Clean Sweeps of Michigan's Blog

Don’t Forget Your Dryer Vents!

Why It Is Good to Have Your Dryer Vents Cleaned

Is your dryer taking more time circling around but not actually performing the task of drying your clothes? Do you also hear banging noises inside your dryer? Does it heat up more quickly that it should? If you notice these things happening in your dryer, it only means that it’s time to have them inspected and cleaned.  We at Clean Sweep & Air Ducts of Michigan Company are here to help.

Dirty dryer vents can and do cause house fires. They also waste time, money and energy.

Most homeowners pay little attention to their dryer, other than cleaning the lint out periodically. We just expect it to do its job. Unfortunately…just like everything else, all appliances require maintenance. Before you start shopping for a new dryer, you should have the vents cleaned to see if this eliminates the issue.

Failing to routinely have your vents cleaned puts you at risk for possible house fires.  The National Fire Protection Association reported that in 2010, 16,800 structures and properties were destroyed by fire, due to clogged or blocked dryer vents. Simply said, you may lose much all because you did not take the time to have your vents cleaned – something I’m sure you wouldn’t want to happen, right?

So here are the advantages of having your dryer vents cleaned:

It saves money

The more time spend in drying clothes, the more money you contribute to your electric bill. Yes, it can unnecessarily drain your budget if this cycle goes on for months at a time. Also, having your vents cleaned may mean not having to invest in a new appliance.

It saves time

Since your vents are clean and unclogged, tendencies are, drying is done much more quickly and this means more time for you. While doing the laundry, you can do other things without having to worry about your dryer not functioning well. Saving money and saving time; that alone is worth it.

It prevents fire

To top it all off, because all is well and good inside and outside your dryer vents, you minimize the chances of fire due to your dryer. This gives you the assurance that you are doing all within your power to care for your home and family.

Our certified technicians are here and ready to answer any questions you might have. Let us help you find peace of mind.

Boosting Efficiency

For those of you who are interested in saving money during the winter months, improving your fireplace’s efficiency is an excellent way because you’ll need to burn less fuel to generate the necessary amount of heat. Your annual chimney inspection and sweeping may or may not be enough to improve efficiency to desired levels. Additionally, better efficiency from your fireplace usually means releasing fewer pollutants into the atmosphere, which in addition to reduced consumption, makes it an environmentally friendly choice that helps both the planet and your local air quality.

Be smart and save money! Find the best way to efficiently use your fireplace.

Some simple steps can be taken to improve your fireplace’s efficiency, allowing you to keep your living space warmer while burning less wood.

 Have a Chimney Damper

One of the first steps is reducing the amount of heat lost through the chimney when there is no fire burning. Ensuring that your damper is in good working condition and is sealing properly can best do this. Throat-mount dampers are found in more chimney systems, as they’ve been around longer; however, their top-sealing counterparts are becoming more popular since they more effectively seal off the chimney when the system is not in use.

Slightly Open a Window

An extremely simple step that can be taken to make your fireplace more efficient is to simply find the window nearest to the fireplace and open it a little bit. At the same time, if the fireplace is in a closed room like a den, you can close the doors to the rest of the house and keep all of the heat in that particular room. Having the window slightly open will allow the fireplace to draw cooler air from the outside if it needs to, rather than drawing in already heated air and losing much of that heat through the chimney.

Install an Air Intake

An even better step to improve fireplace efficiency, if you have the ability, is to install a special air intake next to the fire. This intake can pull air in directly from the outdoors, rather than having to pull it through the room from a nearby open window. This ensures greater efficiency by keeping warm air in the house where it belongs, and setting up a flow of warm air coming out of the fireplace into the house, rather than having the fireplace constantly sucking in warm air and losing it through the chimney.

Other Devices

Many devices can also be purchased to improve fireplace efficiency. A radiant fireplace grate, for example, holds the logs up off the ground of the fireplace, making sure more heat is disbursed out into the room, improving efficiency quite dramatically for a very small investment. Electric fans can also be purchased and installed in the form of grate blowers or tube heaters, which will constantly push hot air out into the room, decreasing the amount of heat lost through the chimney and improving overall fireplace performance.