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Dryer Vent Cleanings — A Simple Way To Reduce Your Fire Risk & Energy Bills In One Fell Swoop

It may not be commonly discussed, but lint-laden clothes dryer vents are responsible for thousands of structure fires every year. And according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the U.S. Fire Administration, these dryer vent fires result in injuries, property damage, and sometimes even fatalities.

But there’s one simple thing you can do to boost the safety of your clothes dryer, reduce fire risk, and save money on utilities all at once — invest in routine dryer vent cleaning with SirVent STL Chimney & Venting Service.

We extended our services to include dryer vents because, like chimneys, dryer vents can accumulate buildup and blockages, which can put homeowners and business owners at high risk of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. As a local, family owned company with a military background, it’s always been our mission to improve the safety of our neighbors, and this is just one more way we do that.

What Do You Need To Know About Dryer Vent Cleanings?

Well, for starters:

How often do they need to be cleaned?

The answer is: it depends. If you’re doing laundry twice a week for a family of five, your dryer vent will likely reach dangerous levels of flammable lint much sooner than the vent of someone who’s doing laundry for one every week or so. Since there is no hard and fast rule regarding how often dryer vents need to be cleaned, the best thing to do is to make sure you get a dryer vent inspection on the calendar every year.

How can you tell when your dryer vent needs to be cleaned?

The NFPA recommends annual inspections for all chimney and venting systems, and by heeding their advice, you’ll have the intel you need to know when cleanings are needed.

You can also keep an eye out for some of the signs of a clogged, blocked, or damaged dryer vent.

• Does the vent hood (the flap at the outside termination of your dryer vent) fully open when the dryer is in use? If it doesn’t, this could signal a restriction in airflow or a blockage of some kind.
• Is the dryer really hot to the touch after it completes a dry cycle? How about the clothes? Burning hotter is a common sign of an overworked, oxygen starved dryer.
• Do you consistently find lint in places around the dryer? Normal levels of lint will be contained in the vent and lint trap, so if you’re starting to find it in other places, there’s an excess.
• Are strange odors commonplace during or after a dry cycle? Do your clothes smell funny when you take them out of the dryer? That’s a good sign it’s time for a cleaning.
• Does it seem to you that your dryer takes longer and longer to completely dry a load of laundry? A well functioning dryer with a clean vent should be able to dry a normal load of laundry in a single cycle. Don’t shop for a new clothes dryer just yet! If you find yourself running cycle after cycle to dry your clothes, the most likely culprit is a clogged, dirty dryer vent.

What are the real costs of a dirty or clogged dryer vent?

While house fire is the most costly danger associated with a clogged or dirty dryer vent, there are other costs involved.

For one, without a clean dryer vent, your clothes dryer could be leaking carbon monoxide (produced by incomplete combustion due to inadequate airflow) into your home. This toxic gas is invisible and impossible to detect without a CO monitor, and in large amounts, it can cause everything from headache and nausea to death.

Another cost is wasted time and energy. Who wants to have to run down to the laundry room to start yet another cycle for the same load of laundry? Hope you weren’t planning on wearing that shirt tonight! Every time you have to start another cycle you’re using energy of some kind to run the clothes dryer. That means more money unnecessarily spent on utilities. We’re sure you have other things you’d rather spend your money (and time) on!

And finally, a lint lined or blocked dryer vent will put a lot of strain on the clothes dryer, overworking it and overheating it. As a result, your clothes dryer may see the end of its serviceable life much sooner than it would otherwise. Clothes dryers can be costly for sure, so the longer your clothes dryer lasts, the better, and a clean dryer vent can save you the expense of having to shop for a new one prematurely.

Protecting Your Home & Clothes Dryer Is Easy With SirVent STL

Investing in routine dryer vent maintenance and cleaning is a simple, cost-effective way to protect your home or business against preventable fires, save yourself time and money, and prolong the serviceable life of your clothes dryer. So what are you waiting for? With SirVent STL Chimney & Venting Service, you get qualified, certified, licensed, and insured professionals and reliable service from a family owned company you can trust. We guarantee your satisfaction and we guarantee NO MESS service, so you can rest easy.

Ready to schedule your dryer vent inspection or cleaning? Give us a call at 573-652-3926 or request an appointment online. We’re here to help Monday through Friday, 8AM to 5PM.