According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the leading cause of home clothes dryer fires is failure to clean the vents and lint filters. Preventing these fires is easy when you have The Mad Hatter offering dryer vent cleaning, along with all of our chimney services. Each load of laundry you do builds up lint and other debris in your dryer vent system, and this can cause problems that will eventually lead to a fire if you do not take the time to have your vent cleaned properly. Not only does lint, dust, and hair accumulate in the vent, but small animals and birds can make their way into your vent, leaving behind all sorts of debris like fur, feathers, and nesting materials. Not many people even realize that their clothes dryer’s venting system needs professional cleaning annually, so we would like to tell you some reasons why, along with tips on fire safety for dryer vents.
- inefficiency – A clogged up vent system makes your dryer work harder to be hot enough to dry your clothes because of the restricted air flow. If you notice having to run your dryer more than once or having to set it at a higher temperature to fully dry a load of clothes, you more than likely have debris blocking your vent. When this happens, you are wasting energy and money by running your dryer hotter and longer, and you are even shortening the lifespan of your dryer.
- fire – A very serious fire hazard, running your dryer at higher temperatures for longer periods of time with a vent filled with lint and debris is a house fire waiting to happen. The NFPA states that an average of $35,000,000 of damage, dozens of injuries, and even several deaths are caused by dryer vent fires every year. These fires can be easily avoided and prevented by scheduling an annual professional cleaning and keeping up with proper maintenance such as always removing and cleaning the lint filter before each laundry load.
- carbon monoxide poisoning – Did you know that a clogged vent on your dryer can force carbon monoxide, a dangerous, poisonous gas, into your home? Carbon monoxide is produced when your dryer burns fuel incompletely during the drying process, and with a clear vent, this gas exits your home and causes no problems. However, if your dryer vent is clogged with lint and debris, the carbon monoxide is forced back into your house where it can be inhaled by you and your family and cause serious health problems, even death. Carbon monoxide is absorbed into your blood when breathed in and limits your body’s ability to transport oxygen to your vital organs, which results in brain and organ damage, and possibly death. Certain people like babies, pregnant women, people with illnesses, and people with respiratory or heart conditions are especially at risk. What is even scarier, if you do not have a carbon monoxide alarm in your home, you may not know you are breathing in toxic air until it is too late. It is crucial that you install a carbon monoxide alarm as well as have your dryer vent professionally cleaned annually to protect yourself and your family from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Need your dryer vents cleaned? Contact The Mad Hatter to schedule a dryer vent cleaning today.