What Is The Purpose Of The Dryer Vent?
A dryer vent or duct is a very important part of the clothes dryer. Without the dryer vent, the dryer will not dry the clothes, and there is a significant risk of a fire. Dryer vents need to be installed correctly and be cleaned regularly to function properly. A clothes dryer functions by tumbling wet clothes through heated air in a rotating drum. The heated air in the dryer evaporates the moisture and sends it out of the dryer using a fan. The dryer has a 4 inch metal vent that expels the water laden air to the exterior of the home. The most common dryer ducts are Aluminum Foil ducts, Semi-Rigid Metal ducts, Slim duct, or Rigid Metal ducts. Over time and with use, the dryer vents will fill with lint and other debris. There are a lot of benefits to cleaning the dryer vent that range from improved efficiency of the dryer to preventing fires.
What Are The Benefits Of Cleaning The Dryer Vent?
Cleaning your dryer vent have a lot of benefits. The simplest one is that it will shorten the drying time of your clothes. When lint and other debris clog the dryer duct tubes, it basically makes it hard to push out the damp air. This results in it taking a lot longer to dry your clothes and also will increase your utility bill. By removing the debris from the tube, you can actually save as much as $20.00 per month on utilities. But, the most important benefit of cleaning the dryer vent is that it will help prevent fires.
Recent studies have shown that approximately 15,500 dryer fires occur every year, resulting in over 20 deaths, 450 injuries, and costing more than $200 million in property damages. Dryer lint is the most common source of ignition for a fire. As lint collects in the dryer vent system, the dryer can overheat, throw a spark, and cause a fire. The risk of fire is equal for both gas-fueled clothes dryers and electric-powered clothes dryers. Even energy efficient dryers cause lint to build up in the dryer vent. Clogged dryer vents can also cause your cloth’s dryer to work harder reducing the life of your appliance.
Professionally cleaned dryer vents are necessary for ensuring that dryers are functioning properly. Doing so will help reduce the risk of a dryer fires and save you money. Leading appliance manufacturers recommend having your dryer vent inspected and cleaned by a professional once a year.
