One of the most neglected components of your home is the dryer exhaust vent system. Despite the dangers of a clogged and dirty dryer vent, many homeowners do not realize how important it is to have their dryer vents professionally cleaned and serviced. Ignoring your dryer vent system can easily lead to a residential fire. In 2010, approximately 16,800 structure fires involving clothes 
dryers were reported in the United States. These fires resulted in 51 deaths, 380 injuries, and $236 million in property damage. Dirty and clogged dryer vents were responsible for the majority of these fires, which means many of the fires could have been prevented by having the vents professionally cleaned. Winston’s Chimney Service is proud to provide professional dryer vent cleaning services to the residents of Northern Virginia, and we would like to tell you more about why it is so important to schedule this service at least once a year.
Prevention of Fire
As you saw from the statistics above, you can see how frequently dirty dryer vents can lead to house fires. You may wonder why clogged vents are such fire hazards. One of the biggest reasons for the increased risk of fire is lint. Your clothes dryer produces lint during each drying cycle, and even though some of the lint is collected in the lint trap of your dryer, the rest of the lint accumulates inside the dryer vent. These lint accumulations can get large enough to block the vent and cause the dryer to overheat. Lint is so flammable that the Boy Scouts of America recommend it as an easy way to start a campfire, so when the temperature inside the vent gets hot enough, it can ignite the lint deposits, which quickly spread to other parts of your home. Winston’s Chimney Service will be sure to remove every bit of lint from your dryer vent, which greatly reduces the risk of an accidental fire.
Longer Life of Your Clothes Dryer
When the dryer vent is clogged, your dryer is unable to exhaust hot air, which leads to the dryer overheating. This can lead to important parts of the dryer wearing out more quickly than they should. If the heating element of your clothes dryer stops working, it can be very expensive to repair. You may even have to replace your dryer with a new appliance. A professional dryer vent cleaning from Winston’s Chimney Service will prolong the life of your clothes dryer.
Lower Utility Bills
One of the biggest signs of a clogged dryer vent is damp clothes after a complete drying cycle, according to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). Having to run your dryer for two cycles to completely dry one load of clothes can be expensive as it runs up your utility bills. Our professional dryer vent services will make your dryer work more efficiently, which will save both money and energy.
Avoid an accidental clothes dryer fire in your home. Contact us at Winston’s Chimney Service to schedule an appointment for a professional dryer vent cleaning today.