ALERT: Clothes Dryers Could Cause Fires

Lint Build-Up Often Overlooked

 

Fires in dryer exhaust ducts pose a serious risk to consumers. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a consumer product safety alert. According to CPSC, annually there are 15,500 fires, 10 deaths and 310 injuries due to dryer exhaust duct fires. These fires result in millions of dollars in property loss.

As more homes have clothes dryers and are built of tighter construction, the proper operation of the dryer becomes critical. Dryers are exhausting air from the house while they are in operation. Gas dryers are also venting the products of combustion in addition to the moisture from the clothes. Lint in the exhaust system can easily become fuel as temperatures rise and the duct becomes restrictive. Dryers may be located in an area where they must compete for combustion air with gas-fired water heaters and furnaces or boilers. This can lead to life threatening malfunctions on the part of the heating equipment.

 

Because the dryer duct is usually a 4" diameter, the slightest amount of deposit can greatly reduce the ability to exhaust. When its starts taking longer to dry the clothes, the problem is not usually the dryer, but rather the exhaust system. Optimum airflow is the key to effective dryer performance. When clothes are given the appropriate amount of air, they dry quicker and are subject to less tumbling. This results in less wear on the clothes and less use of electricity or gas - saving you money.

 

Whether it's your home or rental property or even a large apartment building, we can handle the job. We use state-o -the-art equipment for all types of dryer vent cleaning problems. Don't let your lint problems burn you up! Call us for more information, or to set up an appointment.

 

A Dryer Vent Cleaning Test:

 

1.      Does your dryer receive light use? (0 points), normal use? (5 points) or heavy use? (10 points)

2.      Is your vent 1 to 10 feet long? (0 points), 11 to 20 feet long? (5 points) or longer? (10 points)

3.      Does your dryer vent have one 90 degree elbow? (0 points), two elbows? (5 points), or more? (10 points)

4.      Do you have a full size dryer? (0 points) Or a smaller stacking combo-unit?

(10 points)

 

Add up your points:

Score: 0 to 10 points - Recommend cleaning every 5 to 10 years.

Score: 15 to 25 points - Recommend cleaning every 2 to 4 years.

Score: 30 to 40 points - Recommend cleaning every 1 to 2 years.