Prevent Fires and Promote Your Family’s Safety in Kalamazoo

You just finished drying a load of towels. After folding them, you set them aside to be stored later. As you move to put in another armful of clothes, you pull out the lint trap. You clean it, peeling off the layer of blue-grey fluff. You dust it off before sliding it back in. A lot of homeowners think that's enough.

During service, our technician can show you all the dirt and lint that stays inside your vents even after you’ve cleared the lint trap. Over time, lint will build up in the dryer, transition duct, and exhaust duct, reducing airflow and increasing the risk of fires. When excess humidity is trapped by the build-up, mold and bacteria will follow. Fortunately, Bartholomew Heating & Cooling, Inc. can get rid of this dirt and clear what’s obstructing your dryer duct.

Signs It’s Time to Clean Your Dryer Vent

Many homeowners often overlook the warning signs of a clogged dryer vent, unaware of the potential risks it poses. Whether or not you choose to utilize our services, we believe it's essential for your safety and the efficiency of your dryer that you remain vigilant for the following indicators:

• A burning or musty odor emanating from your dryer.
• Laundry loads taking significantly longer to dry than they used to.
• An unsettling amount of lint visible when you peer inside the vent.
• An accumulation of dryer lint coating the interior of the dryer door.
• An inability to detect any airflow from the dryer vent itself.
• Excessive lint clinging to your dark-colored clothing.

When any of the above signs become evident, it's imperative to take action and contact a professional dryer vent cleaner in Kalamazoo right away. Ignoring these warnings can result in costly consequences down the road. Remember, the potential cost of a fire caused by a neglected dryer vent can be almost incalculable in terms of loss.

The Importance of Dryer Vent Cleaning

According to data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, dryer issues can cause fires which result in 20 deaths, 370 injuries, and over $75 million in property damage each year. The main cause of all this destruction? Lint that accumulates and catches fire. But those disaster costs are just one reason smart homeowners in Kalamazoo regularly clean their ducts. Here’s a quick list of dryer vent cleaning benefits:

• Fire Prevention: This is the main cause of the costs discussed earlier. Dryer lint is one of the most flammable items in your home. With estimates of 15,500 US home fires being attributed to dirty dryer vents—making it the second-most common cause—it is more important than ever to get your dryer vent regularly cleaned.
• Time Savings: As your dryer vent fills with lint and dust, drying time will increase. While you might not notice the extra one or two minutes at first, eventually you’ll have to run every load through an extra cycle. This means more work for you. Hiring someone to clean your dryer vents gets you that time back.
• More Money in Your Wallet: If your clogged dryer vent means drying everything twice, you’re throwing money out the window. So, while you’ll have to pay a dryer vent cleaning company, the savings will more than recoup the cost.

For the optimal balance of cost and safety, experts advise getting your dryer vents professionally cleaned once or twice a year.

Things You Can Do to Reduce Lint Build-Up and Keep Your Family Safe

As a homeowner in Kalamazoo, there are things you can do to help prevent lint build-up and stretch out the time between our visits. Though you might be thinking of those DIY dryer cleaning kits, that’s not what we’re talking about. We’ve seen what those can do and are NOT impressed. Also, finding a brush that fits your model of dryer can be difficult. Instead, we suggest:

• Replacing foil or plastic ducts with semi-rigid ones
• Securing your dryer duct joints with metal tape
• Only using dryer ducts that are 4 or more inches in diameter
• Removing build-up from the lint filter after each load
• Washing your lint screen every couple of weeks to get rid of detergent residue
• Installing a screen on the outside dryer duct to keep animals and debris out
• Cleaning the dryer vent hose regularly
• Never operating the dryer without the lint holder in place

Call Bartholomew Heating & Cooling, Inc. for Dryer Vent Cleaning in Kalamazoo

When it comes to dryer vent cleaning in Kalamazoo, Bartholomew Heating & Cooling, Inc. is the name you can trust. Our team of experienced experts is unafraid to get dirty to ensure your dryer vent is not just clean but also safe for your family. If you're interested in pricing and more details, feel free to get in touch with us at (269) 381-9045.

Our local HVAC company proudly serves the communities of Portage, Kalamazoo, and Mattawan. Apart from our top-notch dryer vent cleaning services, we also excel in furnace and AC repair. Give us a call at (269) 381-9045, and you'll discover the qualities that make us unique in the industry – our commitment to excellence and customer-focused approach.