If you have mice in your house, you have probably called exterminators or tried your own critter traps to get rid of the pests. But this is just a temporary solution until more critters come in. The only effective way to get rid of them for good is to stop them from getting into your home in the first place. The one major path of entry that mice have into your home is the dryer vent.
Go outside and check the dryer vent cover to be sure it is securely attached. There should be a mesh material or screen to keep small animals from getting into the dryer duct. Mice love to chew through things to see what is on the other side. Chipmunks and other small critters have also been known for their curiosity or they’re drawn to the warmth of your dryer vent. Once they chew through to make a way in, others will follow.
Not only do the critters have a way into your home, but they also have a warm, cozy place to build a nest. Birds have also been known to build a nest in a dryer vent. The nest is in the path of air-flow and lint traveling out of the dryer. When air-flow is limited, lint builds up and accumulates to the point of complete obstruction, leading to the system overheating and causing a fire. Lint is very combustible; it doesn’t take much for it to ignite.
Some dryer vent systems have very long dryer ducts leading out of the house because of the location of the laundry room. Maybe it isn’t on an outside wall, or you may have second floor laundry. These systems may be difficult for the average homeowner to access all the duct work for a complete cleaning. It may be necessary to have a professional dryer vent cleaning service give your system a complete inspection and cleaning. Call a professional who specializes in dryer vent repair and cleaning. They have special tools to do an effective dryer vent cleaning, easily and if anything isn’t up to code, the can fix it while they are there.
Dryer Vent Maintenance prevents fires, helps your dryer work more efficiently, saving on energy cost; prolongs the life of your dryer and keeps small critters out of your home.
This article was written by Webb Dickson, owner of Dryer Vent Wizard, a dryer vent cleaning and dryer vent repair professional. Webb believes it is important to increase public awareness of dryer vent safety to prevent dryer fires and save on energy costs. He talks to all of his clients about their dryer vent system, sharing tips on cleaning and maintenance in the time between his annual visits. Webb services New Hampshire, Nashua, Manchester, Concord, Portsmouth, Derry, Bedford, Keene, Milford, Middlesex and Essex County, Massachusetts, Billerica, Burlington, Westford, Concord, Stow, Marlborough, Natick, Hopkinton, Framingham, Gloucester, Middleton, Newburyport, Haverhill, Lawrence, Beverly and neighboring cities and communities.
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