Now that spring is here and you are thinking about “spring cleaning”, it’s time to include the vents in your home as well. There are several you should think about cleaning; your air vents and your dryer vent. Let’s take a look at each one of these and see why it’s important to consider these as just a part of your spring routine.
Every year at this time pollen becomes an issue for many people, especially the very young and elderly. If we are one of the ones most affected we go out and purchase filters to filter the air we breathe because we understand that eliminating as must pollen, dust and particles from the air just helps us breathe better. What we forget is the air ducts themselves have dips and groves that essentially “trap” dirt and debris and cause additional problems for those filters.
Cleaning the ducts themselves will get these particles out of the system al together so the filters will only have to deal with what is currently going through the system and not the buildup that has been gathering since the last time they were cleaned; if ever they were. This allows for more clean air to circulate and should cause the filters to last longer depending on where you live.
As for the dryer vents, they need cleaning for several reasons. First the dust that makes it out of the vents can be so fine that you can’t see it. However, you are breathing it as it blows around. Secondly, the lint in a dryer is one of the most flammable materials in your home. The boy scouts even recommend it to carry as a great fire starter when camping so that should tell you something about how east it will catch on fire.
Because homes these days have more dryers than fireplaces, fires from clogged dryer vents are more common than from fireplaces. But how in the world can you get a clogged dryer vent when you empty it every time you use the dryer? It’s simple. The lint gathers in the vent hose between the dryer and the outside vent. Eventually, the lint particles cling to the wall and then to each other until you have a blockage. This keeps the heat from venting out to the atmosphere and the lint eventually gets so hot it catches on fire and spreads extremely quickly throughout the length of the vent hose.
If you don’t know if t your dryer might be having a problem here is a couple of things to look for; is your dryer having a hard time drying clothes or taking several cycles to get your clothes dry or; does it seem that your lint trap is not as full after every load of clothes. Both of these things could mean you have a blockage somewhere and should be inspected and cleaned sooner than later.
If you just make this a part of your spring cleaning then you will never forget to have it done every year. It is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the safety of your family. Don’t you agree?
