The holidays can be stressful. Don’t add to the stress by letting something as simple as your dryer vent become a problem. Over time they naturally fill with lint and debris that can eventually lead to obstruction. Oftentimes, during the holidays extra house guests can mean the washer and dryer are used more frequently. This can make a dryer vent with a small amount of debris become a fire hazard rather quickly.
Avoid Fire with Regular Maintenance
You can avoid some serious cost and health risks by taking care of your dryer vents regularly. This can mean cleaning as well as periodic checks for leaks.
Reasons to schedule a dryer vent cleaning include:
- A noticeable decline in dryer performance. Your dryer is designed to completely dry a load of clothes in a given amount of time. If you start to notice that it takes two or three cycles to get the job done, you probably have a clogged vent.
- A damaged or missing vent cap. A damaged or missing vent cap can lead to a couple of problems. First, if the cap is missing, animals can move into it and nest. It is dry and warm—the perfect place to nest and raise babies. Also, a missing cap can allow water inside, which can create a matted mess of lint that leads to a pretty solid (and flammable) obstruction. If the cap is still present, but damaged, it can also cause obstruction. If the flaps are stuck, it can mean the lint and harmful gases are not able to escape through the ventilation system. You do not want these gases entering the house! If you see an issue with your vent cap you should call a professional right away. Replacing it is not enough. You need a dryer vent cleaning.
- Heat in the laundry room or surrounding the dryer. The dryer is designed so that the dryer vent carries all of the gases and heat so it can escape outside the house. In addition, a properly functioning dryer should not heat up the house. If it does, there is a ventilation problem that should be checked. If you’ve never had it cleaned, it most likely just needs a good cleaning.
- Smoke or odors coming from any part of the dyer or dryer vent system. The dryer should not smell of smoke or burning rubber, plastic, or electrical wires at all. This is because it is designed with a thermal fuse that prevents overheating. The dryer itself should not overheat. However, debris in the vent can ignite and cause odors indicative of burning.
Don’t chance a fire this holiday season.
You can schedule a dryer vent cleaning before your festivities begin! It’s as easy as one, two, three:
- Your dryer vent professional moves your dryer away from the wall.
- With the help of an electric blower and several rods, brushes, and a drill, your technician will scrub the vent clean of lint and debris.
- Your dryer is pushed back into place and assessed so that the technician leaves it as he or she found it.
Let a Mad Hatter dryer vent technician clean your dryer vent so you can have one less worry this holiday season. All of our technicians are experienced experts and complete a professional job every time.
Call the Mad Hatter at 317-596-0200 or request an appointment online.