Trusted Saskatoon Furnace & Duct Cleaners Bridge City Duct Cleaning provides both residential duct cleaning and commercial duct cleaning and furnace maintenance services. Their team is professionally trained, qualified, bonded, and factory furnace and duct cleaning technicians. In their latest article, they warn of dryer lint fire hazards.
Clothes Drying Lint Is A Fire Hazard
A clothes dryer doesn't look scary or dangerous. Unfortunately, it is the cause of over many 1000's of house fires every year totaling millions of dollars in damage. Regular cleaning and maintenance can protect your family and your investment in your home.
Get Rid of Dangerous Lint in the Dryer
If you have a dryer you WILL have lint. Lint builds up in the lint trap but also inside the dryer vent and ductwork, reducing airflow and drying efficiency. Lint can cause humidity levels to rise around vents causing mildew and mold to develop in walls and insulation. But most important: Lint is combustible. Lint causes fires.
Fortunately, removing dangerous lint is simple. The first area to clean after every load is the dryer lint trap by removing the lint from the screen and wiping the edges. If the screen seems clogged, it may be from the dryer sheets you have been using. Submerge the lint screen in a sink of hot water and scrub with a bristle brush to remove all the built-up fabric softener.
The key to success in de-linting a dryer is a dryer lint brush, this long-handled flexible brush will help you reach areas that you cannot get to by hand.
Remove the dryer lint filter. In the opening, use the brush to gently loosen the built-up lint. Don't force the brush if you meet resistance but be sure to clean every surface as much as possible. Remove the big chunks of lint that come out with the brush. Don't worry about the smaller pieces.
Replace the cleaned lint filter. Turn the dryer setting to air only and run for a cycle. This will pull any remaining lint into the filter or blow the loose particles out the outside vent.
Install the Dryer Correctly
A clothes dryer should not vent inside your home or attic. The exhaust contains too much humid air and can cause problems with mold and mildew which are hazardous to your health. A ventless dryer should be used if outside venting is not possible.
The maximum length of a clothes dryer exhaust duct should not exceed 25 feet from the dryer location to the wall or roof termination. The maximum length of the duct should be reduced to two and one-half feet for each 45-degree bend, and five feet for each 90-degree bend. The maximum length of the exhaust duct does not include the transition duct.
Be certain that you have a 220v grounded electrical outlet available for an electric dryer.
In addition, Summer brings in a lot of dust, pet fur and dander, and all sorts of allergens that can be trapped in ductwork for weeks on end. This only comes out after the ducts and vents warm-up and forced air blows this debris around your home or office.
Avoid the mess and nuisance by getting the ductwork and vents professionally cleaned and serviced