Dryer Exhaust Cleaning
Overview
Dryer vent exhaust maintenance helps reduce potential dryer fires and lower utility bills by shortening drying times. It can also aid in the extension of the life cycle of the dryer itself. When a dryer exhaust is not clean, it extends the required drying time of the unit and makes the entire dryer work harder, wasting energy, and time, and shortening the life of the other dryer components all at once.
What The Dryer Exhaust Cleaning Process Looks Like
Most commercial dyer units are accessible from the outside of buildings or in collection rooms inside the building, often on the lowest level. Our team comes prepared to access the exhaust output no matter where it is. We work quickly to identify each of the exhaust points and which unit they belong to. We will then perform an inspection of each exhaust output to ensure that there is no wildlife in the vent or heavy debris that will need to be removed prior to the cleaning. We will then pull the lint out of the unit and whatever other debris has found its way into the vent. For buildings such as apartment complexes, we recommend sending a notice to tenants regarding this service to limit disruptions to occupants when possible as the dryer units will not be able to be in use during the cleaning. We will take pressure readings before and after cleaning so that we can ensure that the vent is clear and ready for use again. If wildlife or heavy debris is found, we recommend adding special coverings to prevent an obstruction from occurring again.
When Dryer Exhaust Cleaning Is Needed
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends dryer exhausts be cleaned once a year. We recommend places like apartment complexes make this cleaning a priority once or twice a year. Other indicators this service is needed are if the dryer is not working as well as it used to, leading to increased drying times, or if there is moisture buildup behind the dryer. One other sign that the dryer exhaust needs to be serviced is an increase in energy used by the units that don’t fall in line with the heating and cooling season.