- Service the furnace
- Cleaning out or repairing the dryer exhaust line
- Chimney sweep
Often times duct cleaning companies offer more than just cleaning your ducts. Some companies that have certified technicians can service your furnace if need be also. A lot of companies will clean the dryer exhaust line, or the chimney. So if you’re looking into having the ducts cleaned it might be a good idea to look for a package deal, possibly getting everything done, or at least the things that actually need it. It could possibly end up saving you a lot of money, instead of having separate companies do each of those.
Dryer Vents
Dryer Vent After Cleaning
Dryer Vent Before Cleaning
I would highly recommend having the dryer vent cleaned out. This is one of the biggest dangers in your home! The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued an alert due to the fact that there are 15,500 fires, 10 deaths, and 310 injuries from dryer exhaust fires annually! Lint from dryers is a great fire starter if you’re looking for one. However most people aren’t looking to start a fire in the dryer vent behind their wall. Letting the dryer exhaust go unnoticed is extremely dangerous, so overall if you don’t clean it out you are putting your family and home at risk. Don’t let that happen and have it cleaned annually.
Advanced warning signs
- Clothing (especially towels) take a very long time to dry
- The flapper on the vent hood doesn’t open when the dryer is turned on
- Clothes are hotter than usual at the end of a cycle
- Dryer shuts off before the end of the timed drying cycle
So if you see any of these signs it would be a very good idea to have the dryer line cleaned out. Often times people think that it’s the dryer that is having problems so they will go out and buy a new one, and they still have the problems. They just don’t realize that its the dryer vent itself.
Benefits of cleaning the dryer exhaust annually
The first and foremost is reducing the risk of fire in your home, that’s obvious. However also having a clean line makes it easier on your dryer because it doesn’t have to try so hard to push out the exhaust, thus it helps the health of your dryer. Also it can help reduce the electric bill, or gas bill depending on the type of dryer you have because then you don’t have to continually restart the cycle on your dryer just to dry one load of clothes.
So overall getting your dryer vent cleaned out is a very good idea whether you’re going to have your ducts cleaned or not. It reduces the risk of fires, helps out the dryer itself, and can save you money. So don’t be afraid to take the time to look into it. Then again its one of those things that’s out of sight, out of mind. Some dryer vent lines are very long and have angles so you will need someone with the proper equipment and tools to clean it out properly. It’s definitely worth the time of looking into it a bit.