Why you need a duct cleaning
by John Van Vleet, Only Choice Inspections.
Clothes Dryer Venting Safety
Clothes dryers have either a gas or electric heating component that is used to evaporate the water from wet clothing by blowing hot air past them while they tumble inside a spinning drum. Some heavy garment loads can contain more than a gallon of water which, during the drying process, will become airborne water vapor. It is important to properly vent this air to the exterior of the home to reduce the risk of moisture related damage/issues (especially if leaking/discharging into a crawlspace or other confined area). A gas fueled dryer could also leak combustion gases into the house if not proper vented. Three common issues are:
- The connection between the dryer and floor/wall connection is leaking, kinked or made of plastic. Use a non-flammable, metallic ducting with tight fitting connections
- The duct is terminated, disconnected or leaking into the crawlspace. This causes a buildup of debris and can result in significant moisture related damage.
- The exterior damper is stuck open or missing. The damper keeps animals/pests from entering the duct and possibly causing damage and/or clogging the duct.
Keep The Duct Clean
Ducts and dryers are prone to build up of lint – highly flammable particles of clothing made of cotton and polyester. Lint can accumulate in an exhaust duct, reducing the dryer’s ability to expel heated water vapor, which then accumulates as heat energy within the machine. As the dryer overheats, mechanical failures can trigger sparks, which can cause lint trapped in the dryer vent to burst into flames. There are approximately 3,000 clothes dryer fires every year resulting in an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss. And the leading cause: failure to clean them. Fortunately, these fires are very easy to prevent–by cleaning your ducts!
Here’s a link to a $20 duct cleaning kit from Amazon.
Here’s an instructional video on how to clean your dryer vents:
Finally, here are the rules about M1502.2 Duct termination.
Exhaust ducts shall terminate on the outside of the building or shall be in accordance with the dryer manufacturer’s installation instructions. Exhaust ducts shall terminate not less than 3 feet (914 mm) in any direction from openings into buildings. Exhaust duct terminations shall be equipped with a backdraft damper.
Screens shall not be installed at the duct termination. Inspectors will see many dryer vents terminate in crawlspaces or attics where they deposit moisture, which can encourage the growth of mold, wood decay, or other material problems. Sometimes they will terminate just beneath attic ventilators. This is a defective installation. They must terminate at the exterior and away from a door or window! Also, screens may be present at the duct termination and can accumulate lint and should be noted as improper.
John Van Vleet
Only Choice Inspections
Phone: 760-822-0477
Email: [email protected]
Web: OnlyChoiceInspections.com