Is it Time to Clean Your Dryer Vent?

When was the last time you had your dryer exhaust vent professionally cleaned? A clear exhaust vent can reduce risk of fire, improve your appliance's energy efficiency, and prevent breakdowns. Here are a few signs that you could be overdue for a cleaning...

• Your clothes are taking longer to dry. Are normal loads of laundry suddenly taking two, or even three cycles before they become completely dry? A clogged exhaust vent could be limiting your appliance's ability to perform at full capacity.

• Your dryer is excessively hot. It's normal for your dryer to become a little warm while in use, but excessive heat is cause for concern. “Excessive heat” can be defined as the dryer feeling hot to the touch, or releasing enough heat to warm up your entire laundry room.

• Lint is accumulating around the dryer vent. Take a look at the back of the dryer, where the exhaust vent connects to the appliance. Is it clean, or is there a build up of lint beginning to accumulate? If there is lint collecting outside of the exhaust vent, the inside is likely much, much worse.

• It's been more than a year since your last cleaning. Experts recommend that the average homeowner clean their dryer exhaust vent at least once every year. If you have a large family, or do a lot of laundry, you may need to clean yours as often as every six months.

Is your dryer exhibiting any of these signs? Contact the professionals GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration! We offer dryer vent cleaning services to homes all across Long Island. If you live in Nassau or Suffolk County, call us to schedule an appointment at (631) 940-8100.

5 Signs That Your Dryer Vent Needs To Be Cleaned

You know that lint screen that you are supposed to clear before you dry your clothes? Have you ever gone a few loads without cleaning it? Have you seen how quickly it can fill up with loose lint?

Well, this pales in comparison to what lurks inside of your exhaust vent. The winding, aluminum tube that connects to the back of your dryer is responsible for releasing excess heat to the outside, but some of this lint can make its way into this tube and begin to accumulate.

When your exhaust vent becomes clogged with lint, your dryer cannot properly vent its heat. Not only does this spike your energy consumption, it presents a fire hazard. In fact, clothes dryers start more house fires each year than chimneys, and this flammable lint is the leading cause.

Here are five signs that your dryer vent needs to be cleaned:

• Your clothes are taking longer to dry. If your clothes suddenly take two, or even three loads to dry, a clogged exhaust vent could be to blame.

• The outside of the dryer feels hot to the touch. It is normal for your dryer to be a little warm while running, but if it is uncomfortably hot, something is wrong.

• Your laundry room gets warm while the dryer is on. Is your laundry room starting to feel like a sauna? This extra heat should be vented to the outside, not into your house.

• You notice lint around the dryer vent. Look behind your dryer; do you notice a collection of lint surrounding the vent attachment? If so, the inside is probably way worse.

• It's been more than a year since you've last cleaned it. To maximize energy efficiency and minimize your risk of fire, experts recommend having your dryer vent professionally cleaned once every year.

Cleaning your dryer vent isn't as easy as you may think, and requires special tools and equipment. If you live on Long Island, GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration would be more than happy to come to your home and do it for you. We serve all of Nassau and Suffolk counties, give us a call for a free quote at (631) 940-8100.