Tag: Dryer Vents Cleaning

Dryer Vent Cleaning – What is C-DET?

If you’ve ever had your dryer vents professionally cleaned, you’ve most likely come across the phrase “C-DET certified.” In this guide, we explore the relationship between C-DET and dryer vents cleaning and explain exactly what C-DET means.

What is C-DET?

C-DET is the only nationally recognized certification for dryer vent cleaning. A C-DET, or Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician, is certified by the CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America). So, a C-DET is a specially trained technician that is qualified to recognize safety issues and potential problems with your dryer. C-DET and dryer vent cleaning are essential to ensure dryers in your home operate safely. Otherwise, your dryer poses a risk for house fires and carbon monoxide poisoning.

What Does a C-DET do?

C-DETs do a lot more than simply cleaning out a dryer vent – they have other responsibilities too, such as checking the dyer system and making sure it’s in compliance with all relevant codes and regulations. A C-DET takes into account the age of your dryer, and how frequently it’s used. This information helps to eliminate possible safety hazards.

Why Use a C-DET?

If you choose to hire a technician without a C-DET certification, you could be trusting your dryer vent cleaning and analysis service to someone who is unqualified and inexperienced. When you work with a C-DET, you can have complete confidence that you hired someone with an expansive knowledge of dryers, as well as all the relevant codes and regulations. To become a CSIA C-DET, you must pass an extensive exam that covers everything from dryer maintenance to codes and regulations.

Why is C-DET Dryer Vents Cleaning Important?

• Improve the efficiency of your dryer

A clean dryer vent keeps your dryer functioning properly. When it’s clogged, it causes your appliance to work overtime. Clothes stay damp for longer, and your dryer deteriorates at a much faster rate than usual.

• Fire Safety

If your dryer is taking longer than usual to dry clothes, it may be running at a higher temperature. This can cause the heating element of your dryer to burn out. Not to mention this is one of the most common causes of house fires! Regular dryer maintenance by a C-DET ensures your dryer runs at a safe temperature.

C-DET and Dryer Vents Cleaning for You

Our mission is to educate and bring awareness to our customers regarding home safety. Maintain the optimum performance of your dryer, and secure your peace of mind, with a professional C-DET dryer vent cleaning from The Irish Sweep. Give us a call at (510) 521-4088.

HOW TO INSTALL A DRYER VENT

It’s been over 100 years since the first clothes dryers were invented. They initially used barrels but nowadays they are fully electronic. Modern dryers require a way to ventilate the dryer so the lint and moisture can exit. But, how do you install a dryer vent? The process takes five steps:

DUCT ROUTE

The first step is to determine the best route to have the duct go from the machine to the home’s exterior. You try to make this short and with minimal bends. This will ensure less possibility for excessive buildup and a potential fire hazard. We highly recommend making the distance no more than 15 feet, if possible.

PREPARING THE EXIT

Once you have the route, you need to create a hole within the home’s exterior to account for the piping. Do this hole carefully as you are impacting the integrity of the home. Creating a smaller, “practice” hole is a good idea to ensure you are heading in the right direction and there is no blockage.

PLACE THE CAP

With the hole in place, it’s time to secure the dryer vent cap to the exterior of the home. Once you’ve installed it, place calking around the opening to keep any other elements out.

CONNECT THE DRYER DUCT

With the route created and the cap installed, measure the length of the distance from the cap to the dryer. Cut the amount of ducting needed and attach the dryer vent duct to the dryer and cap.

TEST

With the vent installed and connected, you now need to run the dryer to test that it is all properly connected.

If you have questions about your dryer vents, contact the experts at The Irish Sweep.

THE IMPORTANCE OF DRYER VENT CLEANING

Among the top appliances that homeowners rely on to manage a household is the dryer. Don’t let your dryer turn into a fire risk by not cleaning it routinely and appropriately. The lint that builds up is like kindling for a fire. Add the heat of the dryer and a safety hazard exists in every home.

Homeowners often disregard fundamental dryer support until something breaks, but that plan is a fire risk you don’t need. Consistently cleaning the dryer vent is a simple method of reducing laundry expenses, increasing fire safety, and minimizing maintenance while getting better laundry drying results.

Here are some of the reasons to have your dryer vent professionally cleaned on a schedule:

CLOTHING DRYING:

A dryer with a clogging vent will take more time drying clothes. This is because of restricted airflow, which is why it also reduces the effectiveness of your lint trap! You’ll find your clothes are more damp and more linty than if you had dried for the same time with a clear dryer vent system. You can save time waiting for things to dry AND time spend with your lint roller by getting vents cleaned.

EQUIPMENT FAILURE:

Given that you don’t clean your vent routinely, you’re setting a superfluous measure of strain on the dryer. Warmth will eventually slaughter the hardware that power each apparatus available. What’s more, a dryer that is working more diligently than would normally be appropriate will experience parts like course more rapidly. Cleaning the dryer vent routinely can spare you substantial dollars in fixes during the life span of the unit.

UTILITY BILLS:

Moderate evaluations keep up that a normal dryer will use at any rate $0.75 worth of power during a standard drying cycle. A dryer with a messy or obstructed vent can accept twice as long to accomplish worthy outcomes. This implies a common family unit will squander about $100 towards power in a year. Regardless of whether the cushioned service bill doesn’t concern you, the unnecessary carbon emanations should.

UNWANTED GUESTS:

In all honesty, a linty dryer vent is an extraordinary method to pull in an assortment of irritations to your home. Build up garbage in and around the surge pipe are the ideal condition for a number frightening critters. Rodents specifically love to relocate to a comfortable, trash stopped up vent. The moist smaller scale atmosphere encompassing a dryer with a messy vent is a prime area for termites and ants.

FIRE HAZARDS:

As indicated by the National Fire Protection Agency, somewhere in the range of 15,000 to 18,000 structure flames are brought about by grimy dryer vents each year. Build up development alone is a debacle that is constantly building. Notwithstanding something as innocuous as electricity produced via friction can rapidly start a huge blaze under the correct conditions. Exhausted dryers that are near the edge because of stopped up vents can without much of a stretch blow a circuit and begin an electrical flame.

As should be obvious, dryer vent cleaning is indispensably critical to the well being and security of your whole family. Set aside the effort to wipe out your dryer vent and investigate it in any event twice every year. The negligible measure of time you put resources into this will receive rich benefits in adding to the security of your home.

If you have questions or need your vents cleaned, contact the experts at The Irish Sweep.

EASY SPRING CLEANING: 3-DAY PLAN

Spring cleaning is a tradition households follow as winter weather gives way to fresh, warm spring days. This is a natural time for fresh starts, including resetting your annual home needs. And going forward knowing all is in order.

Spring cleaning has its own natural task list, plus many things that you could theoretically do any time. It’s convenient and efficient to lump these spring-time and any-time chores together.

So what are these tasks and what’s the best way to get them done? You can actually get a huge amount of home maintenance accomplished if you approach it with good organization. This 3 day plan can leave you with all your spring chores handled easily in just a few days.

DAY 1- DOING WALKTHROUGHS

Get a notepad and write these headings on the pages: BUY, MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, and REPLACE. As you go, you’ll be making lots of notes here. This can help you stay organized and efficient, so you can save your time and energy for other things.

Walkthrough to find out what’s needed:

INSIDE THE HOUSE

  • Press the “test” button on your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Swap out old batteries for fresh ones, if needed. Write down any batteries you need to buy.
  • Check your plumbing for leaks. Include sinks, toilets, and any pipes you can access. Make notes if needed under repair or replace.
  • Turn on all lights as you walk through, list bulb types and number you need under “buy”.
  • Check your walls for dirt and scuffs. Wash walls if needed, or note where you need to repaint.
  • Inspect caulking in the bathroom & kitchen. Also check window seals, and seals on door and window insulation as you go. Make notes if needed under repair and replace.
  • Clean your floors and check for stains and damage. If you need minor repairs, carpet cleaning, or significant floor maintenance, make a note of it.
  • Check your HVAC system and make note of the filter size to buy for replacement.
  • Look at your dryer vent. When was it cleaned last? Have it professionally cleaned if needed.
  • Have you had your chimney swept this year? If not make a note to schedule maintenance.

OUTDOORS

  • Inspect and test your lawnmower, make notes where appropriate if it needs help.
  • Turn on your irrigation system and walk around the grounds to inspect it before the watering season. Move any roots choking it, make notes of any leaking or clogged areas it has.
  • Inspect wooden features like decks and fences to see if they need to be re-sealing or staining, make a note of loose railings and boards to repair.
  • Spray down concrete and look for pools of water on your property. When it rains, are there places where water pools in your grass and soil areas? Look at your driveway, walkways, and patios. Make note if concrete surfaces or drainage need professional help.
  • Visually assess your foundation, siding and roof for repair and maintenance needs. If you can’t see your roof from the ground, make a note to call for a roof inspection.
  • Use a ladder to check your gutters and downspouts for foliage. Make a note under maintenance to clean them if needed.
  • Observe your lawn, landscaping and trees. Make a note of any problems that might need addressing.

DAY 2- GETTING STUFF DONE

This would ideally be a full day off from work. Day two doesn’t literally have to be the day after Day 1. It should be a day that you have time to get your hands dirty.

  • Looking at your to-do lists, add anything you need from the store to the to-buy list
  • Buy items on your list from yesterday: batteries, HVAC filters, etc.
  • Complete the tasks you noted to do today.
  • Give your fireplace surround a thorough scrubbing.
  • Dust your home, from top to bottom. Start with things that are higher up, then mid-level, then lower items.
  • Clean your doors, windows and screens — inside and out. If they need repair or replacement, make a note.
  • Flush your water heater, or make a note under maintenance to hire a pro to perform the work for you. Experts recommend flushing annually.
  • If you have a sump pump, test it by slowly pouring water into the sump pit. The pump should activate and the water should drain. Make a note that you need repair if necessary.
  • Do a lawn mower oil change if it’s been a while, and fill it up with gas if needed.
  • Flip the switches on your ceiling fans to move the fan blades counterclockwise and send air downward. This should help clean dust from the blades. If they need extra dusting, get a step ladder and wipe them with a rag.
  • Inspect your HVAC system and replace your filters. Make a note to hire a professional if you’re due for your annual service or an air duct cleaning.
  • At the end of the day, make note of anything still undone to come back to later.

DAY 3- MAKING PLANS

This should ideally be a work day, so that businesses are open when you call. Look at your calendar and identify times you can schedule maintenance and repairs. This makes it easier when you make calls to schedule services that you identified a need for. Make the calls to schedule services you need.

You can also use today to finish repairs or maintenance that you weren’t able to finish on the second day. There may have just been a high volume of things to get done, or some tasks may have included more steps than you foresaw. Either way, today’s your day to wrap them up.

Using this system of 1) Doing Walkthroughs, 2) Getting Stuff Done, and 3) Making Plans can keep you organized and ensure that all your Spring Cleaning tasks get handled efficiently.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEANING DRYER VENTS

Although hidden and out of sight, dryer vents perform a vital role in your home. Dryer vents remove hot exhaust air from your clothes dryer to ensure effective and safe operation. However, through the process of drying your clothes and with repetitive use, dryer vents can become clogged with lint,dust and other debris. Cleaning your dryer vent on a regular basis is critical. Not only does this help maintain the efficient functioning of your dryer, cleaning ensures your entire home remains safe.

Why Cleaning Dryer Vents Is Important

According to the National Fire Prevention Association, 15,450 house fires in 2010 were caused by home dryer machines, and the majority of these (32%) were triggered by dryer vents that hadn’t been cleaned. These fires greatly threaten the safety of homes and families as well as cause millions of dollars of damage to property.

Dryer vent fires most often occur due to lint and other debris that builds up in the vents after repeated dryer use. Lint is made up of small fabric fibers and dust particles that are released from clothes when they are washed. Lint is naturally highly flammable, and combined with the heat from a clothes dryer, can quickly kindle a fire. Clothes dryer fires can often cause significant damage to a home before they can be controlled.

Not only can clogged dryer vents lead to fires, they also reduce the efficiency of your dryer, provide the potential for carbon monoxide poisoning, and promote conditions for the spread of mold and allergens. As dryer vents become clogged and the machine has to work harder to remove exhaust, the dryer efficiency drops and your energy consumption climbs. Without being fully removed by the dryer vent, carbon monoxide can leach into your home causing death or long term poisoning. The buildup of lint and dust in the warm moist environment can also lead to mold growth and excess dust mites. Mold and dust mites can make your whole family ill, while potentially triggering severe allergies or asthma in those who are susceptible.

Keep Dryer Vents Clean

Although uncleaned and clogged dryer vents are the leading cause of dryer machine fires, they can be easily prevented with proper dryer vent maintenance and cleaning. One of the simplest things you can do to prevent dryer vent fires is to ensure you remove lint from your dryer filter before and after each load, to eliminate lint buildup. Although this won’t reach all the potential lint buildup in your dryer, it can help to reduce the total lint burden in your dryer.

Another essential component of home dryer maintenance is inspecting your outer vent flap to ensure that it is not obstructed by any debris or build up.

Professional Dryer Vent Cleaning

Professional dryer vent cleaning is an essential aspect of your dryer vent maintenance. While checking your dryer vent yourself at home can help to minimize build up and reduce the chances of a fire, professional dryer vent cleaning can reach areas of the vent that you can’t reach alone. No matter how good your regular dryer vent cleaning is, you will always require professional dryer vent cleaning from time to time. Authorities recommend having your dryer vent professionally inspected and cleaned at least once a year for greater dryer vent safety and performance.

Dryer vent maintenance is an essential aspect of keeping your home safe and efficient. Maintain and clean your dryer vent regularly at home and book professional dryer vent cleaning services at least once a year to remove long term lint buildup.

THE IMPACT OF A DIRTY DRYER VENT

Many people who buy washers and dryers notice the rising inefficiency of their appliances over time. The wash cycle that used to take 30 minutes is now taking almost 1 hour. The dryer can no longer dry the same amount of clothes within the 30 minutes you allotted. While some of this is related to the age of the unit, water supplies, etc, this can often be attributed to dirty dryer vents. Doing regular dryer vent cleaning ensures the following:

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