Imagine waking up seeing that your house gets on fire. And you figure out later that you could have prevented the fire with a few precautions.
For instance, lint and other debris get collected in your vent duct and dryer hose. It may decrease the airflow, cause fire, and back up exhaust gases.
You may prevent such hazards and risks by thoroughly inspecting and cleaning your dryer vent once a year.
With proper inspection and cleaning of the rooftop dryer vent, you are decreasing the risk of fire and investing in improving its efficiency.
Read the article below if you have doubts or are confused about the right time to clean the dryer vent. You will explore the warning signs of dryer vent clogging along with the right cleaning time.
Warning Signs That Your Rooftop Dryer Vent Is Clogged
Go through the following few warning signs of your rooftop dryer vent getting clogged:
Drying Time Gets Longer
You know that your dryer vent requires cleaning if your things do not dry as per the standard cycle time, taking longer than usual.
It may be due to hot and moist air, which indicates that your dryer needs cleaning. But if your rooftop dryer vent has lint clogging, the humid air remains inside the dryer, making it difficult to dry off. It causes:
Dryer to overheat
Dryer to wear faster, which also impacts its life span
Increase your electricity bills
Dryer Goes Very Hot Outside
Did you notice that your things or the exterior of the dryer is getting very hot while processing? It is the warning sign implying that the vent is not properly exhausting.
If your rooftop dryer vent gets clogged, it wastes energy and causes the blower and heating element to wear out quickly.
Noticing Burning Odor
Whenever you run the dryer vent, do you smell any burning odor? It is because of flammable lint. Lint can build up inside the exhaust tube, drum casing, and lint trap.
If it catches fire, the rooftop vent dryer can cause a burning odor. So, immediately stop using the dryer and arrange an inspection as soon as possible.
Build Up Lint And Debris Outside Vent
The rooftop dryer vent outside is the perfect place to inspect for clues to check if your dryer vent is clogged.
If you find lint and debris buildup around the exterior of the duct, there is the need to call for a professional hand. The expert can inspect the venting system and perform the cleaning procedure if required.
Decreased Efficiency
You may feel that the rooftop dryer is not drying things appropriately, or they are still damping at the end of the normal cycle, or you are facing restrictions in airflow.
Hence, You will find inefficiency in the working of the dryer because of many reasons as discussed.
Vent Hood Flap Does Not Open Up
It is yet another warning sign that you require cleaning services. You can see the duct hood flap is not opening and working incorrectly. The outside vent does not open when the dryer is working; it means airflow has a problem.
No Inspection or Cleaning Performed For a Long Time
If you have not cleaned or inspected your dryer for a long time, it may also be the reason behind issues in your dryer vent. Also, this may be the warning sign that indicates your rooftop dryer vent needs inspection and cleaning to avoid accidents and further problems.
Consequences You Might Face Due To Unclean Dryer Vents
Uncleaned dryer vent type may bring consequences such as –
- It can fail the equipment. You may observe the restriction in the airflow that can force your dryer to work harder. Thus, it further leads to heavy wear and tear of the machine and results in multiple repairs.
- The accumulation of heat and exhaust gases generates highly flammable material that may result in a large fire.
How Often Do You Need Dryer Vent Cleaning?
Everyelectrical appliance needs special handling and cleaning care. Similarly, the Dryer vent is not an exception. To keep your dryer in a healthy working condition, you need to clean it frequently.
Also, getting it cleaned by a professional can do a fantastic job as they take complete care of the delicate parts of the dryer vent.
However, if you have frequent household usage of the dryer vent, you should consider getting it cleaned more frequently. Cleaning the dryer vent every six to eight months can be most suitable for heavy or regular users.
What Factors Affect Dryer Vents?
The issues in the dryer vent are directly related to the dryer’s usage frequency. It further impacts the clogging of the dryers. The factors that affect the frequency of cleaning dryer vents are
Pets: Pets’ hair clings to all the fabrics, including clothing, beddings, towels, curtains, rugs, etc. Laundry of such articles results in a lot of lint accumulation in the dryer.
Location: The distance between the laundry room and the dryer vent implies the number of turns the vent takes. The more the length, the more chances of clogging inside the vent.
Number of Occupants: Occupying your dryer vent with excess materials can fully use the vent and thus cause more problems.
Purchasing Habits: New clothes produce more lint than any other clothes. The family with more purchasing habits often finds their vent getting clogged.
And so on. Thus, these are the factors that impact the dryer vent, and so this is where you need cleaning or inspection regularly.
Conclusion
Maintaining every electrical appliance adds to a better home, and care of the dryer vent is often overseen.
The above article discusses the signs you must not ignore about your dryer vent, along with some of the crucial aspects of cleaning the dryer vent.
Also, the right time to clean the dryer, including factors affecting the dryer vent, is briefed. From inspection and cleaning to maintenance, check out when to call professional help.
