Professional Vent and Duct Cleaning in the Maryland Area

When should ducts be cleaned?

It is recommended to clean dryer vents annually. There are certain tell-tale signs that it is necessary to clean your dryer vent.

These include:

• If your clothes are taking a long time to dry—Drying machines should take about 45 minutes to dry a small load and 60 minutes to dry a large one.
• The vent is visibly dirty—The surefire way to know if your dryer vent is clogged to when you can see the vent itself clogged at the point where it is exiting the home.
• The laundry room is hot—Laundry rooms can be come hot when a dirty or clogged air vent does not allow hot air to escape.
• Your clothes have a burnt smell—Clothing that is dried in a dryer with improper ventilation can leave clothing with the smell of burning. This results from a buildup of hot air that is unable to exit the appliance.

Why should ducts be cleaned?

Fires

Clogged air ducts pose a serious safety hazard for several reasons. All are easily preventable with a professional duct cleaning. The first (and most severe) is a house or building fire. When the lint from clothing guilds up inside of a dryer vent, the material itself becomes flammable and can start a fire silently and suddenly.

Carbon Monoxide

Another risk is carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide gas builds up in a home when clogged vents prevent the air from escaping. The carbon monoxide first builds up in the vent and then diffuses into the rest of the room. Carbon monoxide can result in fatal poisoning of the home’s inhabitants.

Dryer Condition

When vents and ductwork are not cleaned properly, air cannot escape and pressure builds up inside the appliance which in turn has to work harder. Furthermore, inefficient dryers are simply used more often (with excess time required to dry clothing), resulting in a decreased life span for the appliance.

Utility Bills

When the ductwork of a dryer or furnace is not properly ventilated, more energy is required to circulate the air. Getting ductwork cleaned regularly by a highly-reviewed professional results in significantly decreased utility bills in addition to the increased life span of the appliance. Our customers know that a good cleaning quickly pays for itself.