Five Warning Signs That You Need to Check Your Dryer Vent
Whether it is in your home or a large unit in a commercial facility, every clothes dryer has something in common – a vent. This vent is vitally important. It keeps lint, fumes, and dyer grit from getting back into the dryer or into the space. Home and commercial dryer vent cleaning are important for minimizing the risks of fire and equipment breakdown. Let’s look at five warning signs that should have you calling for commercial dryer vent cleaning right away.
1. Taking too long to dry
Didn’t it take much less time to dry the same sized load last week? If this is something you have noticed, your dryer vent could be plugged. The more the vent is restricted, the longer it takes to process normal drying functions. This wastes time, energy, and dollars. Routine commercial dryer vent cleaning will prevent unwanted buildup in the vent.
2. Fumes and flames
Any strong fumes and flames from the dryer vent are an emergency situation. If safe to do so, discharge the fire extinguishers (or rely on your sprinkler system if you have one) and quickly evacuate the building. Fumes and fires are caused when commercial dryer vent cleaning is ignored, causing the very flammable lint in the vent to ignite.
3. Hot room, hotter clothes
You expect the air around the dryer to go up a few degrees when the dryer is working, and nice toasty clothes are great…unless both the room and the clothing are unnaturally hot. When you forego commercial dryer vent cleaning, you could notice an increase in the heat the dryer puts out and the clothes could be uncomfortable to the touch. You may even notice some scorch marks on lighter fabrics.
4. Sensors go off
If your facility has the latest in clothes drying technology, you will be able to rely on sensors to know when there is an issue with your dryer.
5. Complete failure
If the dryer simply stops working, call in a commercial dryer vent cleaning company that can address not only the dryer, but also the other areas of your business as well. For example, the right company can clean your air ducts, kitchen hood, HVAC system, and more. If one area of your business is suffering, like your hardworking commercial clothes dryer, there is a good chance that other mechanical components need a check up or maintenance as well.
Things too look for in a commercial dryer vent cleaning company
In addition to a one-call-does-it-all company so you don’t have to build relationships with a variety of cleaners and maintenance firms, look for the following:
• Professionalism: your commercial dryer vent cleaning company should make you feel comfortable, and should explain their quotes and their service. Their pricing and processes should be transparent.
• Testimonials: it should be easy to find positive reviews.
• Affiliations: check for industry affiliations, memberships, and associations
• Service range: a large service range and the ability to reach your business quickly are hallmarks of the best commercial dryer vent cleaning company.
How often should you call a commercial dryer vent cleaning company?
How often you should call a commercial dryer vent cleaning company is based on the usage of the equipment. Since the vents are large, if usage is on the lower side, you can go a year or slightly longer between cleanings. However, if usage is heavy, plan on annual cleaning. The best way to ensure your equipment and facility are safe is to make commercial dryer vent cleaning part of your routine maintenance.
When you work with a commercial dryer vent cleaning company that can also take care of the annual HVAC cleaning, your kitchen hood cleaning, the air ducts, and more, you can simply have everything taken care of with one call, saving you time and money.
Conclusion
There are many warning signs to alert you to a clogged dryer vent. Take care of the issues promptly because a poorly maintained vent can start a fire. Contact a commercial dryer vent cleaning company that has a range of services so you can take care of all your routine maintenance at once.
