In most homes today, a clothing dryer is a common appliance used on a regular basis. The vent of a dryer collects debris, fluff and hair that accumulates when the clothing spins around in the machine. It should be emptied after each load, but unfortunately, not everyone makes a habit of doing so. The debris can build up over time and even clog the dryer's vent. Believe it or not, thousands of home fires each year are started due to the dryer vent. When debris begins to clog the dryer vent, the exhaust gases produced by the dryer begin to back up and create a potential fire hazard. This can turn an otherwise helpful appliance into a disaster waiting to happen. Aside from the biggest risk of a home fire, clogged dryer vents can lead to short-circuiting and major electrical problems, overheating in the home and increased energy bills as the dryer has to work harder and harder with each spin cycle in order to dry clothes. In a nutshell, the biggest cause of a clogged dryer vent is a lack of maintenance.

It is impossible to escape the fact that as water evaporates in the dryer, lint with detach from the spinning clothes and become trapped in the vent. Along with emptying the smaller lint trap included with most modern dryers, homeowners need to be vigilant about checking the length of the exhaust vent on a regular basis, or approximately once each year even when no problems are apparent. Another major cause of clogged dryer vents is placing the dryer far from the exterior wall. This creates a longer vent to take hot air outside of the home, and a longer vent simply means more opportunities for a clog. Plus, a long and winding vent exhaust pipe can be crushed up against a wall when going around a corner, which leads to major blocks and potential buildup. In some cases, birds and animals can even create nests within the dryer vent, which is a major contributing factor to a big clog. One of the biggest reasons to clean a dryer vent is to increase the efficiency of the dryer itself. When a dryer's vent is partially blocked or even fully clogged, it has to work harder than ever to remove moisture from clothes, create heat and dry the items in the spin cycle.

Running a dryer for an extended period of time is a major waste of money, and it can add up quickly for a person's monthly utility bills. best way to clean dust off venetian blindsIn addition, the extra heat generated by the dryer with extra use and overcompensation may result in higher temperatures throughout the house, especially if the exhaust vent pipe runs through more than one room before exiting the building. best way to clean dust off venetian blindsA higher indoor temperature means that during the summer, the air conditioning system has to work harder as well. air duct cleaning in miami floridaDryer vent clogs can therefore lead to a waste of valuable energy resources, making them a problem for an eco-friendly home as well as additional costs for energy each month for the homeowner.best steam vacuum cleaner india

It is important to clean dryer vents before they get to the point where they could be a fire hazard. best way to clean dog urine from couchSome of the signs that a dryer vent needs to be cleaned include the following:cost of cleaning hvac ducts Clothing comes out of the dryer much hotter than normalThe drying cycle takes longer, or clothes are damp after a normal cycleThe laundry room feels much hotter than normal The lint filter fills up quickly or appears unusualUtility bills rise without an explanation Clothes from the dryer take on a musty smellDryer sheets smell odd or break down more than usual during the cycle All of the signs listed above signify that a dryer vent absolutely needs to be cleaned. Many homeowners opt to clean their dryer vents themselves, which can be done by unplugging the dryer from the wall outlet, removing the vent exhaust pipe from the dryer, vacuuming or pulling out debris from both the dryer and pipe, visually inspecting the interior of the vent pipe and checking the exterior of the home for any blockages where the exhaust vents outside.

However, this can be a time consuming process, and it is not always effective. A better idea may be to call a professional. Rather than just calling a handyman, it is worth looking for a dryer exhaust technician that is certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America. These professionals are familiar with the biggest fire risks and can help you prevent clogs as well as eliminate any existing ones. On average, a professional dryer vent cleaning will cost anywhere from $90 to $160, depending on the severity of the clog. Thankfully, there are several steps that homeowners can take to prevent debris from ever clogging the dryer vent in the first place. Instead of relying on dryer sheets for each load of laundry, opting for a liquid fabric softener can help to reduce the amount of debris created with each cycle. Instead of running the dryer for multiple cycles in a row when doing laundry, aim to let the dryer cool down for at least 15 to 20 minutes before loading it back up and turning it on for another cycle.

If clogged dryer vents are a consistent problem, moving the dryer to back up against an external wall or replacing a flexible vent pipe with a solid metal pipe can help to eliminate potential clogs in the future. Help us improve this article Was this page helpful? 5 - Extremely Helpful 4 - Very Helpful 2 - Somewhat Helpful 1 - Not HelpfulDo you really need to pay good money to have your ? The short answer is “probably not.” But before you call up dad to chant “I told you so,” it’s important to understand why you probably don’t need to do it — and why we just italicized “probably.”(Because some people actually should. Hope it’s not you!)In order for your forced-air furnace or HVAC to deliver warm and cool air into your rooms, that air has to go through a system of ducts. So technically, you’re breathing in any dust, cobwebs, pet hair, and dander that line those ducts. Not according to the experts. Dan Stradford, National Air Duct Cleaners Association treasurer and CEO for Action Duct Cleaning in Los Angeles, says there are no conclusive studies saying that duct cleaning will improve your home’s indoor air quality.

Asa Foss, LEED residential technical director for the U.S. Green Building Council, concurs. “I’ve never seen any data that suggests duct cleaning has a positive impact on indoor air quality and human health,” he says.But Foss also says that’s only true when your ducts are airtight. Leaky ducts can pull in dirty air and allergens from basements, crawlspaces, garages, and attics — and blow it all around your house, Foss says.So unless your ducts are leaky (easily fixed with foil-backed duct tape and insulation), or you have a special need, like a compromised immune system, nasty allergies, or you just did major construction, you probably don’t need to worry about air quality when it comes to the state of your air ducts. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. Both the EPA and the National Air Duct Cleaners Association recommend professional duct cleaning if you have , vermin (vermin!), or excessive amounts of dirt and debris in your ducts.How do you know if you have vermin in your ducts?

You can actually look yourself. Do a visual inspection by pulling off the register grill and looking around with a flashlight, or stick your arm in and take a photo with your phone. (Finally, an excuse to use that selfie stick you got stuck with at your work’s white elephant gift exchange.)If you see mold, or a dead mouse, or any run-of-the-mill nasty stuff like droppings (ew, we’re so sorry), go ahead and call in a pro. Get those ducts cleaned.Another situation that calls for cleaning, says EPA spokesman Mark MacIntyre, is right after . “You wouldn’t want to have that being dispersed into the house when you turned on the heat.”And finally, if you’re just finicky, you just be you. Be your own special circumstance.“We have customers [for whom] just the thought of dirty ducts is upsetting to them,” says Stradford. OK, so you’re gonna clean your ducts. Your dad will be proud. But be wary of scams. Stay away from companies willing to clean your ducts for $49 or another lowball figure, Stradford says.

Often they’ll do a quick inspection and some vacuuming, tell you there’s mold growth and charge you thousands for clearing it out. It’s common enough that the National Air Duct Cleaners Association has an anti-fraud task force.Look out for duct cleaners claiming they will sanitize your system. “We can’t legally use the words ‘sanitize’ or ’disinfect,’” Stradford says. “By definition sanitizing or disinfecting requires extremely high kill rates and there’s no way we can guarantee 100 percent saturation.”Also, cleaning your ductwork alone is not going to make a difference. A real professional knows that, and should do annual maintenance on your entire system, including the air handler (that’s what they call that big metal box outside that cranks out the noise). {{ start_tip 7 }}Otherwise it’s the same as dusting your ceiling fan after you’ve vacuumed.So how much will it cost, and how long is it going to take? Typically, duct cleaning takes two to five hours, but it can go on for two days if you have a large house with lots of ducts, Stradford says.