Professional Dryer Vent Cleaning in Philadelphia, PA!

Dryer Vent Fire Hazard Regulations

Many residents may not be aware, but there are Residential codes, and IRC (International residential codes) in place to mitigate an incredibly avoidable fire hazard. The U.S. Fire Administration states that "2,900 home clothes dryer fires are reported each year, and cause an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss"

Facts about home clothes dryer fires

• 2,900 home clothes dryer fires are reported each year and cause an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss.
• Failure to clean the dryer (34 percent) is the leading cause of home clothes dryer fires.
• More home clothes dryer fires occur in the fall and winter months, peaking in January.

Cleaning and Fire Prevention:

• Clean the lint filter before and after each load of laundry. Don’t forget to clean the back of the dryer where lint can build up. In addition, clean the lint filter with a nylon brush at least every six months or more often if it becomes clogged.
• Clean lint out of the vent pipe every three months.
• Have your dryer cleaned regularly by a professional, especially if it is taking longer than normal for clothes to dry.

-Source: U.S. Fire Administration

Cleaning the Dryer Vent

Here is our process to ensure that your dryer vent is cleaned perfectly:

• Unplugging the Dryer Vent
  The first step we take is to unplug the dryer vent. The duct that is closest to the dryer is the first to be disconnected. Once this is done, the first part of the duct is pulled away and the opening of the duct inside the wall is exposed.
• Rotary Brush Cleaning
  The lint trap housing and duct segments have to first be cleaned with a rotary brush. Each of these sections of the dryer vent have to be cleaned. We use the rotary brush to gently clean out each of the segments. This is where many DIY efforts fail. A rigorous brushing of the duct segments can end up damaging them. The cleaning has to be done gently and carefully. The rotary brushes that you get in hardware stores will work fine if you have a short dryer vent with no curves or turns. However, today, many homes have long vents since their dryers are placed in attics, bathrooms, or other places where a long vent is needed to ensure that the duct expels the hot air outside the house. The small rotary cleaning brush you get off the shelves, even when it has flexible segments to make its handle longer, won’t do the job effectively. Which is why our technicians use high-end equipment customized for the job, maxing efficiency.
• Vacuum Cleaning
  After the lint has been dislodged, we clean the dryer vent duct using a powerful HEPA suction Vacuum. The dryer vent lint trap, and the dryer vent duct have to be vacuumed thoroughly so that all that lint we loosened using the brushes is removed. If required, we do the brushing and vacuuming repeatedly to ensure that the dryer air vent and lint trap housing are completely clean.
• Bird Guard Replacement
  Lint isn’t the only reason why you may end up with a clogged dryer vent. One of the secondary reasons why a dryer vent could get clogged is because tiny animals such as birds, squirrels, rodents, could decide to take up residence in the exhaust vent of your dryer duct. We don’t want to hurt those little animals, so the best thing to do is ensure that there is a bird guard installed at the outside opening of your dryer vent. This guard needs to be cleaned regularly and replaced in a timely fashion. So, as part of our dryer vent solutions, we also carry out bird guard replacement, if required.
• Sanitizing Dryer Vent
  Our dryer duct cleaning service is not complete until we have sanitized the dryer vent. After all, there can also be a build up of bacteria and mold thanks to all that moisture, warm air and lint in the vent. By sanitizing the vent, we ensure that all odor causing bacteria are removed.

Dryer vent cleaning is the most important way to prevent dryer fires in your home. Even if you carry out regular cleaning yourself, it is always best to call in professionals like Safe House to do a thorough job FOR YOU!