Our Company Blog

Schedule Your Dryer Vent Cleaning Today

If you haven’t scheduled a dryer vent cleaning in the last twelve months, you should schedule one now. Emptying the lint trap is not enough to prevent a lint buildup in the vent. Plus, a buildup of flammable lint can cause a dangerous fire! According to the United States Fire Administration there are 2900 dryer vent fires annually. Thus resulting in 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss. At Chief Chimney Services we believe any dryer vent fire is one too many. That’s why we strive to provide our customers with services to prevent it. Dryer vent cleaning as well as public education is the best way to decrease the number of fires, deaths, injuries, and property loss.

Prevention as Priority

It’s important for homeowners to recognize the signs of a dangerous dryer vent clog. This is especially true if you’ve failed to schedule the necessary cleanings. If you have noticed any of the following, you should call a Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician® (C-DET).

• Your dryer takes more than one cycle to adequately dry a moderately-sized load of laundry. This is your first indicator that there is a clog in the ventilation system. Homeowners often assume the load is too big, the clothes are too heavy, or the dryer is too old, but this isn’t the case. Industry professionals say that a clothes dryer has a clog if it’s less than three years old and takes more than one cycle to dry a load.
• Your dryer heats up your laundry room and feels hot to the touch. Your dryer and vent is designed as a closed unit that vents solely outdoors. The vent should carry the excess heat, lint, and water vapors outside. If the dryer vent is adding heat to your home, or feels hot to the touch, it most likely has a clog preventing proper ventilation.
• You find moisture on surfaces of your dryer, walls, and ceilings in your laundry room. Your dryer vent should vent water vapors outdoors. If your dryer causes this moisture on surfaces in your laundry room or home, there is most likely damage to the vent, which will compromise airflow and cause a dangerous buildup.

Schedule Annual Dryer Vent Cleanings

By scheduling annual dryer vent cleanings, you prevent problems that cost you money, health, and life. Your expensive appliance will become worn out twice as quickly if it takes two cycles to dry a load. Laundry will take twice as long, and you will spend twice as much on utilities and replacing clothes dryers in your lifetime. Instead of your appliance lasting the ten years it should, it will last only 3-5 years.

Have Your Appliance Professionally Installed

A store delivery is not a professional installation. A dryer exhaust technician can install your dryer vent with the appropriate materials, within safety regulations, and correctly sized. When you have the vent professionally installed, you have the information to present to the proper authorities in the event of a fire caused from malfunction or other issue.

Use the Clothes Dryer Properly

Follow clothes dryer safety tips and user manuals in order to further insure your family’s safety, and to safeguard your investments.

Schedule your dryer vent cleaning today by calling 631-863-2460 today!

Is Your Dryer Vent Putting Your Home at Risk?

Everyone knows the importance of cleaning the lint trap of your dryer before each load of laundry, but what about the importance of dryer vent cleaning? It’s easy to see the lint and hair that builds up in your lint trap, but what you may not see so easily is the same lint, hair, and debris that builds up inside the dryer vent. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, you should “Have a qualified service person clean the interior of the dryer chassis periodically to minimize the amount of lint accumulation.” Keeping your dryer vent clean and clear of this debris is vitally important for your dryer’s efficiency as well as your home’s safety. Neglecting to do so is not only a threat to your wallet but to your life as well.

Beyond just cleaning your dryer vent, a professional can also help identify and prevent:

Animal Nests

Especially during colder months, some animals will try to seek shelter in your dryer vent system. This causes air flow issues, as animals such as birds leave behind flammable debris that can be ignited by the dryer’s heat. Animal nesting can also damage dryer ducts, which can lead to overheating and inefficiency.

Leaky Ducts

During a dryer vent cleaning and inspection, it’s important to check for damage or leaks in the ducts. Especially if your ducts are only sealed with duct tape, which can easily wear with the presence of heat and moisture.

Carbon Monoxide

According to the CSIA, the Chimney Safety Institute of America, “If a gas clothes dryer is improperly vented or the exhaust duct itself is blocked by lint or debris, carbon monoxide can be forced back into your living space.” If your dryer vent is not clear, then your dryer and home are not receiving proper air ventilation. Carbon monoxide is difficult to detect without equipment, and can cause serious health problems such as brain damage, organ damage, or even death before it is discovered. By annually checking your dryer vent system and installing a carbon monoxide detector nearby, the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning in your home is greatly reduced.
Although the issues above are serious, regular cleanings and inspections can help prevent them before becoming fire hazards. Without an annual professional cleaning and inspection, though, these issues can go unnoticed and cause inefficiency and fire risks to your home.
Chief Chimney Services, Inc. technicians use high-quality brushes and an incredibly-high-powered vacuum to clean your dryer vent system from start to finish. Lint and debris is loosened and immediately vacuumed up by a high-intake vacuum cleaner, guaranteeing a dust- and mess-free job. We will also check for any damages, leaks, obstructions, or air flow problems. With a Chief Chimney Services, Inc. technician, you will have a safe and efficient dryer vent system in no time!

To schedule your dryer vent system cleaning, call Chief Chimney Services, Inc. today!