The Overlooked Home Maintenance Task That Could Put Your House at Risk
Home maintenance can sometimes feel like a never-ending job. Many people have lists of things that they take care of following each change in seasons, but it is easy to forget about critical home maintenance tasks, especially if you are a new homeowner. Knowing which tasks often get overlooked can help you to protect your home from major issues that could have been avoided.
Dryer vent cleaning services in Raleigh, NC, can help you handle one of the most overlooked tasks by homeowners. Most people are not aware of the parts of their home that are not immediately visible, and dryer vents and ducts are hidden out of sight. The problem with being unaware of what dryer vents and air ducts need each year is that this kind of maintenance can protect your home from major problems such as a fire.
Let’s talk about the reasons that you need to make sure that you take care of your dryer vents and air ducts properly.
Why You Need to Take Care of Your Dryer Vents and Air Ducts
Homes are full of all kinds of vents and ducts that are connected with various appliances like your washer and dryer. You cannot typically see these vents and ducts, which makes it hard to realize that they need attention. Dryer vents and air ducts are one of the most overlooked structures in any home, which means it’s very important that homeowners are aware that they need routine maintenance.
These risks and problems are associated with a lack of dryer vent and air duct maintenance. If you have never thought about caring for these parts of your home, you need to keep reading to understand what kind of important role they play in keeping your home in good repair.
1. Fire Risk
The main reason that homeowners need to be aware of the maintenance needs of their dryer vents and air ducts is that clogged vents and ducts can pose a significant fire risk. Dryers produce lint and fuzz as they dry clothing. Dryer lint is highly flammable, and when large amounts of this fuzz and debris clog up dryer vents and air ducts, restricted airflow can combine with heat from the dryer to lead to a risk of a fire.
Dryer lint-related fires in the US accounted for $238 million in property damage between 2010 and 2014. The same study found that 13 deaths and 444 injuries occurred related to dryer lint fires as well. A fire is a homeowner’s worst nightmare, and you can avoid this major safety risk by having your dryer vents and air ducts cleaned each year.
2. Risk of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Even if you have carbon monoxide detectors in your home, you are not entirely protected from possible harm related to a buildup of deadly carbon monoxide in your home. Exhaust gases from your dryer can back up into your home if your dryer’s air vents are blocked. This gas is odorless and colorless, which means that you might not know that exhaust is backing up into your home until it’s too late.
3. Problems Related to Mold and Mildew Growth
Trapped moisture in your laundry room area can lead to moisture being trapped in the walls of your home. This mold might only cause damage to the surfaces it has adhered to, but if your laundry room develops black mold in the walls, you and your family’s health could suffer. Moisture is released by your dryer’s vents and air ducts, but if it cannot escape properly, it will remain in the laundry room space without anywhere to go.
4. Increased Energy Bills
If you have noticed a spike in your energy costs, you should be worried that your dryer’s vents and air ducts are blocked and need to be cleaned. Restricted airflow can lead to your dryer needing to be run for multiple cycles to dry each load of clothing, which will increase your energy use significantly.
Many homeowners will just assume that they put too many clothes in the dryer, and they might not realize that they need to have someone come clean out their dryer vents. These kinds of small alterations to the behavior of your dryer can sneak under the radar until a pattern emerges. This means months or even years of increased energy costs that could have been avoided.
5. Chance For Appliance Strain
Dryers that are struggling against reduced airflow will overheat each time they are in operation. This can lead to strain and damage to dryer components over time. Your dryer might still be drying clothes like it always has, but with increased strain and wear and tear. This is one of the things that many homeowners don’t realize can be the direct result of neglecting their dryer vents and ducts.
Appliances are very expensive these days and having to replace a dryer early can be a painful cost. When paired with risks related to fire and carbon monoxide poisoning, appliance strain can seem much more serious and likely if homeowners don’t take care of their dryer’s ducts and vents.
Home Maintenance Tasks Keep Your Home and Your Family Safe
When it comes to home maintenance, you cannot afford to cut corners. You need to be sure that all of the critical systems and parts of your home are safe and secure and in good repair each year. Home maintenance tasks can be difficult to remember if you cannot see the parts of your home that are in need of attention.
Dryer vents and air ducts can be forgotten about because they are often tucked away out of sight. Your home’s dryer vents and air ducts need routine cleaning and care, and it is typically best to have a skilled maintenance company handle this need each year. Avoiding fire risk, carbon monoxide poisoning risk, and problems like increased energy bills and mold and mildew damage are all important considerations for homeowners. Making sure to take care of even the smallest parts of your home matters when considering annual upkeep for your property.