.1804121513550.jpg)
Is My Dryer Vent Clogged?
Clothes dryers are popular appliances in today’s homes, but they can also pose a serious fire hazard. In fact, dryers are responsible for over 15,000 residential fires every year – that’s more than chimneys!
The most common cause of dryer fires is failure to clean. As clothes spin around in your dryer, they produce lint. Much of this lint collects in the filter screen (which you probably already know to clean), but some can make its way to the exhaust vent. The exhaust vent is the long, windy tube that connects to the back of your appliance and releases heat. When this gets clogged with lint, bad things happen.
Here are a few ways to tell that your dryer vent needs to be cleaned:
- Your clothes are taking longer to dry. When your exhaust vent is clogged with lint, your dryer cannot effectively release heat and moisture. This causes even small loads of laundry to take two, sometimes three cycles to dry completely. Not only does this waste your time, it wastes your money.
- The dryer gets excessively hot while operating. It’s normal for dryers to get a little warm during a cycle, but if yours feels hot to the touch – or heats up your entire laundry room – it’s a sign that something is wrong.
- There’s lint accumulating around the dryer vent. Take a peek behind your dryer; is there lint collecting around the vent attachment? Lint only tends to accumulate here after the inside of the vent is already clogged.
- It’s been more than one year since your last cleaning. Experts recommend cleaning your dryer vent at least once per year to maximize energy-efficiency and minimize risk of fire. Dryer vent cleaning requires specialized tools and knowledge, which is why it is a job best left to the professionals.
Tri-City Heating and Cooling offers comprehensive dryer vent cleaning services to homes across southern Connecticut. Our technicians will remove all lint from your exhaust vent and ensure your dryer is operating at the optimal temperature. Schedule your service online or call (203) 303-5700.