Over 80 percent of American households have a clothes dryer. If you own a home in Porter, LaPorte, or Lake County, you are not only in our service area, but you most likely have a dryer vent that needs to be cleaned! Most homeowners buy large appliances like the dryer, have it delivered, hook it up, and forget it until it breaks down. The thing with dryers is that they will break down sooner if not properly maintained.
A neglected clothes dryer will:
Heat up the room and house where it’s installed- Be hot to the touch
- Take more than one cycle to dry a normal-sized load
- Leak moisture and lint particles into the house
- Use more electricity than necessary
- Require repairs and replacement more often
- Cause a fire
It’s important to have your clothes dryer cleaned regularly so that your dryer lasts as long as it is supposed to and your home stays safe.
Clothes Dryer Fires
According to the United States Fire Administration, there are almost 3,000 home clothes dryer fires reported each year. These fires account for 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss each year. At Northwest Fireplace and Chimney we know the most important thing there is to know about clothes dryer fires: they’re 100 percent preventable.
Clothes Dryer Maintenance
Having your dryer delivered by the store is not the same as professional installation. A professional knows the importance of a proper dryer vent installation and knows the national and local residential codes that keep homes safe. A dryer vent should not exceed 25 feet, and every 90-degree turn accounts for 5 feet of the total length. Dryer vents should be independent of other systems and should terminate outdoors. The termination hood should have a backdraft damper. Dryer ducts should be comprised of metal ducts between the dryer and exhaust duct, and flexible transition ducts should not be used in attics, crawl spaces, or inside walls. These guidelines keep the dryer functioning properly and safely. Is your dryer vent installed and functioning properly? If you don’t know, it’s time to schedule dryer vent maintenance.
Northwest Fireplace and Chimney offers dryer vent cleaning that will leave your dryer working better, will save your money, and will not disrupt your home. Your dryer should last 10 years. If it takes more than one cycle to dry your clothes, do not assume it’s “just worn out”. It likely has a clogged vent!
Schedule a dryer vent cleaning with Northwest Fireplace and Chimney and we’ll clean the entire dryer vent system with an industrial vacuum and brushes designed to remove lint and debris completely–without damaging your ducts. We’ll also check for leaks and other safety hazards.
Call us today at 219-413-2349 for your important dryer vent maintenance.