Cleaning your dryer vent is not only important for home safety, but it can save energy and extend the life of your appliance. Lint is a highly flammable material and when it accumulates in the dryer vent it can pose a fire hazard. This could result in fires, injuries, and property damage. Let’s look at some of the dangers you might run into if you neglect to get your dryer vent cleaned regularly.
Clogged Vents Can Cause Fires
A blocked vent can trap the hot air that would normally escape your dryer, forcing it to work harder to cool clothes and potentially ignite them.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, clogged vents are responsible for more than one-third of the 3,000 home dryer fires that occur annually.
These fires can be devastating. And they’re often caused by lint buildup, an issue that can only be prevented with regular dryer vent cleaning and inspection.
Lint can also obstruct airflow in a dryer and accumulate on the heating element or hood, leading to overheating. If left unchecked, this could ignite the lint, creating an explosive house fire hazard.
Furthermore, a clogged vent can attract pests like birds or rodents who often nest in lint-filled vents. Once established, these pests can be difficult to eradicate once established, so don’t ignore the signs of an obstructed vent!
Clogged Vents Can Cause Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Without proper maintenance, a dryer can become overworked and start emitting carbon monoxide gas. This gas, which has no visible signs of life and an odorless scent, poses serious hazards for everyone in the home due to its colorless, odorless, and toxic qualities.
Gas dryer exhaust should always be vented into the air, otherwise, it will build up and cause a clogged vent. This is an especially hazardous scenario since it’s hard to spot and even more challenging to escape from.
Fortunately, there are several warning signs you can look for to alert you of an issue with your dryer vent.
One of the most obvious signs that your clothes are taking longer to dry is if they take longer than usual to dry. This could indicate that your dryer vent is clogged with lint and needs cleaning.
Clogged Vents Can Cause Water Damage
If your dryer vent becomes clogged with lint and other particles, it won’t be able to exhaust heat and moisture out of the home. This could result in leaks which could cause serious damage to both your house and possessions.
A blocked vent in your home means that water cannot drain effectively from the pipes, leading to wet walls and ceilings or water seepage onto furniture and other items.
Your drains may become clogged with debris if your vent pipe is blocked or the ducting inside your home’s walls isn’t properly sealed. This could result in unpleasant-smelling sewage in bathrooms and other parts of the house.
Clogged vents can be difficult to unclog, which is why you should enlist the help of a professional dryer vent cleaning service. They will disconnect your dryer, clean all vents and ducts inside your home, then reattach everything back in place.
Clogged Vents Can Cause Mold Growth
If your dryer vent is clogged with lint and not properly exhausting moisture from your home, mold can grow. A full load of wet clothes in the dryer contains about half a gallon of water – perfect conditions for mold growth!
When a home’s ventilation is improper, extra water can seep into its walls or ceiling, creating condensation and leading to moisture buildup within your walls and ductwork. When this occurs, mold may begin to grow in these ducts and drip pans.
Mold in the ductwork is often an indication that your vents aren’t functioning properly and that cleaning your air ducts is necessary. If you observe any of these warning signs, contact a professional right away for help removing mold.
If you want to avoid these dangers, hire the right team to handle your dryer vent cleaning regularly.