Dryer Vent Cleaner
68Most people know that cooking fires, whether inside or outside, are the most common type of fire in a home other than faulty wiring or falling asleep while smoking. If you have ever been the victim of a fire in your home you know how much your life can be disrupted by such an event. If the fire is relatively small and was contained fairly quickly then the damage was probably confined to a smaller area that can be restored in a short period of time.
No matter the size of the affected area, smoke and water damage can have far reaching effects. If plastic or electric products were burned in the fire the smell will linger for months even with the use of services from a professional fire and water restoration company.
A little known fire hazard is your dryer vent. Your dryer vent can become either partially or fully obstructed, which will lead to energy waste and longer drying times for your clothes. Additionally, it can create a high heat condition that can lead to a fire.
The obstruction can be either a build up of lint from the dryer, or it could be the interference from rodents like mice, chipmunks or squirrels who are trying to build a nest or store their nuts for the winter. No matter what the cause the dryer vent needs to remain clear for the proper functioning of your dryer and to keep your energy bills under control.
If you are pretty handy there are a number of products available to the homeowner that can be used to keep your dryer vent cleaner on a regular basis. If your dryer vent is not easily accessible in your home, you may want to look into the services of a professional cleaning company.
For example, if your laundry room is on the second floor the dryer vent may not be reachable except by the use of a ladder. For those not found of heights, this kind of situation can be remedied by calling in the pros.
To find cleaning companies that have dryer vent cleaners you can check on the internet, the local Better Business Bureau, Chamber of Commerce or the local Yellow Pages. Some major companies with national franchises offer free no obligation estimates on the internet.
You can also call just about any national or local cleaning company and get a quick estimate over the phone. You will need to know the approximate length of your dryer vent and the location (first floor, second floor or basement). Longer length dryer vents require additional attachments and time so your cost will be higher. The accessibility of the dryer vent is also a significant cost factor.
If your dryer vent is relatively short (mine is only eighteen inches long – excluding the flexible exhaust pipe) you can purchase a dual purpose brush for your dryer vent and for under a refrigerator or upright freezer. A company called the Virtual Repairman offers a variety of do it yourself brushes. The one mentioned above is forty inches long with nylon bristles and has a molded plastic handle and retails for $12.95.
They also offer a ten foot brush with a steel coil body and a wire brush for four inch vents. Its handle is looped for pulling it through tough spots in vents. That product runs $21.95. You can get it in combination with a lint trap brush for only $29.90. The lint trap brush helps clean out the area in your dryer below the lint trap you clean out after every laundry load.
Also offered is a rotary style dryer vent cleaning system designed to be used with a rotary drill. Most situations can be handled with standard cordless drills from any major manufacturer, but for tough clogs you may want to use a corded drill as your power source.
This rotary dryer vent cleaner includes four flexible thirty six inch rods, a self feeding four inch auger wire brush, a blockage removal tool that can clear out rodent nests, a lint trap brush and dryer and vacuum adaptors along with an instructional DVD and manual. The twelve foot kit described above is only $39.95 and if you need an additional twelve feet the twenty four foot kit runs $64.95.
Many times the dryer vent cleaner will charge a minimum of $50 for this service and as much as $100 if your dryer vent is difficult to access or the clog is hard to remove. You can purchase either the twelve or twenty four foot models and do it your self several times for much less than a professional will charge.
