When you need to fix or clean something in your house, you may want to do it yourself. There are many things you can do independently in your home: you can perform renovations, change appliances, and clean hard-to-reach places, like your gutters. However, there are some parts of your Somerset County home that you may not have thought about cleaning, such as your dryer vent.
Dryer duct cleaning sounds easy enough. It isn’t that hard to pull your dryer away from the wall, find the vent, and clean it. Piece of cake, right? Unfortunately, dryer vent cleaning in Somerville, NJ isn’t that simple.
You need specific equipment, and your dryer vent may be in a hard-to-reach place. So while you can do it yourself, you should consider calling professionals, like Apex Air Duct Cleaning & Chimney Services.
Before you decide whether to clean your dryer vent yourself, you should know what it is, where to find it, and how to clean it. Then, you can determine whether you can do the job independently or if you’ll need help. Apex Air Duct Cleaning & Chimney Services can get the job done quickly, so call us if you need assistance. Keep reading below to learn all you need to know about dryer duct cleaning from the outside.
What Is a Dryer Vent?
So what is a dryer vent? If you have never moved your dryer—or climbed on your roof—you may not know what your dryer vent is and why it’s so important. If you don’t have a ventless dryer in your Somerset County home, you most likely have a dryer vent.
When you dry your clothes, the hot air, excess moisture, and lint have to go somewhere. While your lint trap catches most of the lint, some of it goes into your dryer duct. This keeps your dryer clean and ready for your next load of laundry.
Where To Find Your Dryer Vent
One part of your dryer vent is easy to find; all you have to do is pull your dryer away from the wall. Behind your dryer, you can find where it connects to the vent. While that’s simple enough, it’s harder to find the other end of the dryer vent.
Since your dryer duct takes moisture and air out of your dryer, you don’t want that going back in your home. That’s why the other end of the vent faces the outside of your home. To find your Somerville, NJ dryer vent, you may have to do some searching.
Some people have their dryer vent on a side of their house, while others have it on their roof. How easily you can clean it will depend on where you find it.
How Often Should You Clean a Dryer Duct?
Why do you need a dryer duct cleaning if its only purpose is to take air, moisture, and lint out of your dryer? Unfortunately, lint can begin to accumulate and clog your dryer vent.
As lint begins to stick, more of it will mold itself into the vent. Eventually, the efficiency with which your dryer runs will decrease, as the clothes dryer vent and air duct vent covers become inundated with particulates that made it past the lint screen. Not to mention, having excess lint can harm your home.
Lint is flammable, and you never want a flammable substance coming into continuous contact with hot air. You can risk your house going up in flames. Also, clogs can keep dangerous gases, like carbon monoxide, from leaving your home, allowing it to accumulate in your home. Therefore, you have to clean your dryer duct to keep your home safe.
So how often do you need a dryer vent cleaning? That depends on the size of your household. No matter how often you use your dryer, you should clean your dryer vent at least once a year. If you use it more often, such as if you have a large household, you may need more regular cleaning services to prevent dryer fire hazards and clothes taking longer to dry.
Why Should You Clean It From the Outside?
You should clean your dryer vent from the inside and the outside. Depending on where the two ends of your dryer vent are, your duct may be long with several bends. If that’s the case, only cleaning the inside won’t clear it of lint. Therefore, you need to clean both ends.
If you can’t make it on your roof, you should call Apex Air Duct Cleaning & Chimney Services to help. Climbing a ladder to reach your roof is dangerous if you don’t know what to do, so you should always call a professional. They know how to stay safe and keep your house safe.
How To Limit Lint Buildup
Luckily, there are ways to limit lint buildup in your dryer vent. First, you should remove the lint from your lint trap every time you use it. Removing the lint from inside your dryer is the best way to keep it from clogging your dryer duct.
Also, limiting how many dryer sheets you use can help, as dryer sheets can block the lint filter. Taking care of your dryer can preserve your dryer, and you won’t have to clean your dryer duct as often.
Call Apex Air Duct Cleaning & Chimney Services at 732-314-7171 today if you need a dryer vent cleaning. Don’t risk your home’s safety by doing this job yourself. When you choose us, you can ensure that you keep your home safe from the negative effects of a clogged vent.
