August 2, 2024
If you are a tenant, do you know who is responsible for maintaining and cleaning your dryer’s exhaust?
Here’s the Breakdown:
Lease Agreement: Check your lease for specific terms regarding dryer vent maintenance.
Landlord and Tenant Act: Most states require landlords to maintain habitable conditions, which may include ensuring the dryer vent system functions properly.
Local Ordinances: City or county regulations might specify maintenance responsibilities.
Expert Insight:
For apartment rentals, Toni Vargas, a specialist in property management, relocation, rentals, and assisting first-time buyers here in San Antonio, states that it is standard for dryer vent maintenance to be taken care of by apartment management; however, those who rent homes are usually responsible for paying for their own dryer vent expenses unless it’s otherwise stipulated in the contract.
Importance of Maintenance:
Annual dryer vent maintenance is crucial for efficient airflow and fire prevention. Any obstruction in airflow can overheat your dryer and ignite lint. A dryer fire can easily spread to your living space. Neglecting your dryer vent can also void home insurance coverage in case of a dryer fire.
Dryer Vent Safety:
1-Heed the Warning Signs:
Extended drying times, hot dryer or hot laundry room, fabrics are very hot or you notice a burning or musty odor, increased lint in or around your dryer, areas of condensation inside or behind the dryer or on the walls or ceiling all indicate that your dryer vent may be obstructed.
2-Prevent Obstruction:
Never use the dryer without an undamaged lint filter, always clean the lint filter before starting your dryer, vacuum out the housing where you insert the lint screen every 6 months with a long attachment and make sure that the hose or duct behind your dryer is not crushed. If you have pets or 5 or more family members you may need to clean your dryer vent every 6 months instead of every 12 months.
Take action:
Understand your responsibilities and proactively prevent dryer fires. With over 37 years of experience, AALPS Dryer Vent Cleaning is here to handle all your dryer vent maintenance needs to protect your family and property.
Source: Lowcountrywastecollectors.com, tonivargasfindingmyhappyhome.com
July 2, 2024
A dryer vent gets rid of moist air and lint from your clothes dryer but it can also be an inviting spot for birds and other animals to build a cozy nest. It may appear harmless to see a bird going in and out of your dryer vent but a bird’s nest in your dryer vent poses a serious fire hazard to your home because it blocks airflow.
Animal nesting also worsens other common signs of a blocked dryer vent such as longer drying times, excess lint buildup, a hot and humid laundry room and foul odors.
Any blockage in dryer vent airflow causes your dryer to overheat and malfunction. It reduces efficiency, leading to higher energy bills and unnecessary repairs. It can also cause permanent damage to your clothes dryer such that you have to replace it.
Here are some signs that you may have animals nesting in your dryer vent:
- You hear chirping or scratching sounds near a wall or roof.
- Nesting debris in or around the exterior dryer vent cover.
- Sighting of birds going in or out of the dryer vent louvers or hood.
-Animal droppings collecting on a wall or roof near the dryer vent.
If you spot any of these, you need to act fast. The best way to prevent animal nesting is to install a commercial bird or pest cover on your dryer vent. This is usually a plastic cage which covers the dryer vent exhaust opening and allows for airflow while keeping wildlife out.
However, a bird or pest guard collects more lint than a regular vent exhaust cover so you must inspect it seasonally. If it needs cleaning you can detach the removable cage every 2 to 4 months and brush off or wash off lint to avoid any blockage in airflow.
Metal grate installation over the dryer vent cover, or termination, is against building code standards because it quickly gets clogged with lint, creating another fire hazard. Many of our customers have had to buy a new dryer because of lint blockage on previously installed metal grates.
Don’t let animal nests in your dryer vent cause a fire in your home. Remember to schedule a service call with AALPS Dryer Vent Cleaning every year and get a free dryer vent inspection along with your dryer vent cleaning. We can install a bird guard to keep your home safe from a dryer fire and optimize your dryer’s efficiency.
June 2, 2024
Clean air inside our homes is vital to preserve our health. We may not appreciate this untilJu bad odors become apparent. Blocked dryer vents and faulty dryer vent installations can significantly impact indoor air quality in several ways:
-Increased Indoor Lint: If your dryer vent is blocked with lint or has a faulty installation this will increase the backflow of lint. Breathing in microparticles created by the drying process is never a good thing.
-Promote Mold Growth: The warm and humid air will no longer be expelled by the dryer exhaust system leading to serious health issues, particularly for individuals that have a compromised immune system or have respiratory conditions.
-Introduce Pollutants: Blockage of indoor dryer vents will also introduce pollutants that would normally be expelled outside into indoor air. A study done in 2011 titled “Dryer Vents: An Overlooked Source of Pollution?”, found a total of 29 unique volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) in dryer vent emissions. Some of those scented emissions are classified as hazardous air pollutants and known or probable carcinogens. There is ample evidence that exposure to scented products can cause reactions in sensitive individuals. Scented laundry products can trigger eye and throat irritation, allergies, rashes, migraines and asthma attacks.
-Excessive Moisture: Indoor dryer vents and blocked dryer vents will lead to increased indoor humidity, water pooling inside the dryer duct or water droplets from condensation. This can cause structural damage to your home. Wood rot, soaked drywall and peeling paint will result.
Not only does a blocked dryer vent negatively impact your indoor air quality and your health, it also puts your home at risk for fire. If you notice any of the above issues or if you start to experience extended drying times it’s time to call a professional.
Schedule a service call with AALPS Dryer Vent Cleaning a trusted dryer vent specialist for almost 37 years. We include a free dryer vent inspection with each cleaning to ensure that your dryer exhaust installation is compliant with building codes, that it remains airtight and that it’s properly maintained with annual cleaning. Get the quality service you deserve at an affordable price.
Love Clean Air?
Do you know anyone who is sensitive to chemicals? For those who suffer with this ailment, the laundry room can become a trigger for asthma attacks, migraines, sinus congestion, eye irritation and even an irregular heartbeat.
An article titled Dryer Vents: An Overlooked Source of Pollution states that “the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies seven of the VOCs found in dryer-vent emissions—acetaldehyde, benzene, ethylbenzene, methanol, m/p-xylene, o-xylene, and toluene—as hazardous air pollutants. The EPA considers acetaldehyde a probable human carcinogen and benzene (found in two dryer-vent emission samples) a known human carcinogen.”
Traditional dryer vents are essential for the outflow of lint, dust and other laundry byproducts along with hot moist air from your dryer to the outside of your home.
How can your dryer vent become a source of indoor air exposure to allergens such as lint, dust and mold as well as possible carcinogens?
When the dryer vent is blocked by a crushed component.
If there is an area of condensation.
When lint buildup is causing an obstruction.
If the ductwork is not airtight.
A faulty dryer vent installation.
When the dryer exhaust termination is blocked by animal nesting or plant life or the elements.
If you love clean air, it is crucial to make sure that your dryer vent remains free of obstruction or faulty installation. The US Fire Administration and FEMA recommend that your dryer vent be cleaned every year.
AALPS Dryer Vent Cleaning includes a free inspection with each dryer vent cleaning. We have over 36 years keeping homes safe from fires and indoor air pollutants. We may not have the lowest prices but our customers can always expect integrity and excellence.
Source: ehp.niehs.nih.gov
