Learn about the importance of dryer vent maintenance and check out some examples of the dryer vents that Ron has cleaned!
Dryer Vent Information… Important!
One of the top ten causes of house fires is dryer vent lint buildup. Add the dryer’s heat and you’ve got a fire hazard. Clothes dryer ducts need to be cleaned and inspected occasionally to minimize this hazard. Unfortunately, there will be close to 15,500 home fires this year due to the lack of maintenance. This has inspired me to offer dryer vent cleaning services as part of my handyman business.
Your dryer vents need cleaning if:
- Your dryer gets very hot to touch
If your dryer gets hot to touch, it has a restricted vent, similar to clogged arteries, and it needs to be cleaned out.
- You have to run the dryer more than once for a dry load
Ineffective drying is a big sign that your dryer vents are clogged, as well as a waste of energy and time.
- You haven’t had your dryer vent cleaned recently, or ever
When was the last time you had your dryer vent cleaned? If you can’t remember, it’s been too long. It is recommended to clean the vents every few years to minimize fire hazard. A simple and small price for a large dose of prevention.
I use a top of the line HEPA vacuum specially made for cleaning dryer vents
- Three motors, two power cords and 5 filters.
- HEPA-approved filters that draw all the dust from your dryer vent into the vacuum where it is contained, not released into the air like a shop-vac type unit.
- Special brushes that are specific for dryer vents.
Ron’s Dryer Vent Cleaning Service includes:
- Flat Rate Pricing.
- Cleaning the entire vent, inside the dryer, behind dryer, and exterior exhaust flaps.
- I will leave your dryer space cleaner than when I arrived.
- If the vent pipe behind your dryer is not to code, I can replace that too.
- Double stacked units won’t be taken apart but can still be cleaned best as possible.
- Additional fees may be required for extra services such as parts.
Safety Tips
- Never leave your home with the dryer running.
- Keep “stuff” from collecting on top and around the dryer and washer.
- Be sure to have a carbon monoxide detector if your dryer is natural gas-fueled.
- Have unexpired fire extinguishers in accessible places around your home. Show everyone in the household how to use them and where they are located.
Photos
See the lint? This is not a proper vent. Several photos below make up this story. This house was lucky it did not catch on fire. After walking around this house for a long time, Ron noticed these small specs of lint.
And then...
All the lint collected in the soffits. This is very hazardous!
Notice you can barely see Ron's brush has made it all the way through the vent system, but it's all clear now.
Here lies a collection of just some of the lint that was stuck up in the soffits
This is a quick economical fix to this issue, but the homeowner will have to clean the screen.
Now this is a big problem. Client had a problem getting clothes dry. This was a bad clog just behind the wall where the dryer sits.
Inside the dryer there is this vent and it's now shown after Ron's cleaning.
Here we have the dryer vent flaps painted shut. No wonder everyone in the entire condo needed Ron's services.
Because the flaps were painted shut, Ron scraped the paint off. Notice
his black brush exiting the duct. He cleaned the entire vent pipes all
the way to the exiting flaps.
This screen on the left side is partially filled with lint. Air still can exit, but with Ron's services, he can clean it all out.
Right behind the dryer, this vent was totally clogged- SO close to a dryer vent fire!
A crimped vent caused clothes to not dry properly. This wastes resources.
A bird's nest was pulled out of a dryer vent.
Improperly installed deck crimped this vent.
Ron cut a bigger hole for the ven
This is a standard warning notice that is on the back of dryers. It says use only rigid metal and not plastic or foil vents. Plastic and foil are old technology and can catch on fire. Many companies are still installing new dryers with foil vents to save money. Part of Ron's service is to replace your foil vent with rigid metal.