans) take a very long time to dry.
When dryer is running, – The dryer gets hot or warm to the touch
When machine is running, – The flappers on the vent cap never open.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms it’s probably time to have your vent cleaned. Getting your vent cleaned and inspected leads to lower utility cost, faster drying times, and most importantly a reduced risk of dryer fires.
Anatomy of a Clothes Dryer
, if you understand how a dryer works you will understand how important it is to have your vent cleaned regularly.. Dryers are very reliable, and easy to use. You’ll be surprised at how simple this common machine is. Clothes dryers have:
– A rotating tumbler that holds the clothes.
– An electric or gas heater that heats the air that is drawn through the clothes as they tumble, which in turn heats up the clothes and water in them.
– An exhaust system that passes the moisture out of the dryer to the dryer vent in the form of steam.
The machine then takes that moisture in the form of steam from the machine, through the transition duct (the hose in the back of your dryer that connects the machine to the wall) through the dryer vent (located behind the wall) and out of your house. Now that we have learned how a dryer works you can see why if your vent is clogged or dirty your clothes could take several hours to dry or worse yet, can cause your dryer to overheat and catch fire.
How Often Should the Dryer Vent be Cleaned?
Well, it all depends on several factors such as the number of monthly loads, the kind of laundry washed (diapers, towels and other high lint producing items). Other factors would be the length of the vent and the number of elbows in the vent run. Dryer manufacturers recommend the dryer vent be cleaned annually.
If you understand how a dryer works you will understand how important it is to have your vent cleaned regularly. The machine then takes that moisture in the form of steam from the machine, through the transition duct (the hose in the back of your dryer that connects the machine to the wall) through the dryer vent (located behind the wall) and out of your house. The dryer works in conjunction with the vent to complete the drying process. Now that we have learned how a dryer works you can see why if your vent is clogged or dirty your clothes could take several hours to dry or worse yet, can cause your dryer to overheat and catch fire.
Dryer manufacturers recommend the dryer vent be cleaned annually.