Common Defects

DRYER VENTS
Have you ever heard of a clothes dryer catching fire? Many people are not aware of the fire hazard found in their own laundry room…and what they don’t know can kill them.  The latest Consumer Product Safety Commission figures show that there were 16,800 dryer fires which caused 30 deaths, 430 injuries and 97.3 million dollars in property damage on average each year.  And dryer related home fires are increasing at an alarming rate.   This is because more and more new homes are being built with the washer and dryer inside the home…which usually means a very long clothes dryer vent!

Every time a load of clothes are dried, microscopic particles of lint get past the lint screen in the dryer and deposit themselves in the long dryer vent, eventually clogging the vent. With a clogged exhaust vent, the clothes dryer has a difficult time doing its job safely!

There are several reasons for having the vent cleaned regularly;

Fire Hazard.  First, and worst of all, when the vent is clogged, flammable lint is more likely to back up into the dryer and ignite causing a fire which can spread to the rest of the home.  Dryer fires are on a rise because long exhaust vents are somewhat new on the scene.  Most older homes were constructed with the dryer in the garage exhausting right through the side wall…a 4-6” long vent.  Homes built within in the last 15-20 years often have a dryer vent in excess of 15-25 feet, commonly constructed with corrugated flexible pipe and multiple twists and turns.  This type of configuration is a perfect breeding ground for massive amounts of lint buildup!

Carbon Monoxide Hazard.  In the event that the dryer is powered by natural gas or propane, a second hazard is carbon monoxide poisoning.  With the exhaust vent clogged, carbon monoxide can get backed up into the home, further threatening the health of the occupants.

Longer Drying Time.  If the occupant complains that the dryer is taking longer to dry than it should, it’s very likely the vent is OVERDUE for a cleaning!  When the vent is clogged, the clothes take much longer to dry, and consequently more energy is wasted.  Higher utility bills and aggravation are the results of putting up with longer drying times.  It’s not uncommon for folks to go out and purchase a new dryer because it doesn’t dry like it used to.

Dryer Overheats/ Wears Out Prematurely. When the Vent is clogged with lint, the dryer can overheat causing the heating element and other expensive parts to wear out prematurely.  Unnecessary repair bills or replacing a dryer prematurely is expense and you can save money by simply having your dryer vent system cleaned on a regular basis.  With regular scheduled maintenance, the chances of a dryer fire and carbon monoxide poisoning (for gas powered dryers) are drastically reduced, and the lifespan of the dryer is prolonged.

If it turns out that the home you are living in has one of the really long dryer vents there are a few thing you can do, if you are relatively handy,  to see whether it’s ready to be cleaned.

First, turn on the dryer and then go outside and see, if possible, how much airflow is coming out of the vent.  Is it blowing good and strong, or does the exhaust seem weak and restricted?
Second, disconnect the dryer from the wall and inspect the flexible hose connecting the dryer to the wall.  Then reach your hand into the wall and see what you can pull out.  If you find an excessive amount of dryer lint, this should be a clue!!
Third, go to where the dryer vent exhausts outside.  Remove the roof jack cap (if a roof termination) or pull back the flap (if a side exhaust termination) and look to see if you see an excess of dryer lint.  Again, if excessive amounts of buildup are observed, the vent should be cleaned.

Some households do so much laundry that a cleaning is needed every year.  Other homeowners who do not have kids at home and don’t do as much laundry will not need to have the vent cleaned but every 3-4 years.  Other conditions such as how much lint the dryer itself produces, the length of the vent, the kind of laundry, the use of fabric softeners, whether there are pets or people with long hair, etc. etc. will all be determining factors as to how often your customers’ circumstances would necessitate a cleaning.

Besides normal laundry activity, bird and rat nests are sometimes found within the dryer vent.  These also make it very difficult for the clothes dryer to exhaust air to the outside efficiently!

Besides noting whether or not the vent is in need of a cleaning, you should also be looking at the vent’s length and configuration, and ensure the pipe has not come apart in areas that can be accessed such as beneath the home and where it passes through the attic.

Ensure that where the pipe runs horizontally that it is properly supported with no sagging sections or low spots.  Low spots in a horizontal run often allow condensate to collect and can create a complete blockage with water!

If the home has recently had a new roof installed, we have discovered on numerous occasions that the roofers failed to install a roof jack, and the vent is venting directly onto the underside of the plywood deck or simply laying on the ceiling rafters venting directly into the attic!

We’ve even opened up roof jacks only to discover the vent pipe was installed perpendicular so the lint had clogged what little opening there was to begin with!

If the home has recently had a fresh coat of paint or stucco, we have also found the side exhaust vent flap glued shut on numerous occasions!

So be on the lookout for these and many more detectable defects within your dryer vent systems!