It’s laundry day and as you switch over your clothes from the washer to the dryer, you remember you need to clean out the lint tray. You pause for a second and silently applaud yourself for remembering to do just that even when you have a million other things on your mental to do list. You put your clothes in the dryer, throw in a dryer sheet (you’re on a roll today) and walk away to move on to your next house keeping task.
While this scenario is great on a day to day basis, we want you to consider a couple things:
- When’s the last time of your dryer duct cleaning?
- How do you know when it’s time to get your dryer duct cleaned?
Today we want to talk to you about the importance of dryer duct cleaning, the magical product that takes the guess work out of the “when” questions, and how your dust bunnies are pyromaniacs.
Dust Bunnies are Pyromaniacs
- In 2010, an estimated 16,800 reported U.S. non-confined or confined home structure fires involving clothes dryers or washing machines (including combination washer/dryers) resulted in 51 civilian deaths, 380 civilian injuries, and $236 million in direct property damage (NFPA)
- In 2010, clothes dryers and washing machines accounted for 4.5% of all reported home structure fires, 1.9% of associated civilian deaths, 2.8% of associated civilian injuries, and 3.1% of associated direct property damage. (NFPA)
- The leading cause of home clothes dryer and washer fires was failure to clean (32%). (NFPA)
All of these statistics and it only takes one fire for these to become a personal reality. You might be reading this thinking “but I clean my lint tray each time I start the dryer, isn’t that enough?” You’re partially right… let’s think of the lint tray as the hot water when we wash our hands. The hot water is going to rinse any surface dirt and help sanitize our hands but it is the soap that truly rids our hands of the mess. In our scenario, the dryer duct cleaning is the soap. It is necessary to have the dryer duct cleaning done to thoroughly remove any lint from the entire drying system.
We Didn’t Start the Fire…
Dust bunnies are sneaky pyromaniacs. Over time, your dryer vent builds up with lint that sneaks pass your lint collector. Once the lint has made its way past the lint collector, there multiple ways a fire can occur:
- Failing to clean the lint tray each time the dryer is ran
- Insufficient airflow from improper insulation or a crushed exhaust vent
- Buildup of lint in the dryer vent, exhaust, or behind the dryer
- Outdated and not up to code plastic or foil accordion-type ducting material
I Saw the Sign…
There are many signs that let you know that it is time to schedule your dryer duct cleaning and a life changing tool that will allow you to stop wondering how your system is running.
Your probably need your dryer vent cleaned if:
- you experience longer dry times
- clothes are very hot after a dry cycle
- notice a burning smell
- vent hood flap doesn’t open properly
- it’s been longer than a year since your last cleaning / inspection
Want to know about the life changing dryer vent tool? Check out this blog!
INCREASE DRYER VENT SAFETY WITH LINT ALERT
How AmeriClean Can Help
AmeriClean has been servicing Northwest Indiana for 30 years and we are proud to do our part in helping home owners ensure their system is clean and running efficiently. If any of the items listed above apply to your dryer duct or drying machine, it is in your best interest to schedule a dryer vent cleaning with AmeriClean by calling 219-641-3711 for a free estimate!
About AmeriClean, Inc.
AmeriClean, Inc was established in 1986 by Bob Eriks in a small warehouse as a provider of Fire Damage Restoration for Northwest Indiana. Fast forward to today and AmeriClean’s services include Carpet, Upholstery, Air Duct, Area Rug, Ceramic Tile Cleaning; as well as: Water Damage Restoration,Fire Damage Restoration and Mold Remediation. With 30 years of experience, AmeriClean, Inc. is now a leading name in water, fire and restoration services for both residential and commercial properties. For more information, visit our website or call 800.654.9101.
