Nobody ever wants to think about the possibility of their home catching on fire, but imagine waking up to a fire in your laundry room. Only to realize later that it could have easily been prevented. The cause? The clothes dryer! According to the United States Fire Administration nearly 3,000 home clothes dryer fires are reported each year in the United States! These fires are responsible for multiple deaths and massive amounts of property damage. Failure to clean dryer vents is the leading cause of all home clothes dryer fires.

 

What leads to the cause of most home clothes dryer fires? Over time lint and other debris build up in your dryer vent. This build up reduces air flow and can cause exhaust gases to back up, which can result in a fire. You can greatly reduce the risk of fire by simply having your dryer vent cleaned professionally every year. By having your dryer vent professionally cleaned on a regular basis, you will greatly diminish the risk of fire, and will save hard earned money by dramatically improving your dryer’s efficiency.

 

How can you know if there is a clog in your dryer vent system?  How do you know if there is a potential hazard hiding under your roof?  Consider the Five Warning Signs below:

​

1. It's taking longer than usual to dry your clothes:

 

The length of a drying cycle can double and even triple when a dryer vent is clogged.  You might notice, even after a lengthy dry cycle, clothes come out damp.  In order for clothes to dry, a dryer must push out moist, hot air.  If lint is clogging your vent, that air can’t be pushed out, leaving clothes damp.  When you have to run multiple dryer cycles to get your clothes dry, your appliance runs longer which, over time, wears it out more quickly, sometimes reducing the machine’s lifespan by as much as half.  In the long run, the wear and tear on your dryer will cost you.  If you’re looking for Boise dryer vent cleaning, call us today! 

 

2. Both your clothing and the external component of your dryer are very hot.

 

At the end of a typical dryer cycle, is your clothing hot to the touch?  Is the appliance itself hot?  This is a clear indication that your vent system is not expelling the air properly.  When the vent system is clogged, not only is energy wasted, but both the blowing and heating elements of your dryer wear out much more quickly.

 

3. You become aware of a burning odor.

 

Do you smell an unpleasant, burning odor when you run a dryer?  Lint is a highly flammable material. It can easily build up in the dryer vent/duct , the lint trap, and in the drum casing of your appliance.  When lint gets too hot, it can catch on fire, resulting in a foul, burning odor. Emptying the lint trap after each cycle is important but does not always prevent some lint from drifting into other parts of the appliance. If you smell a burning odor, turn the dryer off immediately and have it inspected as quickly as possible. 

 

4. The hood flap of the dryer vent will not open correctly.

 

Excessive Lint or debris around the dryer hose or outside the vent opening is a clear red flag that your appliance is due for a cleaning.  Another red flag is if the duct hood flap cannot freely open and close as it was made to do.  An external vent that will not open during a dryer cycle is an indication that air flow is being restricted because of lint buildup.  

 

5. It has been over a year since your last professional inspection.

 

It is essential that dryer vents be professionally inspected at minimum of once annually to reduce the risk of fire. If the external exhaust vent is easy to access, and there is a short distance from the vent opening to your dryer (short run), you might try cleaning the vent yourself with a brush kit.

 

There are an abundance of DIY videos online, including a video on YouTube that shows the process of cleaning a vent with a brush system.  Keep in in mind that some DIY cleaning kits don’t adequately clean the vent duct. This is one clear advantage of hiring a professional with experience. Here at HyperCleanBoise we have the experience and the correct equipment to perform your dryer vent cleaning job effectively and efficiently.