Not surprisingly, most events of fires in Northern Virginia are caused by clogged up or neglected dryer vents. Ideally, households should look into regular dryer vent cleaning northern virginia services if they want their families safe from the risks of home fires. However, most homeowners are not educated on how necessary air vent checkups are.
Does it smell like burning?
Clogged up dryer vents can overwork your dryers. This is because there is great difficulty in letting the airflow freely. Lint is covering the passageways. If it already smells like something is burning when you run your dryer, you should call a company specializing in dryer vent cleaning Northern Virginia. Most of the time, the job is done in a matter of a few hours and the fees are reasonable too. Compare companies and their rates to make sure you are getting a fair price.
Does it smell musky in your laundry area?
Lint can also retain a lot of unnecessary moisture in your home, depending on the weather and how this is acting on your air vents and ducts. If your laundry area is starting to smell musky and you know that you have not had dryer vent cleaning Northern Virginia done in the last few years or even months, it is time to call in the professionals. You need to have your vents checked not just to prevent fires and to make sure your dryer lasts longer but to protect your family’s health as well. Lints and mold build-up are two primary causes of respiratory problems when children are indoors most of the time.
Is there condensation?
Condensation in your laundry area, especially while you are drying the clothes is a sure sign that your vents and your ducts are probably clogged with lint. If you have never gone for dryer vent cleaning in the past, now is the time to do it. Condensation means there is not enough efficient airflow in your laundry area. It’s also a sign of overheating. If this is coupled with a burning smell, you need to turn off your dryer right away.
Other things to consider
There are also proper dryer usage practices to follow if you want your family to be safe from dryer vent caused fires. You should always only run your dryer when it is attended. Unattended dryers can cause fires while you are gone. Most of the time, before the fires happen, you will smell something burning. At this point, it is still possible to turn off the dryer to prevent further machine overheating. Once you smell even the hint of fire while you are drying your clothes in the dryer, you must turn it off right away. Have both your dryer and the dryer vents checked by professionals too as soon as you smell something burning, there is condensation in the room, or if there is a weird musty smell coming from an unknown source in your area. This is usually caused by mold or other bacterial build up because of lint clogging in your vents.
Most dryers also have screen filters. Do not use your dryer without this filter and make sure this filter is regularly cleaned, preferably after every washing and drying. These little things can certainly help prevent dryer vent-related fires.
If you need dryer vent cleaning northern virginia, don’t just call any service company. Contact JCS Home Services, a name trusted by homeowners for years!