Dryer vent installation technicians find problems with nearly all clothes dryers they inspect. Many homeowners are still using the vinyl or plastic ducts that are really designed for bathroom exhaust fans.
Look at the back of your clothes dryer. You should see an exhaust pipe leading to a dryer vent attached to the outside of your home. Is the vent flexible, plastic or vinyl? Or is it semi-rigid metal or aluminum? The answer to this question is critical to your safety.
Plastic, flexible exhaust ducts are not acceptable venting material for your clothes dryer. Though this type was used, years ago, it is no longer code. Even the thin metal foil vents which are claimed to resist fire are easily crushed, restricting air-flow which is required for your dryer to work. When the duct is crushed, heat, lint and moisture cannot escape from the clothes dryer.
Flexible metal pipes are acceptable, but they are not recommended. The ideal material for your dryer duct is a semi-rigid metal pipe that is very smooth inside. There should be no protrusions which lint can become caught on and build up. Pieces should be joined with duct tape, not screws which protrude to the inside. They should also be joined in the direction of the air flow to minimize the chances of lint becoming trapped.
Your dryer exhaust and dryer vent system is designed to remove heat, moisture and lint from your laundry as it is being dried. If you have a gas dryer, it is also removing gas by-products from your home. Improper venting can cause a dryer fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.
Professional dryer vent cleaning is recommended at least once a year to keep your appliance running efficiently and safely. The fee for this service is small compared to the cost of repairing or replacing an over worked clothes dryer, or the cost of losing your home or even your life.
D. Benson of Dryer Vent Wizard specializes in dryer vent installation, repair and maintenance. A DVW technician will perform a complete inspection of your dryer vent system and explain their recommendations if corrections or repairs are necessary. Dryer Vent Wizard has a vision of making 1 millions dryers safer and greener by the year 2010.
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