Most people don’t think twice about their dryer vents. They clean their lint trap with every load as they are supposed to and wonder why, six months down the road, their dryer is not working as well as it once did.

The Dryer is a simple machine. It is just a heated tumbling drum with a fan that spreads the heat through your clothing and funnels moist, hot air through a vent to the outside of your home. While the dryer vent is one area where lint and particles of dust are trapped, it is not the only area. The exhaust vent that is supposed to go outside also collects lint, as do inaccessible areas of the dryer. Over time lint accumulates in these areas and can lead to problems.

Problems Associated with Clogged Dryer Vents

One potential problem with clogged vents has to do with dryer performance. Modern dryers work off of a sensor that lets the computer know that the clothes are dry. If the dryer vent is clogged, the moisture and humidity used to guage whether the clothes are dry is stuck in the vent, so your dryer runs longer for no reason. This can lead to overheating and scorched clothing as well as costing you money.

Dryer lint is a hidden fire hazard in your home, one that often goes unrecognized until it is too late. Lint is extremely flammable and can catch fire with the smallest spark. And since it accumulates in the dryer vent and the machine, once a fire starts it can spread quickly. Here are some warning signs that might mean it’s time to get your dryer vent cleaned.

  • Your clothes require more than one cycle to dry. This is particularly important to note if they were drying in one cycle before.

  • The dryer is hot to the touch after a load is finished. This suggests that the dryer is overheating

  • You have had your dryer for more than a year and never had it inspected. Even a properly maintained dryer can use occasional repairs.

  • You notice dryer lint near the vent to the outside. This is common. After all, the lint has to go somewhere. But if it continues to collect in one spot it can eventually lead to a clogged vent.

The Importance of Hiring a Professional to Clean your Dryer Vents

When it comes to cleaning your dryer vent, you may think it would be a simple process that you can do on your own. But there is more involved in cleaning the dryer vents than simply removing the vent and pulling lint out. By focusing on the vent itself you are missing crucial areas in the ventilation system that need to be cleaned. Professionals use negative air systems and motorized brushes to reach areas that you can’t physically reach with a scrubbing brush. In addition, their HEPA filters clean the impurities from the system, leaving the vents looking and acting like new.

If you need to have your dryer vent cleaned, call on a company that is knowledgeable and trustworthy. Doiggs Carpet is a family owned and operated specialty cleaning service that has been inspecting and cleaning dryer vents as part of its service for years. To learn more about Doiggs, then please visit our website.