5 Warning Signs Your Dryer Vent Needs Cleaning

Imagine you go into your laundry room to check on the clothes in the dryer and you find that the room is on fire. From 2009 to 2011, on average, 6,000 residential fires were caused by clothes dryers, resulting in $75.3 million of damage, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

When lint and other debris build up in your dryer hose and vent duct, air flow can be reduced or blocked, causing your dryer to overheat and eventually spark a fire. Signs that your dryer vent is likely clogged with excess lint include:

Clothes take a longer time to dry. If clothes are hot and damp at the end of the cycle and require another cycle to finish drying, the vent is probably blocked. The dryer is designed to push the heat and moisture out the vent while drying. If that heat and moisture can’t get out of the dryer due to a blockage, the dryer will work harder, building up heat which can lead to a fire.

The top of the dryer is hot to the touch while it’s running. If your dryer is hot to the touch, it means heat isn’t being exhausted out of the dryer properly due to a blockage. A clogged dryer vent can cause the dryer’s heating element to overheat, leading to a fire.

The dryer keeps shutting off before the end of the cycle. If your dryer shuts itself off during a normal drying cycle, your dryer is overheating. Lint buildup can cause your dryer to work harder and overheat. An overheated dryer can lead to a fire, but the overheat shutoff helps keep the dryer from catching on fire.

The outside dryer vent hood flap isn’t opening properly when the dryer is running. Lint buildup can restrict air flow through the dryer hose and outside vent opening, causing the flap to not open like it’s been designed to do.

It’s been over a year since you’ve had your dryer vent inspected and cleaned. Appliance manufacturers recommend you have your dryer inspected and cleaned annually to ensure it’s working properly. To reduce the risk of dryer fires, hire a professional vent cleaning company like T.J.’s Chimney Service, located in Greenfield, IN, for a thorough dryer vent inspection and cleaning. Our trained technicians can resolve any issues before they become more serious problems. Plus when your dryer is operating more efficiently, you can save on your energy bills. Call us today at 317-455-5310 to schedule your appointment.