dryer vent cleaning
If you've seen more fires blamed on inadequate dryer vent cleaning in the news lately and thought "Eh, no big deal," you may be in for some trouble down the road. We're fairly certain that ignoring the cleaning of your dryer vents could be detrimental not only to your home but to your health, and we're going to explain how in this blog entry.
Government and News Statistics
· According to ABC Action News it's estimated that over 15,000 dryer fires are started every year by clogged dryer vents.
· Furthermore, according to FEMA, 5 deaths and more than 100 injuries are to blame for these fires as well.
Safety officials report that most dryer fires can be prevented by proper maintenance of the dryers vent work. According to Cincinnati District Fire Chief Fredrick Prather;
"Often times, people do not clean out their (dryer) filters or clean out the duct work, so that's one of the big problems.”
A fire is about the worst thing that can result from a clogged dryer vent. However, other dangers exist that can adversely affect you, your family's health and your property come from not inspecting and cleaning your dryer duct and vent work on a regular basis. This is because a clogged dryer vent can effect both the heat and humidity levels in your home.
According to industry experts, the ideal indoor air humidity levels should be kept between 30 and 50 percent. Levels above or below these ideals are well known to have adverse effects on people and property.
Humidity That's Too Low
Indoor humidity levels below 30 percent are reputed to cause damage to your homes' wood floors, your furniture and drive up your energy costs by unnecessarily turning up the heat. Furthermore, humidity levels that are too low can also increase your homes' static electricity, increase dust levels along with causing other respiratory, throat and skin irritations.
Additionally, high heat and low humidity levels in your home will cause the wood and caulk to shrink and split. When the wood and caulk around doors and window frames shrink and crack this causes gaps. These gaps allow the cold outside air to seep in increasing your heating costs.
Humidity That's Too High
Most people are under the impression that higher humidity helps keep their homes warmer during the winter months. This is true to a point. However, too much of a good thing can cause other health related issues.
As reported by Weather.com, Dr Michael Ruff said;
"Humidity promotes mold growth and dust mite population growth. Both are significant indoor allergens and can set off allergic sensitivity and can trigger rhinitis and asthma."
Furthermore, high humidity levels in the home can cause property damage such as warping wood floors, cause paint to peel and wallpaper to come loose. Additionally, high humidity levels in the home can stain walls and ceilings and cause foul odors. This type of property damage can lead to costly, untimely repairs.
Living a More Comfortable Life
As you can see from this blog entry, maintaining proper humidity levels in your home is not only important to retaining the value of your home, but to the health of your family as well. Proper service of your heating and ventilation systems, as well as regular maintenance of appliances such as your dryer can help your family live a more comfortable life.
Clogged dryer vents and their adverse effects on your health and property can be easily avoided through regular, professional maintenance. If you would like to speak to one of our professionals about this, please contact us. We'll be happy to answer any questions and address any concerns you may have.
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SoBellas Appliance Repair El Paso Texas
125 Graphite Dr. Ste. D
El Paso, TX 79932
915-585-2811
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