Cleaned Your Dryer Vent Lately?
NBC News: Dryer Vent Prevention
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At Chim Chim Cheroo, we recommend that your dryer vent system be cleaned every 1-2 years to eliminate fabric build up within the line and to ensure that your system is venting properly. When people create their yearly list of things to do around the house, it is not uncommon for this chore to be overlooked and this is a costly mistake. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), it is estimated that there are approximately 15,000 dryer vent fires per year in the US. Almost all of these unfortunate situations could have been avoided had regular maintenance been performed on the venting systems.
The diagram to the left shows one common system set up for a dry vent. The most common dry vent problems are listed specifying the general issues that do not permit systems to work at their full capacity. In theory, the straighter the line with less elbows, the better the system will work. It is recommended that dry vent lines do not exceed 15 - 20 feet in distance to prevent blockage and air flow issues. When your dry vent system is not functioning properly, you will be amazed at the number of cycles you will have to run in order to dry your clothes. In addition, your electricity bill will be significantly high. Many people have the misconception that cleaning the fabric liner in the dryer keeps them safe from dryer vent issues. Although this definitely helps catch the lint after every cycle, there is still quite a bit of fabric that gets caught in the line. With the accumulation of fabric over a long period of time and the extreme levels of heat that a dryer produces, moisture and condensation are created within the line due to the system not being able to properly exit the generated airflow from the dryer. People do not realize that lint or fabric is one of the most flammable items that is in your home. Dry vent systems are a fire waiting to happen if not maintained regularly and properly. |