Dryer Vent Cleaning Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How confident can we be that the dryer vent ducting is pushing out exhaust as well as discharging lint? A. Confidence, when it comes to clean, clear and unobstructed dryer vents, is dangerous. In any set of dryers, there may be a wide variance both in use by residents as well as the actual ductwork path. Dryer vent cleaning can be very efficient when scheduled regularly. On these calls, the Fresh Sweeps technician puts more energy into the machines with greater challenges to machine efficiency and occupant safety.
Q. Does a blocked vent automatically mean a fire will occur? A. Fire takes higher temperatures, fuel and enough oxygen to permit combustion. Dryers and their vents create favorable conditions to ignite lint immediately behind the appliance or in the rear venting system. Even if a fire hasn’t occurred, the ability of the dryer to do its job is greatly impaired by lint obstacles, resulting in unhappy tenants and increasingly higher energy costs.
Q. Once again, this seems like a ShopVac project. Am I right? A. And once again, the uniqueness and complexity of dryers and their vent systems precludes quick and easy dryer vent cleaning. Better to have a trained Fresh Sweeps technician work efficiently, thoroughly and with the right tools than hope the potential for fire has been eliminated simply by putting a suction hose into all available openings.
