Dryer Dangers
There were 13,900 clothes dryer fires in the U.S. in 1987, resulting in 20 deaths, 180 injuries and property loss estimated at more than $40 million. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, in most of these cases the culprit was lint.
Consumers are warned to:
Clean the lint trap frequently*
Use aluminum or galvanized vent ducting
Inspect for blockage monthly
Clean outside vent regularly
* Regular cleaning will improve operation and efficiency resulting in drying time cost savings.
We remove lint, birds nests and articles of clothing from dryer vents in homes, beauty salons, apartments and condos. We sanitize to kill mold, fungus, mildew and bacteria. We specialize in air duct cleaning and Indoor Air Quality. Our work is performed promptly and professionally
The Procedure
The dryer is disconnected from the vent and inspected to determine the type of exhaust pipe installed. Dryer vents are commonly installed using 4" diameter galvanized metal pipe in the wall or ceiling. In some cases metalized aluminum accordion type pipe is installed. And, we find plastic wire inserted pipe (same type used to connect the dryer to the wall connection in some installations. Each of these different types of dryer vents pose individual problems in cleaning. Once the type of pipe is established, we use a combination of high efficiency vacuum hose, flexible rods with brushes, rotary brushes or compressed air skipper balls to clean out and dislodge lint and debris form vents.
Galvanized Pipe
The galvanized metal pipe is easiest to clean because it is strong and is not negatively effected by cleaning with brushes or air nozzles.
Aluminum Pipe
The metalized aluminum accordion type pipe can routinely be cleaned of lint, but is soft and can be damaged in the cleaning process if not installed properly.
Plastic Pipe
The plastic wire inserted pipe is hardest to clean and is extremely susceptible to damage from the gentlest of cleaning procedures. When at all possible, we recommend plastic dryer vent located in walls or ceilings be replaced and/or relocated. If cleaning is the only option, we can clean with the understanding that we can not be held responsible for any damage that may occur.
Additional Problems
Another problem that complicates dryer vent cleaning is the number of turns (elbow's) installed in the system. Each elbow in a system accounts for approximately three feet of straight pipe in static resistance. Resistance that makes it harder if not impossible to push the lint and heat through the vent to the outside. Dryer vents routinely can only push hot air and lint @ 10 to 15 feet through a vent pipe (review with your particular dryer installation instructions to determine the recommended length). If the dryer vent pipe exceeds the manufactures distance recommendations, your dryer vent should be routinely cleaned to prevent damage to your dryer or home.
Caution: If birds have built nest inside your vent pipes, and they are made of metalized aluminum or plastic, they have most likely have been damaged with tears, rips or holes. They can still be cleaned and sanitized to kill odors, but cleaning is done with the understanding that we can not be held responsible for any additional damage that may occur to the vent pipe or the home.
Keep birds out of you exhaust vents with the "Bird Guard" provided exclusively by Air Duct Cleaners of Virginia for $75.00* with all vent cleanings.
*(Price depending on location. Product is designed for 4" X 4" vent openings only and comes in white or dark brown). |
