How often should you clean your dryer venting? Well that depends on a few things, such as how often you use your dryer, how far the venting is and how many elbows your dryer system has.

We have created this quick test you can fill out online or using the point system that we have laid out for you to determine how often you should have the venting cleaned out.

For the online version go to: http://furnacecleaning.info/dryer-vent-cleaning.php and take the DryMax Quiz.

For the point version just read on:

How often do you use your dryer?

Less than 5 time’s a week, 1 point

6-12 times per week, 3 Points

More than 12 times per week, 5 Points

How long is your dryer vent pipe?

1-10 Feet, 1 Point

11-20 Feet, 3 points

More than 20 feet, 5 points

How many 90 degree elbows in the vent pipe?

1 elbow, 1 point

2 elbows, 3 points

More than 3 elbows, 5 points

How big is your dryer?

Full size, 1 point

Medium capacity, 3 points

Combo stacking unit, 5 points

If you scored from 4-9 points you are in the Low Risk Zone and only require having your dryer venting cleaned about every two years.

If you scored from 10-13 points your are in the Moderate Risk Zone and should have your dryer venting cleaned every 10-14 months.

If you scored 14 points or higher you are in the High Risk Zone and should have your dryer venting cleaned every six months.

Dryer vent cleaning is a very important aspect of your home maintenance program. A clean dryer vent system will allow your clothes to dry faster and keep your electrical bills in check. A partially clogged dryer vent can cost you as much as $30.00 dollars per month more to dry your clothes than a clean dryer vent system.

Dryer vents are one of the top causes of home fires every year. It’s a good idea to check the dryer vent every time you check your smoke detector. Use our unique dryer vent safety strips to be sure that your venting is performing the way it should.

To view our vent safety strips go here: http://www.furnacecleaning.info/dryer-vent-check.php

I hope that this helps you understand your dryer venting a little better, if you have any questions about dryer venting please call us at 780-598-5966

A-1 Ductworks is a Fort McMurray Alberta Furnace Duct Cleaning company.

Dryer Vent Cleaning

Dryer vents are a overlooked dangerous portion of the home that I again seen first hand this week. I was called out to clean a fireplace chimney that is one of the main sources of heat for this home during the winter months, and has not been cleaned in two years. Luckily this is a completely sealed firebox and the client burns only a nice hard wood. The chimney was very dirty and done just in time to possibly prevent a serious fire hazard to this home.

I was only called to clean the fireplace but I must have been feeling generous and told the customer that I would clean the dryer vent at no charge to them. I proceeded outside after asking the customer to turn on their dryer so that I could check current air flow before cleaning. When I leaned down to check the air flow I found none at all and at first thought I had the wrong vent, but I didn’t and had the proof when I inserted the Viper Cleaning system just inside the venting and got a lot of lint from the first portion of the venting pipe.

I decided to go downstairs and have a look at the venting that was concealed above a drop ceiling and I am so glad that I did. This home was ready the ignite. The venting was separated about ten feet from the outside wall and all the lint was building up in the space between the ceiling and the drop ceiling and the electrical panel was filled with lint including covering low voltage transformers.

I had the customer start cleaning the lint from around the ceiling and the electrical panel area and I re-connected the dryer venting and proceeded to clean the dryer system. This system was over twenty feet long with four elbows and had never been cleaned as long as the customer can remember. A dryer vent setup like this should be cleaned every six months to a year and the savings in electrical costs will pay for the service fee within a few months, not to mention the piece of mind.

If you can’t remember when the last time you had your dryer vent cleaned then it is time!

Take our quick quiz here to see how often you should have your dryer venting cleaned. For all your dryer vent and chimney cleaning services in Fort McMurray Alberta call A-1 Ductworks at 780-598-5966.

Dryer Vent Cleaning Technique

1. Standard Cleaning Procedure: All dryer vents are cleaned from the outside using high pressure compressed air with a reverse skipper ball that sends the skipper ball rocketing down the venting to the base of the dryer. Once the skipper ball has gone as far as it will go we start to retract the skipper ball back towards us pulling all the debris and and lint back to the outside where it is collected into a large truck mounted vacuum system.

2. Challenge Cleaning: This type of cleaning is preformed when the dryer system is completely plugged up of not accessible from the outside due to height or concealed from sight. We disconnect the dryer from the venting and insert the Viper Cleaning System into the venting using the Air Whip fitting. The Viper System is a high pressure compressed air cleaning system that uses different fittings that are attached to the end. 250 pounds on air pressure is forced through the Viper System that forces the air out forward, using the Air Whip fitting which has many small air tubes that whip around in the ducting loosing the debris and lint from the walls of the venting well pushing and the lint to the outside of the home. This method is used when cleaning commercial dryer vent systems.

I often get asked how often you should have the dryer vent system cleaned. Well the answer is different depending on the type of dryer in the home, the amount of use the dryer receives, the amount of venting attached and how many elbows are in the dryer vent system.

A simple rule is the more air the dryer system can move the less lint that will build up in your dryers venting. With this fact in mind it’s safe to say that a larger dryer with shorter venting will require cleaning less often than a stack able smaller dryer with the same distance in venting. If you have a large family and the dryer is used more often then its safe to say it needs to be cleaned more often. And the last thing to consider when determining whether you need to have your dryer vent cleaned more often or not is the amount of venting you have. If your venting is more than 20 feet long? does it have more than two elbows? if you answered yes to either question then you would need to have the dryer venting cleaned more often.

The average home should be cleaned every other year and homes that have longer venting, lots of elbows or a smaller dryer that does not move as much air should have the system cleaned every year.

Commercial dryer systems such as in a hair salon where many towels with loose fibers should be cleaned at least every six months.

Check out our Dryer vent cleaning calculator here: Dryer Vent Calculator at http://www.furnacecleaning.info

A-1 Ductworks is located in Fort McMurray, Alberta and can be reached at 780-972-7272 or by email at info@furnacecleaning.info

This dryer vent was barely moving any air and was about 75% plugged over, the dryer was very hot and the plastic ribbed dryer venting had signs of melting in places. I showed this to the customer before I went outside and cleaned the venting using a reverse skipper method with high pressure air.

I had the customer come outside to view the large amounts of lint that was being removed from the venting as the customer stood there in shock. “I had no idea” said the customer as I assured him that most customers do not realize how much lint is built up in the dryer venting so I decided to offer a few tips to home owners about dryer venting.

1. Lint traps only remove about 75% of the lint that builds up during the drying cycle, the remainder is dispossed of out the venting.

2. Clean the lint trap before every cycle of drying and clean the lint trap at least once per month with soapy warm water and let dry before using again.

3. Do not use flexible plastic venting, use straight pipe and metal elbows when possible or semi rigged metal venting. This type of dryer venting can’t catch fire and allows for the greatest air flow. Plastic ribbed venting allows the dryer lint to build up on the inside causing air flow problems which can lead to a dryer fire.

4. Clean around the back of the dryer and do not allow build up of lint in this area. A dryer gets very hot in areas especially close to where the venting on the back is, keeping this area clean helps to prevent the possiablly of fire.

5.  Warning Signs:

• Dryer taking longer than 40-45 minutes to dry a load
• Dryer is noisier than usual
• Dryer feels hotter to the touch
• Dryer shuts off before the end of the cycle
• Clothes are still hot and damp at the end of the cycle
• Extra moisture in the laundry area
• Flapper does not open when dryer is on

6. Benefits of Dryer Vent Cleaning

Well the main obvious reason for cleaning your dryer vent is the prevention of dryer fires there are other good reasons for cleaning your dryer vent.

• Decrease Energy Use. A mere 1/2″ of buildup in a typical 4″ vent will reduce your dryer’s efficiency by up to 40%!  Restricted air flow will cost you $$$.
• Quicker Drying Times. A dryer is a very expensive applience to operate.  The longer it runs, the more it will cost you!
• Clothes Last Longer. The longer your clothes tumble in your dryer, the more they wear out.  And those fibers that break loose contribute to the buildup in your dryer vent!
• Longer Dryer Life. Overheating and allowing the dryer to run longer can cause premature failure of the bearings, elements, ignitors and other critical parts.

Our dryer vent cleaning service is available for $149.95 without furnace duct cleaning service. To book an appointment for dryer vent cleaning in the Fort McMurray Area call 780-598-5966. For more information on dryer vent cleaning go to our dryer vent page

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