Categories Dryer Fire Prevention, Dryer Fires, Dryer Vent Cleaning

Removing Birds Nest from Dryer Vent

nest removal from dryer ventSo it’s -10c today and we take a call from Mississauga regarding a birds nest in the dryer vent. This customer has had 2 companies try to remove the birds nest in the last 7 months and both have failed! Up for a challenge and not wanting to be beaten Dryer Vent Cleaner went to the rescue!

Birds Nest Removal

Battling through snow that finally decided to appear we turned up and met the customer. The vent had been missing the flaps (deteriorated from the weather) so a bird decided to take root and made a nice cosy nest in there 3 feet inside. Using our special birds nest retrieval tools we removed the nest and cleaned the dryer vent through from the outside and from the inside.  We replaced the vent and caulked the new vent, added a special bird proof screen over the new vent to prevent return visitors.

Do Not Use Panty Hose on Dryer Vent

Because of this nest and the fact he chose the wrong company twice to clean out his dryer vent he has been using the dryer with a panty hose over the end and venting in inside the home! This is dangerous and should not be done! Dryers need to vent outside the home, restricting the airflow causes lint to accumulate in the dryer fast and can lead to a dryer fire.

Birds Nest removal in Ontario

If you live in Ontario, especially Burlington, Mississauga, Hamilton, Oakville and you have problems with your dryer taking too long to dry your clothes, you have a birds nest stuck in your dryer vent, you need your dryer vent relocating, need a new dryer vent or just know you need your dryer vent cleaning call the professional dryer vent cleaning company. Satisfaction guaranteed or you pay nothing.

Author VentExpert
Categories Dryer Vent Cleaning

The Top 4 Reasons Why You Should Clean Dryer Vent And Dryer

dryer vent cleaning in Burlington Ontario

Should you clean your dryer and dryer vent?

dryer vent cleaning in Burlington OntarioYes, they tend to build up lint and other debris from your clothing and make the vents a fire hazard.  Cleaning the vents prevents any build up and saves energy as the air flows freely through the vents. When your dryer vent starts to get clogged lint then builds up inside your dryer cabinet. This lint accumulation can start to build up around the dryer element that reaches temperatures over 300 degrees, this is how a fire starts!

How often should the dryer vent be cleaned?

The vents for your dryer should be cleaned at least once every year.  It does depend on your drying load but the rule of thumb would be every 12 months.  If you think that’s too often, then you can figure it out by the amount of loads you dry and use this as a guideline:

  • 1-2 loads per week – every 2 years
  • 4 to 5 loads per week – annually
  • 8 to 10 loads per week – 6 months
  • 2 to 3 loads per Day – every  3 months

How often should inside the dryer be cleaned?

Whirlpool the biggest dryer manufacturer recommends cleaning the inside of the dryer cabinet every two years to remove lint buildup and help prevent fire.

The best 2 ways of cleaning your dryer vents

The lint screen should be cleaned every time you dry a load of clothes.  Make a habit of check it before or after you use your dryer.  Cleaning the lint screen not only saves energy, hence, saving you money, but it also dry’s your load faster and saves wear and tear on your dryer.  Again, saving you money in replacement parts or replacing the dryer.

DIY dryer vent cleaning

Disconnect the dryer’s electric cord and pull it from the wall.  Take off the vent at the bottom of the dryer.  Go outside and remove the vent cover from the house.

You will find most of the debris at both ends, but use a vacuum to pull any lint that is sitting in the tubes.  Be sure to check the area where the vent tube dips down or goes around a corner.  Lint tends to build up in those areas.  When you use the vacuum, some vacuums can blow as well as suck in air.  You can either blow out the lint or suck it through the vent. It’s best to blow from the inside to the outside, it saves on clean up.

Be careful about sticking anything into the vent tubes.  They can and will damage the vents. Replace the covers on the outside of the house, reattach the vent to the bottom of the dryer, plug in the electric cord, and you are ready to start drying again.  Another way to clean your dryer vents is to use a professional service.

How to find a Professional  dryer cleaner and dryer vent cleaner

Using a professional service is easy.  They have all the tools and know how to clean the vents and take apart your dryer to remove all lint.  It will take them a between an hour to 1 1/2 hours.  If you’re not a do it yourself-er, then it’s best to use a professional dryer and dryer vent cleaning service.  You can find one by using a search engine on the Internet or your mobile phone.

Type in “dryer vent cleaning” into the search engine.  You can add the name of your city to find one located close by such as “dryer vent cleaning Burlington“.  Another way is to read any reviews the company has to find the best one.  Also, ask your friends and family if they know of a service you can use.  Word of mouth is the best recommendation you can get for using a company.  Give them a call and schedule an appointment.  You will have to be there since they need access to your dryer, but it should only take a little bit of your time – until the next cleaning, that is.

Author VentExpert
Categories Dryer Vent Cleaning

Don’t Think You Need Your Dryer Vent Cleaning? Think Again

dryer exhaust cleaningIt is amazing how many of our customers think that their dryer vent cleaning  is not needed.  Possibly due to the fact they clean the lint trap out after each use puts them at ease, thinking all is well. The truth is that just because you clean out the lint trap, it does not mean your dryer is running efficiently. Lint builds up when there is an accumulation in the dryer exhaust system. The vent hood could be blocked because we all forget to check the flaps are flapping about as the dryer runs. You could have a long dryer vent run with several 90 degree bends or even a birds nest or ice lodging in your dryer vent, there are many reasons. But the truth is the dryer and dryer vent should be part of essential home maintenance, the general rule being 1-2 people in the home dryer vent cleaning every 2 years, 2-4 people in the house every year the dryer vent should be cleaned, 6+ then you should be at least once per year in not every 6 months. Then the dryer itself should be inspected and cleaned to remove lint build up.

Dryer Cleaning & Dryer Vent Cleaning in Burlington & Oakville

Yesterday we cleaned a ladies dryer vent in Millcroft area of Burlington. We only cleaned the vent which vented on the roof,  the dryer was under warranty from Samsung. The dryer technician came out for her 1 year old dryer and said she needed to clean her dryer vent. Not knowing here to call she called the local fire department, then a duct cleaning company,  then she found us on Google. When we got there she had the foil dryer hose, which is not recommended by the manufacturer or us they burn and spread the fire into the walls.

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When we finished cleaning her house and the neighbors, we went canvassing to promote our service.  In Millcroft before Christmas there was a dryer fire, well we met a lady who had had a dryer fire and put it out herself using baking soda, determined not to lose her house and the $$$$’s in Reno costs she had just a spent she considers herself lucky and the 10 townhouses she links too! Why are so many people in the dark, and reluctant to address a real issue that is there in their home?

Today we meet a mom of 2 great kids who thinks that it is just a crappy dryer making her clothes take so long to dry. After chatting she agreed to let us show her the real issues.

Why She Needed Her Dryer & Dryer Vent Cleaning

  • Her dryer was taking 2-3 cycles to dry each load
  • Her dryer was really hot to touch
  • Her ducts were cold after a few feet (heat was stuck in her dryer)
  • No air was coming our from the dryer vent hood

When we showed her the issues, she then told us 2 family members had experienced house fires – 1 had lost his home. We cleaned the dryer and the whole dryer vent system, the dryer let out a sigh of relief as we started it it was running quieter, the dryer was no longer red hot to touch, you could feel the whole dryer vent was warm and there was air coming out the dryer vent hood. A really happy customer which really makes our day!

Replacing Your Dryer Please Clean Your Dryer Vent

We see time and time again people buying a new dryer because they think the old one is on it’s last legs. What they do not realize is their dryer vent is clogged! So they install their nice shiny new dryer and find they have the same problem, clothes take a long time to dry.

Last Friday we take a call for a gent who was replacing his dryer and needed the dryer vent cleaning. This guy is smart, so many people buy a new dryer thinking the old one is faulty only to find they still have a problem … they have a clogged dryer vent. We arrive and find the dryer vent is choked, they have lived in the house 6 years just the 2 of them. We removed 1 1/2 vacuum loads of lint. The homeowner wants to know why no  one is educating her and others to the perils inside ones clothes dryer … we are slowly and surely.

Dryer Vent Cleaning Do Not Neglect Your Dryer or Dryer Vent!

If you are a homeowner, hair studio, laundromat, property management company, hotel, residential home, daycare running a dryer that is taking too long to dry a load contact us today. If you are school, daycare or charity organization contact us for our free dryer and free dryer vent cleaning service.

Author VentExpert
Categories Dryer Fire Prevention, Dryer Fire Safety, Dryer Vent Cleaning

Why You Should Not Use Foil or Vinyl Dryer Vent Hoses

dryer warning label
Click to View Large Dryer Warning Label

The fact that some stores still sell those flimsy white vinyl dryer hoses (known as transition hose) is unbelievable, in fact it is almost criminal! Some stores are also using the Thin foil transition hoses when they install a new dryer, totally ignoring what is clearly written on the dryers warning label. The dryer vent should be of 4 inch diameter, however when the thin foil or vinyl is used and compressed it as well as reducing the diameter to 3 inches it has lots of ridges to trap and accumulate lint and reduce air flow.

Do Not Use Plastic Dryer Transition Hose

All dryer manufacturers say that you should not use plastic dryer hoses, or thin foil, this means that in the event of a dryer fire if your insurance company were to pick up on this, they would not accept your claim as you failed to follow the recommendations stated by the .

In the states there have been several class action cases against retailers who were installing foil or plastic hoses, this follows insurance companies failing to pay out after a fire based on the wrong transition hose installed.

* The lawsuits state the retailers’ installers attached metal foil or plastic vents to dryers sold to consumers instead of heavy metal ones recommended by manufacturers, creating conditions that could cause fires or death.

Dryer Warning Labels

This dryer warning label which is located on the back of all dryers clearly states you should use a heavy metal vent and “DO NOT USE PLASTIC OR THIN FOIL DUCT”. The reason they say this is because these type of dryer hoses will feed the fire, the vinyl will melt and spread a fire should one occur.

What Sort of Hose is best for Your Dryer?

best dryer hoseThe best dryer hose is semi-rigid or rigid metal duct these are fire proof and are what your dryer manufacturer recommends.

Maintain Your Dryer

Your dryer needs maintenance to ensure it runs efficiently.  It is recommended you clean your dryer vent out and have it inspected annually, and have your dryer cleaned out every couple of years. We offer professional Dryer Cleaning as well as dryer vent cleaning in and around Burlington, Ontario. Call 905 966 0838 today to schedule a visit from the Dryer Vent Cleaner.

 

*source of lawsuit http://fr.reuters.com/article/idUKN2144007020080521

Author VentExpert
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