It’s always good practice to clean out the lint trap in your dryer after every use. This prevents lint from building up, causing the dryer to overheat and possibly catch on fire. But lint buildup doesn’t stop there. Lint travels through your dryer vent and settles in there. Where your dryer vent is and how often you should clean it are very important questions to know in order to prevent fires in your home.
Novak is Cedar Rapids’ most trusted dryer vent cleaning service. Your safety is our number-one priority. Your vents are important for maintaining air circulation in your home and ventilating harmful gasses. Keep yourself and your family safe and make an appointment with Novak.
Signs It’s Time to Clean Your Dryer Vent
Your clothes dryer vent might not be something you’ve particularly noticed. A dryer needs to ventilate just like your furnace. Every home with a dryer has a dryer exhaust. It connects to the back of your dryer, and then the exhaust is on the exterior of your home. It usually looks like a small register or a vent pipe. If you can’t find your dryer vent, run your dryer when it’s cold and you’ll see the exhaust.
There are a few distinctive signs that indicate your dryer vent needs cleaned. The first sign is that your clothes take longer to dry or are taking multiple cycles to dry in the dryer. If you notice that your laundry room is very hot as well as your dryer, that’s another sign that your dryer vent needs to be cleaned. You should definitely have your dryer vents looked at if you notice a burning smell when you run the dryer.
It’s always a good idea to keep your laundry room free from dust. Placing the dryer closer to the wall will prevent dust and debris from getting into the ducts.
How Often Should I Clean My Dryer Vent?
Once you’ve located your dryer vent on the outside of your house, it’s a good idea to keep it clean from debris and snow. Small animals love warm places full of fluffy lint. Make sure your dryer vent has a cover or is inaccessible to animals.
The National Fire Protection Association says you should clean your dryer vent at least once a year. This could vary based on the size of your house, the number of family members, and the number of pets in your family. Extra people lead to more dust and hair. You may find that your dryer vent needs to be cleaned more than once per year.
You can clean your dryer vents yourself with a flexible brush with an extendable wand and a vacuum cleaner with a long hose. However, if you’ve never had your dryer vents cleaned in the past, there may be more dust than your vacuum can handle. It’s a good idea to trust the experienced pros at Novak to clear your vents so they’re good as new.
Benefits of Cleaning Your Dryer Vent
You should clean your dryer vent on a regular basis to prevent dryer fires in your home. However, a clean dryer vent can also benefit your dryer in more ways than you realize.
Clean dryer vents are more energy efficient. With no more dust blocking its exhaust, the dryer can run properly, which will lower the amount of energy it consumes. When dryer vents are cleaned regularly, they are also less likely to overheat and clog. If you do not clean your dryer vents regularly, you risk shortening your dryer’s lifespan and experiencing frequent repairs.
Contact Novak for Dryer Vent Cleaning Services
Cleaning your dryer vent involves disconnecting appliances, lots of cleaning, and tons of dust. If this does not appeal to you, then contact Novak. Our friendly team has the experience and know-how to clean your vents quickly and efficiently. Call us today to schedule a dryer vent cleaning appointment.