Getting your dryer vents cleaned annually is a service many people willingly ignore, but at great potential risk. One of the most common sources of a house fire is a clogged dryer vent. If you’re unsure whether your dryer vent is currently dangerously full of lint, analyze whether or not your dryer is exhibiting any of the following signs.
1. Increased Drying Time
One of the first signs that your dryer vent needs to be properly cleaned is an increase in drying time. Do the clothes that used to be done drying in forty minutes now take nearly two hours to fully dry? If you’re cleaning the lint trap regularly, increased drying time is almost always a result of a clogged dryer vent. Your dryer can only dry your clothes if it is capable of forcing out moist air. If your dryer vent is clogged with old lint, your dryer cannot properly get rid of moist air, leading to damp clothing. If your dryer is taking too long to dry your clothes, don’t ignore it. Your dryer has to work much harder to dry properly with a clogged vent, which means the motor is being used twice as long. Don’t let wear and tear accumulate on your dryer; have the excess lint removed.
2. Dryer is Hot to the Touch
If your dryer feels unusually hot, it may be working too hard and too long to dry your clothing. A hot dryer is a sign that it is overworked. Again, if you notice your dryer is working too hard, you should not ignore it. A hot dryer can actually be dangerous, especially if lint is built up in your dryer vent. Lint is incredibly flammable and heat could cause a spark in your dryer vent that can burn down your entire house. Keep yourself safe by having your dryer vent cleaned out.
3. You Don’t Get Annual Inspections
If you don’t regularly maintain your dryer vent and have not had it looked at in years, then it’s very likely that you are now experiencing a problem with lint build-up. Dryer vents need to be cleaned regularly and failure to keep up on dryer vent maintenance will result in excess lint. If you’ve never had your dryer vents cleaned, you could be dealing with a potentially dangerous situation.
The lint in your dryer is extremely flammable and you should not hesitate to have your dryer vent cleaned if you suspect the vent is full. If you have easy access to the dryer vent, you may be able to search online for a dryer vent cleaning kit to clean the vent yourself. But if your dryer vent is complicated or you doubt your ability to clean it properly, call a professional. A professional dryer vent cleaning will cost approximately 100 dollars, but it’s a small price to pay for the safety of your home. Do not overwork your dryer or risk a potentially deadly house fire by putting off the chore of cleaning your dryer vent.
