Category Archives: dryer safety

Dryer Safety Tips by National Fire Protection Association

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Fighting a house fireAccording to data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the leading cause of thousands of fires in homes each year involving clothes dryers is failure to clean the dryer.

The NFPA recommends having your dryer serviced by a professional.

And the NFPA recommends dryer vent cleaning each year, or whenever you notice that it takes longer than usual to get a load of laundry dried. You should also have your dryer vent cleaned if you find a load of laundry comes out damp after a timed drying cycle.

Download a PDF with more Dryer safety tips from the National Fire Protection Association website.

Here’s a helpful clothes dryer safety video from NFPA.

Eddie Kyles - owner of A Lint Free VentCall Eddie Kyles, owner and operator of A Lint Free Vent at 904.537.1483 if you have questions about our mobile dryer vent cleaning service.

You can also make an appointment with Eddie to have your residential or commercial laundry dryer vent cleaned.

And if your dryer vent duct work needs repair, A Lint Free Vent can do that, too! A Lint Free Vent is experienced in dryer vent duct repair, replacement, and re-routing.

Just call Eddie Kyles, owner and operator of A Lint Free Vent at 904.537.1483 or Contact Us if you have questions about our dryer vent cleaning service or to make an appointment to have your laundry dryer vent cleaned.

Regular Dryer Vent Cleaning Is Better

dryer safety, dryer vent cleaning

The neighbor of one of our clients asked A Lint Free Vent to clean their dryer vent, too.

roof dryer vent cap with stuck flapperThe neighbor had not had their dryer vent cleaned in several years, but they thought the dryer vent didn’t need cleaning because they were not seeing lint blown out the dryer vent cap and onto their roof.

We went up on the roof to make sure the dryer vent cap was not somehow restricted. We found this model dryer vent cap has a flapper inside. The flapper was supposed to open while the dryer was running, and then close when the dryer stopped. Apparently, the flapper had been jammed in the cap since it had been installed (several years ago), and no lint could come out. That was why the clients never saw lint blowing out onto their roof.

lint from dryer vent duct with stuck roof vent cap flapperWe unstuck the dryer vent cap flapper, and then cleaned several years worth of lint from the dryer vent ductwork.

Our client’s dryer thoroughly dries a load of laundry much more quickly now! And our client is very happy they avoided a potential fire in their dryer vent duct from all of the lint which had collected in it.

Call Eddie Kyles, owner and operator of A Lint Free Vent at 904.537.1483 or Contact Us if you have questions about our dryer vent cleaning and repair, and re-routing services or to set up your annual dryer vent cleaning appointment, today.

Fire Hazard – Look Behind Your Dryer

dryer safety

Remember that old saying, “Out of sight, out of mind?” When is the last time you took a peek at the space behind your dryer?

One of the first things we do when we visit a client’s home or business is to pull the dryer away from the wall so we can access the dryer vent.

Sometimes we find fallen clothes hangers. Sometimes we find that missing sock the client has been looking for. When went to clean the dryer vent in this Jacksonville, Florida home, we found the dryer vent had a sharp kink in it!

Having a kink in your dryer vent duct causes a restriction. When the hot, moist, dryer exhaust comes to the restriction in the vent duct, lint begins to collect and further restrict the duct. The accumulating lint in the restricted dryer vent duct is a FIRE Hazard! The restricted duct causes exhaust heat from the dryer to make that collected lint hotter while the load of laundry dries.

– Lint is combustible!
– Did you know that lint from your dryer can be used to start a fire for your barbecue grill or to start a campfire?

kinked dryer vent - fire hazard behind dryerIf you see your dryer vent duct has been kinked like the one in the photo, the duct needs to be replaced. Straightening the duct out a little will not remove the kink. A Lint Free Vent can replace your kinked dryer vent duct, and also clean your vent duct from the dryer, all the way to the vent cap outside your home.

– – Some people find replacing a kinked dryer vent duct a satisfying home DIY project. Flexible dryer vent ducting is available at neighborhood home improvement stores like Home Depot, Lowes, and Ace Hardware.

– – Other clients decide they are ready to replace their flexible dryer vent duct with metal dryer vent ductwork, a service which A Lint Free Vent can also provide.

Either way, please take a look behind your dryer from time to time to make sure your dryer vent duct has not been kinked by movement of the dryer.

Eddie Kyles with CoronaVirus facemask - spring 2020Call Eddie Kyles, owner and operator of A Lint Free Vent at 904.537.1483 or Contact Us if you have questions about our residential and commercial dryer vent cleaning and repair, and re-routing services. You can also to set up your annual dryer vent cleaning appointment, today.

Clogged and Rusted Through Dryer Vent in Mandarin

dryer safety, dryer vent cleaning,

A homeowner in the Mandarin neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida called A Lint Free Vent 904.537.1483. She was having problems with her dryer:

  • Her dryer got hot to the touch on top during a drying cycle.
  • It took several cycles to dry a load of laundry.
  • It had been 3 or 4 years since she had her dryer vent cleaned.
  • She was afraid of a fire caused by her hot dryer.

When we pulled the dryer away from the wall, the dryer vent fell apart! Moisture from the dryer exhaust had collected in the lint clog in the curve of the dryer vent duct. Over the years, this moisture had corroded through the dryer vent duct!

We thoroughly cleaned the dryer vent, all the way to the vent cap, with our rotary brush. (The rotary brush tool is the preferred method for thorough dryer vent cleaning.) We installed a new dryer vent duct, from the dryer to the wall duct connector. Now our client’s dryer is drying laundry as it should, and not getting hot to the touch.

Our client said she was very happy to get her dryer vent repaired and cleaned, and to have her dryer running normally again. She asked us to put her on our A Lint Free Vent calendar for an annual dryer vent cleaning, starting next year.

Call Eddie Kyles, owner and operator of A Lint Free Vent at 904.537.1483 or Contact Us if you have questions about our dryer vent cleaning and repair, and re-routing services or to set up your annual dryer vent cleaning appointment, today.

Signs Your Dryer Vent Needs Cleaning

dryer safety, dryer vent cleaning, ,

Fighting a house fireDo you use an electrical or gas powered dryer to dry your clothes, bedding, and other laundry? The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that you get your dryer vent cleaned annually.

Based on years of collected fire safety data, NFPA warns that the lint collecting in your dryer ductwork is flammable, and has caused thousands of house fires each year. Some of these fires end in fatalities.

lint clogged dryer vent roof capThere are some easy ways to know your dryer vent needs to be cleaned out:

  • Do you see clumps of dryer lint on your roof, or hanging out of your dryer vent cap on your roof?
  • Does your dryer take longer and longer to dry each load of laundry?
  • Do your laundry items still feel damp at the end of a timed drying cycle?

If you see any of these signs, your dryer vent needs a thorough cleaning! It’s time to call Eddie Kyles at 904.537.1483 and make an appointment to have A Lint Free Vent thoroughly and professionally clean your dryer vent.

rotating brush tool cleaning lint from a dryer ventOur mobile dryer vent ductwork cleaning service usually takes less than an hour. We provide a thorough cleaning from dryer to vent cap (on the roof top, on the side of your home, or in your garage). And, we use a rotary brush. Cleaning lint out of dryer ductwork with a rotary brush is the recommended method for best results.

A Lint Free Vent provides mobile residential and commercial dryer vent cleaning services all around Jacksonville, Florida.

Call Eddie Kyles, owner and operator of A Lint Free Vent at 904.537.1483 or Contact Us if you have questions about our dryer vent cleaning service or to set up your annual dryer vent cleaning appointment, today.

Jacksonville Dryer Vent Cleaning – Just In Time!

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Eddie Kyles - owner of A Lint Free VentJacksonville dryer vent cleaning is a personally rewarding job. I enjoy helping others.

Often I can see that a client’s dryer vent is past due for a thorough cleaning while driving up to their home. I see clumps of dryer lint hanging out of the dryer vent roof cap, and scattered across the roof. Or I see lint hanging out of the dryer vent end cap on the side of the home, and clumps of dryer lint in the yard.

During a recent visit to a client’s home to clean their dryer vent, I found the lint was coming out the dryer vent end cap. And then I found out the lint was packed all the way in the dryer ductwork back into the dryer!

 

Thank goodness the homeowner called A Lint Free Vent for a professional dryer vent cleaning when they did! Dryer lint is flammable! That lint-packed dryer vent was a house fire just waiting to happen!

I showed the homeowner how much lint was in their dryer vent and how it had backed-up into their dryer, and they were shocked! They told me to put them on our calendar for an annual reminder for dryer vent cleaning. They want to protect their home from fire, and A Lint Free Vent is happy to help.

Having a clean dryer vent in your home or business helps a dryer get laundry thoroughly dry in less time. That means no more repeating drying cycles several times to get laundry dry. Getting laundry dry in less time saves energy and gives more time for other activities.

  • As a service to regular clients, A Lint Free Vent retains their contact information, and notifies each client when their next dryer vent cleaning is due. Many of our clients have thanked us for providing this free and helpful safety consideration.

Call Eddie Kyles, owner and operator of A Lint Free Vent at 904.537.1483 or Contact Us if you have questions about our dryer vent cleaning and repair, and re-routing services or to set up your annual dryer vent cleaning appointment, today.

Hot Dryer – Restricted Dryer Vent – Baymeadows in Jacksonville FL

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The owner of a 3rd floor condo in the Baymeadows neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida recently called A Lint Free Vent 904.537.1483 to clean the dryer vent in her home. Pulling the dryer away from the wall to access and begin cleaning the dryer vent, we could see scorch marks on the back of the dryer!

These scorch marks were caused by the dryer heaters overheating during drying cycles! The dryer vent was so restricted by lint that had built up in the vent duct, that the dryer heating elements were overheating, causing those scorch marks on the outside of the dryer!

The client was surprised to see the scorch marks on the back of the dryer. She said she was thankful to get the dryer vent professionally cleaned, avoiding a dryer fire in her condo!

Dryer vents should have the lint professionally cleaned out on a regular, periodic basis. The frequency depends on how often you dry laundry and what type of materials that you dry. We suggest getting your dryer vent cleaned at least once each year is a good standard to start with. Your dryer vent cleaning professional will be able to tell you if you need more frequent or less frequent dryer vent cleanings after they have finished cleaning your vent.

Lint collected in a flexible dryer vent ductA restricted dryer vent is usually caused by lint; little, short, fine fibers of fabric that separate from laundry during a dryer’s drying cycle. This lint from drying laundry is moist, causing it to collect in the exhaust path of dryer exhaust vent ducting each time the dryer is used. As lint collects, it increases the time it takes to dry items, and decreases the efficiency of the dryer.

As lint collects inside the vent duct, it dries and becomes flammable and restricted dryer vents cause dryers to overheat. Collected lint accumulations in dryer vent ducts can cause house fires, and even deaths.

When was the last time you got your dryer vent cleaned? Avoid a dryer fire and keep your dryer vent from becoming clogged with lint by calling Eddie Kyles at A Lint Free Vent 904.537.1483 for an appointment for an annual dryer vent cleaning, or Contact Us.

Do You Wash Your Dryer Lint Screen?

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Many people use dryers sheets to help their laundry feel softer, smell better, and reduce static electricity that builds up in some fabric during the machine drying process.

Dryer lint screenBut using dryer sheets can lead to a build up in fabric softener on the dryer lint screen, which can partially block airflow.

If you use dryer sheets with your laundry, you should periodically remove the fabric softener build up on the dryer lint screen:

  • remove the dryer lint screen from the dryer and soak it in a sink or container of hot water and dish washing liquid
  • use an old tooth brush to scrub the screen to loosen the build up of fabric softener
  • then rinse the screen and let it air dry before re-installing it in your dryer.

And keep your dryer vent from becoming clogged with lint by calling Eddie Kyles at A Lint Free Vent 904.537.1483 for an annual dryer vent cleaning, or Contact Us.

 

Get Dryer Vents Cleaned When Needed

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Most dryer vents need to be professionally cleaned at least once each year.

But if you live in a home or work at a business that does a lot of laundry, you may need to get your dryer vent cleaned more often.  It’s important to get dryer vents cleaned when needed.

Lint coming out of a dryer vent onto roofThe dryer vent duct work on this home was thoroughly cleaned in the spring, from the dryer to the end of the vent cap. Six months later, you can see little bits of dryer lint, scattered on the roof of the home. Time for another professional dryer vent cleaning!

Eddie Kyles cleaning a dryer vent cap on a roof topA quick call to Eddie Kyles, owner of A Lint Free Vent 904.537.1483, and the homeowner had an appointment for a thorough, professional dryer vent cleaning at a reasonable price.

rotating brush tool removing lint from dryer ventEddie thoroughly cleans residential and commercial dryer vents with a rotary brush.

Using a rotating brush tool removes the lint which can cling to the interior of the dryer vent ductwork. Using a rotary brush is the preferred cleaning method to get best results in the dryer vent cleaning industry.

A Lint Free Vent cleans dryer vents for residential and commercial customers. Some dryer vent ducts are flexible ductwork, some dryer vents are solid metal ductwork. If dryer vents have been damaged, or the client wants the vent duct re-routed (such as from exhausting into the garage to exhaust outside the home), Eddie can provide a free estimate, and can replace and re-route dryer exhaust vents, too!

A clean dryer vent helps a dryer get laundry thoroughly dry in less time. That means no more repeating drying cycles several times to get laundry dry. Getting laundry dry in less time saves energy and gives more time for other activities.

  • As a service to regular clients, A Lint Free Vent retains their contact information, and notifies each client when their next dryer vent cleaning is due. Many of our clients have thanked us for providing this free and helpful safety consideration.

Call Eddie Kyles, owner and operator of A Lint Free Vent at 904.537.1483 or Contact Us if you have questions about our dryer vent cleaning and repair, and re-routing services or to set up your annual dryer vent cleaning appointment, today.