5 Tell-Tale Signs That You Need To Clean Your Dryer Vents
One of the biggest causes of house fires in our country is, unfortunately, one of the most preventable causes too – dryer lint. A lot of homeowners are becoming more aware of this issue, as information is much more readily available these days. Yet it is still causing thousands of fires every year resulting in injuries and even death. In all seriousness, dryer vent cleaning could actually save your life.
There are a number of different ways you can detect that it is time to clean those vents, in Cincinnati, chimney sweeps see these signs all the time. The build-up of lint can cause chimneys to become unsafe if they are not properly maintained.
Continue reading as we highlight five signs that your dryer vents and chimney need to have proper cleaning.
1. Your Dryer Is Not Working Properly
If you have been noticing that your dryer is misbehaving, it may be time to look at doing some dryer vent cleaning. The build-up of lint can cause things to overheat, this causes the machine to shut off, or even worse could get hot enough to burn you or start a fire. If you are noticing small changes with how your dryer is working, this could be a simple fix.
2. Notice A Burning Smell? Time For Some Dryer Vent Cleaning!
This one is pretty self-explanatory. If you smell something burning in your laundry room, or you are having chimney repairs done or you are power washing your home’s exterior and the workers notice a smell, you need to take action. Regardless of who and where you smell it, burning is never a good sign. This could be due to excessive heat build-up in your vents and you need to keep a careful eye on them.
3. Your Clothes Are Still Damp
Damp clothes another example of what can happen when there is not enough airflow through your air vents. If your clothes are coming out of the dry cycle still wet, that means not enough hot air is making its way through the system. This not only will cost you money, if you don’t deal with the lint build-up it can cause some major problems. A fire caused by the lint build-up could inflict enough damage that you need a chimney rebuild, new roofing or it could even destroy your home.
4. The Dry Cycle Is Taking Too Long
Another issue like the above example, your clothes are getting dry but it seems to be running for a longer period of time. This could be the start of severe air vent blockage and should get taken care of before it gets too out of hand. You have the opportunity to prevent a more serious issue, so take it.
5. Lint Build-Up Is Visible
The most visible sign you can notice that would lead you to require dryer vent cleaning is seeing lint build-up on things other than the trap. Check all the hoses and vents to see if there is excess lint around. You may notice the vent flap has trouble staying shut as well, this needs to be cleaned out before it causes a problem.
Prevention Is Better Than Cure
If you notice any of these common issues around your dryer and its ventilation system, take the time to look into them properly. Something as simple as doing some annual cleaning and maintenance could prevent something much worse in the future.
