Dryer Vent Cleaning Services in Columbus, Ohio

One of the most dreadful household chores is laundry; your dryer is one of the most essential elements when completing this task. As functional members of society, we need our clothes to get clean and dry before we wear them again, but what if your laundry takes multiple drying cycles to get completely dry? If this is the case, you should consider investing in a professional dryer vent cleaning service.

While we should all clean out the lint trap after every clothes drying cycle, a dryer vent cleaning from certified technicians has several benefits, including a lower drying time, increased energy efficiency, and extending your dryer lifespan.

When you think of cleaning dryer vents, most homeowners don’t think about calling an HVAC company. However, a dryer vent and air duct cleaning go hand in hand. Plus, getting your dryer vents and your air vents cleaned at the same time makes for one happy home.

At Fire & Ice, we have cleaned many dryer vents (and air vents) throughout Columbus, Ohio, and the surrounding areas. Our dryer vent cleaning service differs from other services since we use many of the same tools for our air duct cleaning service, including our state-of-the-art truck-mounted vacuum.

This article will cover what a dryer vent cleaning is, the difference between a dryer vent cleaning and an air duct cleaning, why it’s important to get your dryer vents cleaned, our process, and prices.   

What Is the Difference Between a Dryer Vent Cleaning and an Air Duct Cleaning?

Part of homeownership is ensuring the air inside your home is clean. You can clean your home’s air in several ways, but before we get started, it’s important to know the difference between an air duct cleaning and dryer vent cleaning.

What Is A Dryer Vent Cleaning?

Simply put, a dryer vent cleaning cleans the dryer duct, which is directly attached to the dryer. It is responsible for exhausting the heat your dryer generates. It also removes all the lint, dirt, dust, and other debris accumulating in the filter and the dryer vent.

The dryer vent is also responsible for filtering out moisture that can cause mold growth.

What Is An Air Duct Cleaning?

On the other hand, we have an Air duct cleaning. An air duct cleaning is cleaning the supply and the return vents of your residential HVAC system, like your air conditioner or furnace, which conditions and distributes air throughout your home.

These cleaning services will improve your indoor air quality, air flow, and lifespan of your appliances while reducing your carbon footprint and lowering your energy bills.

How Often Should They Be Cleaned?

On average, experts suggest that your dryer vent should be cleaned at least once a year. However, your air ducts can be cleaned at least once every three to five years.  

It’s important to note that Fire & Ice will only complete a dryer vent cleaning during your air duct cleaning as a paid additional service. Our dryer vent cleaning service can range from $99-150, depending on which floor your dryer is located on.

If you would like to learn more about our air duct cleaning service and any additional vent cleaning services, please watch the video below and visit our Air Duct Cleaning Homepage.

Why Is Investing In A Dryer Vent Cleaning Important?

There are several reasons why every homeowner should invest in a professional dryer vent; however, one fire risk takes the cake: dryer fires.

In fact, a study conducted by The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) between 2014-2018 states that local fire U.S. Fire Departments responded to an average of 13,820 calls where a dryer was involved in igniting the first flame.

These dryer fires contributed to seven deaths, 344 civilian injuries, and over $230 million in direct property damage each year. Remember that a dryer fire can quickly turn into a full-blown house fire in a matter of minutes.

On top of that, ⅓ or 32% of the reported dryer fires were caused by lint buildup and the failure to clean their dryer vents properly. Most homeowners don’t think a dryer fire will happen to them, but with these numbers, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Energy Efficiency

Another benefit when investing in a professional dryer vent cleaning service is that it can improve your dryer's overall energy efficiency. Think about it: if your dryer is doing double (or even triple) time to dry your wet clothes, it takes double the amount of electricity.

Using more electricity isn't good for the longevity of your household appliance, the environment, or your wallet.

Increased Lifespan

When you invest in a dryer vent cleaning service, you are not only increasing your energy efficiency, but you're also extending the life of your dryer. A dryer that effectively dries your clothes in one cycle compared to two or three will soon reap the benefits.

That said, the more wear and tear on your dryer, the shorter its lifespan will be. In comparison, a dryer that effectively dries your clothes within one cycle will have less run time, thus extending its overall life span.

How Do I Know If My Dryer Vents Need Cleaning?

Most homeowners don’t realize they need a dryer vent cleaning performed annually, so most of you reading this most likely need your dryer vent duct professionally cleaned.

However, if you're a homeowner who wants to avoid investing in a yearly cleaning (set by the NFPA), there are two ways to determine if you need dryer vent cleaning services.

1. You can look at your dryer vent from the exterior of your home. Typically, if you see you have a clogged dryer vent with a build up of excess lint, you should contact your trusted HVAC or dryer vent cleaning service immediately.
   
   As mentioned before, this is a grave concern and should be handled promptly, especially since it can result in a fatal fire hazard.
   
   
2. If your dryer takes too long to dry (multiple cycles), this is a surefire way to know you need a professional dryer vent cleaning service.
   
   Not only will this help with your electric bills, but it will also allow homeowners to get more done since they don't have to wait for multiple cycles for a load of clothing to dry.

Can I DIY My Dryer Vent Cleaning?

In today’s day and age, everyone wants to take on home projects themselves. While there are attachments for a drill that can mimic the blowing of the compressed air, you can clean your clothes dryer vent yourself; however, you'll never get it as clean as a professional.

On top of that, depending on what material your dryer vent is made of, you must be extremely cautious not to disconnect any hoses or, worse, tear your dryer vent to shreds. Also, if you damage your dryer vent, you are responsible for any repairs.

On the other hand, if you invest in a licensed and insured dryer vent cleaning service, you, the homeowner, will not be responsible for malfunctions or destruction of the dryer vent.

Nevertheless, our indoor air quality specialist strongly advises against DIY-ing a dryer vent cleaning; however, you can clean it at your discretion.

What Does Mold Have To Do With My Dryer Vent?

Believe it or not, mold can grow in your dryer vent.  In the HVAC industry, we see this most often where there is a huge build-up of lint. This causes the moisture from drying your clothes to stick to the lint instead of making its way to the outside exhaust vent to evaporate.

In this instance, since the lint is wet, it makes it harder to remove. Not to mention, wet lint and mold can create serious health problems for you, your home, and your loved ones.

Also, if your dryer vent extends through your basement or attic and there is a small hole or leak, and you also notice mold present, your dryer vent can pull the mold through the dryer vent.

Before Starting A Dryer Vent Cleaning, What Do You Check For?

There are several things that our indoor air quality specialist will check before starting your dryer vent cleaning service; this includes, but is not limited to:

●     How the dryer is being vented

●     What is the dryer connected to

●     What material your dryer vent is made of

*Commonly used dryer duct materials include a flex hose, a slot on the wall, or a round metal duct*  

Our IAQ specialist will also take a look at the vent from the outside, which helps determine the length of the dryer vent and how much excess lint we’re working with.

The surroundings are one of the last things that is checked before beginning your dryer vent cleaning service. We make a point to be cautious and aware of the weather, houses, businesses, or buildings around your home.

When cleaning a dryer vent, we want to respect you and your neighbor's property. Plus, it's a good business practice to contain the debris within the house we’re servicing. 

What Is the Process of a Dryer Vent Cleaning?

Typically, a dryer vent cleaning takes little time (10-15 minutes); however, that depends on the last time you cleaned your dryer vents (if ever). During our dryer vent cleaning service, we use a combination of compressed air and certain tools to drag lint and other debris backward.

When we provide a dryer vent cleaning service, our main focus is using the outside vent to perform the cleaning and using a lint catcher bag that is connected to the vent itself.

After securing the lint bag, we introduce the hose/snake with compressed air to the dryer vent. The compressed air pushes the excess lint backward, so the more you feed the snake through the entire dryer vent, the more impurities will be removed.

Sometimes, depending on the location of your dryer, we can use our truck-mounted vacuum to suck up all the lint, dust, and other debris at the source.

Appliance Fire Safety Tips

To help homeowners keep their homes fire safe, The National Fire Protection Association, in collaboration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, more commonly known as  FEMA, released an “Appliance Fire Safety” brochure.

Follow the appliance safety tips below to keep your home safe from fires ignited by a dryer or other common home appliances.

1. Always plug-in major appliances, such as stoves, refrigerators, washers, and dryers, directly into a wall outlet. 
2. Never use an extension cord to run any of the major home appliances mentioned above. Extension cords are notorious for overheating and becoming a serious fire risk.
3. Unplug small appliances when they are not in use, including but not limited to toasters, coffee machines, toaster ovens, microwaves, etc.
4. Ensure any flammable or meltable materials are away from light fixtures and bulbs.
5. Only use light bulbs that match the recommended wattage for the lamp or light fixture.
6. If the appliance is damaged, cracked, or has a loose cord or frayed wires, it's best to replace it with a new one.

Dryer Vent Cleaning Services in Columbus, Ohio

As you can see, there are several reasons to invest in a dryer cleaning service; however, the most prominent is keeping you, your home, and your loved ones safe from a dryer fire caused by a clogged vent.

Nevertheless, if you're looking for a dryer vent cleaning company, Fire & Ice has got you covered! We know how important keeping your family safe is; that’s why we treat every dryer vent cleaning like it's our own.

Remember, we only perform a dryer vent cleaning service when you schedule a professional air duct cleaning from our indoor air quality specialist. If all you need is a dryer vent cleaning, though, there are other companies who can help. Regardless, it’s important to make sure your house is clean and safe.

If you would like to schedule your air duct cleaning and add on our dryer vent cleaning service, you can schedule an appointment by clicking the link below, calling our customer service line, or adding it at your scheduled visit.

We look forward to making your day even better!