Dryer Vent Services

Dryer Vent Inspections & Cleaning:

In addition to servicing chimneys, Falmouth Chimney Sweep inspects and cleans dryer vents in one and two story homes. A thorough sweep includes searching for any issues that might interfere with optimal operation. Highly effective diagnostic tools allow us to detect and resolve issues before they become problems.
 
More About Your Clothes Dryer:

The Chimney Safety Institute of America cautions the public that there is a growing fire and carbon monoxide poisoning danger that could result in unnecessary deaths, injuries, or property damage: the obstruction or improper venting of clothes dryer exhaust ducts. To combat dryer fires and carbon monoxide poisoning, the CSIA recommends that homeowners have clothes dryer exhaust ducts professionally inspected every year and maintained as necessary.
 
Dryer Locations:

CSIA points out that clothes dryers have historically either been located in basements or on the main floor of a house and generally within a short distance from an outside wall. Because of these logistics, the danger of lint plugging the exhaust duct has been minimal. But in today’s complex and technologically sophisticated homes, clothes dryers can be located in the inner core of the house in bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and even in hall closets. These new locations mean dryers need to be vented longer distances, sometimes even with sharp turns and bends to accommodate the structure of the home. These complicated systems make exhaust ducts harder to reach and also create more places where lint can collect and pile up. Because lint is incredibly flammable, it poses a fire risk.

Natural Gas:

The availability of natural gas clothes dryers is another reason why dryer exhaust duct maintenance is necessary. If a gas clothes dryer is not properly vented, it can cause carbon monoxide to be forced back into the home and that can be deadly. 

Obstructions:

In addition to lint obstructions and improper venting, bird nests, rodent nests, and bug infestations can also plug up a vent causing potential fire hazards or carbon monoxide poisoning. Symptoms of a clogged clothes dryer exhaust duct include incomplete drying of clothes at normal temperatures and very hot dryer temperatures.

Recommendations:

The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends that clothes dryer exhaust duct inspections be performed by CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Duct Technicians. Falmouth Chimney Sweep has been formally tested in the proper inspection and maintenance of clothes dryer exhaust ducts by CSIA. When Falmouth Chimney Sweep inspects a clothes dryer exhaust duct, we check to make sure there are no obstructions and the installation is correct. Falmouth Chimney Sweep will also verify that the correct type of vent is in use. For example, homes with plastic exhaust ducts are upgraded to metal exhaust ducts when replacement is necessary, to comply with Massachusetts codes.