Homeowners, who think it is normal for their dryer to take more than one cycle to dry clothes, think again. Lint accumulation or blockage in the vent is a known cause of dryers running inefficiently. While consumers are aware of the need to conserve energy, they are still unaware that yearly dryer and dryer vent maintenance can help cut energy bills as well as prevent dryer fires. The average home spends about $1900 on energy costs every year, according to research conducted by Energy Star, a program managed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with assistance from the U.S. Department of Energy.
As energy costs increase, consumers need to be made aware of the importance of proper cleaning and maintenance of all their appliances. Here are some tips for maintaining the clothes dryer for energy savings and fire prevention:
Be sure that dryer vent systems are up to code with city, state and manufacturer.
Have dryer vents professionally cleaned and inspected annually
Clean lint traps before and after drying a load.
Dry loads of similar type and weight of fabric together. Lower dryer temperatures may be used for certain clothes.
Keep the clothes dryer outside exhaust clean. A clogged exhaust lengthens drying time.
"Consumers who follow these guidelines will find their clothes dryer takes less time to dry clothes saving time, money and extending the life of their clothes," says Stevenson.
In addition, to conserving energy, dryer manufacturers, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), advise annual dryer and dryer vent maintenance to prevent dryer fires, a leading cause of homes fires in the U.S.
This article was written by John Stevenson, owner of Dryer Vent Wizard of Upstate NY, which specializes in dryer vent cleaning, replacing vents made of flammable material, repairing and altering vents for residential and commercial clients. While cleaning out a vent recently at Erie Village, Stevenson found the cause for the customer’s dryer taking longer than it should to dry. There was a bird’s nest that had been built in the vent line, even though it had a critter guard at the vent cover.
Contact:
John Stevenson 5716 Crossett Road Elbridge, NY 13060 Phone: 315-382-1164 Email: Website:
Generally, when it comes to keeping a dryer clean, most people think the extent of the job relates to removing lint from the lint trap and possibly, once in a while, vacuum out the chute that holds the lint trap. But there is much more to do than that. That lint trap, while doing its job, can't do it all. Some lint is going to get past it and into other areas of your clothes dryer that you may not be able to clean on your own.
This is the time to call in a professional. The work it takes to disassemble these parts of your dryer is difficult, and doing it incorrectly could cause more damage. A professional will inspect and clean all areas to be sure there is proper air flow.
Inside the Dryer
A lot of the lint that gets past the lint trap can get caught up in a number of places throughout the dryer. You may be amazed to see how much lint has slipped past the trap and is now trapped in various portions of your dryer frame. This is not only messy but it’s a fire hazard as any spark inside the machine could set the lint aflame.
In the Chute
The chute that takes the hot air and lint out of your dryer and to the outside of your house is another area of the dryer that lint will get stuck in. Some of the lint that made it past the trap and into the ducts out of the dryer and towards the outside won’t complete the trip. Instead, it will get stuck on the textured walls inside the chute. Too much of this piling up can be a fire danger with any sparks as well as a costly problem since the more there is clogging up the chutes, the harder the dryer has to work to blow air through the system.
In the Vent
The final place that needs to be cleaned is the vent outside your house. This is the final destination of all that hot air. The vent needs to be checked for two reasons to make sure it’s not clogged with lint and to make sure it's intact, as any holes or tears could invite bugs and rodents into your house.
To keep your clothes dryer working, efficiently and safely, have a professional inspection and cleaning at least once a year. If you have a large family and use your dryer almost daily, you may want to double that service schedule.
This article was written by Gina Fazil, owner of Dryer Vent Wizard in Sacramento, California. DVW specializes in dryer vent cleaning, repairs & alterations, while educating consumers on dryer vent maintenance and fire prevention. For more information visit Gina serves Sacramento, El Dorado, Solano, Yolo, Folsom, Vallejo, Vacaville, Roseville and neighboring communities.
Contact:
Dryer Vent Wizard/ Dry Clothes-Safe Homes Gina M. Fazil/Owner Radmere Dr Elk Grove, CA 95757 916-519-4569 Email: Website:
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Dayne has sinced written about articles on various topics from Interview Questions, Franchise and Home Management. Dryer Vent Wizard is a nationwide company, Dryer Vent Wizard professionally inspects and cleans clothing dryers for homeowners and in commercially-owned buildings. Poorly maintained dryer vents cause fire hazards and cost substantially more to operate.At. Dayne's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.