Well over 80% of the homes in the US are reported to have clothes dryers. Sadly, over 90% of these dryers are operating under very hazardous conditions.
Washington Real Estate Agent, Tom Jacobson has recently started a dryer vent cleaning business after realizing that the majority of homes he sold, never had their dryer vent exhaust systems cleaned. Most of the home inspectors never even brought up the need to get the dryer vent exhaust system cleaned, which transfers this potential danger unknowingly to the new owner.
During normal use, dryer vent systems eliminate approximately 1/2 pound of water through the drying process. The lint trap on a dryer collects about 80% of the lint created, however, the other 20% makes it beyond the dryer lint trap system. This excess lint gets trapped in the dryer and also clogs the dryer exhaust system. With time, this creates a very explosive situation that could cause a dryer vent fire. As the dryer works harder to force air out of the system, trapped lint around the dryer motor, could ignite as the motor overheats.
Tom Jacobson stresses the importance of getting your dryer vent system inspected and cleaned at least once a year. There are many factors that Tom looks for during the cleaning process. Some include, dryer vent material, number of bends in the dryer exhaust system, type of vent hood, length of exhaust run, the potential for rodents or birds to enter the system, and many more factors that Tom will discuss as he examines your dryer vent system.
Some early hints that your system may be due for a dryer vent cleaning is that your clothes are taking longer to dry. Tom also alerts you to visually inspect for lint at the rear of the dryer as this lint is escaping the vent system. Also, visually check at your vent hood where the dryer air escapes to make sure there is air pressure when the dryer is on.
These are only a few of the things you should be aware of. By calling a professional now, such as Tom Jacobson, you can have piece of mind that this potential dangerous situation can be taken care of.
Dryer vent cleaning also can save you between $15 and $25 monthly in energy saving making dryer vent cleaning the smart thing to do.
