Regular Commercial Dryer Vent Cleaning is a vital thing in all laundry operations.
Does your company have a clothes dryer? If so, let us tell you that a concealed danger exists! Especially in commercial settings, dryer vent lines can accumulate too much lint and debris.
This extra lint is the primary cause of ignition for the 15,500 dryer fires that occur each year. Aside from posing a fire risk, excess lint and debris can cause clogs and decrease efficiency, as well as use more energy.
If dryer vents aren’t cleaned frequently enough, they can catch fire. Clogged dryer vents can start a fire, even if the dryer is in fine shape, and they can swiftly spread to other parts of the commercial building.
Commercial Dryer Vent Cleaning
Fortunately, regular commercial dryer vent cleaning can significantly minimize, if not completely remove, the risk of dryer fire. As a business owner, you would want to ensure the safety of your employees against any illnesses or fire hazards that can be triggered by the machines used in the building.
By getting a commercial dryer vent cleaning service from a professional air duct cleaning company, you’ll be sure that you and your employees are safe from any dryer vent fire hazards.
How Does a Blocked Vent Affect a Commercial Dryer?
Lint buildup in an exhaust duct makes it harder for the dryer to vent heated water vapor. As a result, the dryer begins to accumulate heat energy. Tiny sparks can be triggered by mechanical failures as the dryer overheats, causing lint trapped in the dryer vent to catch fire.
Dryer fires generally start inside the dryer but reach the building wall by passing through a ventilation duct and igniting trapped lint. It is better to install the metal dryer vents in place of plastic ones.
Commercial Dryer Vent Cleaning Done Right
The best approach to getting rid of any lint or material buildup is to have your commercial dryer vents and hose professionally cleaned by a credible air duct cleaning company. Professional dryer vent cleaning looks for issues like crushed, kinked, or knotted hoses in addition to making sure your hoses and lines are free of lint.
Commercial dryer vent cleaning can improve the safety and efficiency of your dryer while also helping it function more smoothly. Your dryer may work too hard as a result of clogged vents, occasionally to the point where it appears that something is wrong with the dryer.
After seeing your commercial dryer vents working improperly, you may think to get rid of them and replace the dryer vents with new ones. However, you should not do this. You should contact professional air duct cleaning services to inspect the dryer vents and ask them for commercial dryer vent cleaning. By doing so, you’ll
- Increase the effectiveness of your dryer.
- Lower your rising energy bills.
- Save money over buying a brand new dryer.
Clues That Your Vents Might Be Blocked
Most business owners think their property is safe from dryer fire as long as they are cleaning the lint trap. However, the dryer vents used in the facility may be indicating the need for professional commercial dryer vent cleaning. These clues include:
Several Cycles or a Long Drying Cycle: It takes more than one cycle for clothes to dry entirely.
Too Hot Clothes: You can’t touch the clothes or exterior of the dryer after using it because they are too hot.
Musty Odor: After the drying cycle, the clothes start to smell musty. A musty odor can also be felt coming from the interior of the dryer.
Heated Laundry Room or Dryer: The dryer vent releases heat and exhaust from the dryer. You most certainly have a clogged duct if your laundry area continues to be warm when the dryer is operating.
Lint-Buildup: The lint trap fills up with a lot of lint after each cycle.
The Lint Around the Vent on the Floor: The dryer vent’s purpose is to exhaust gases and fibers from the house. Lint on the floor or the dryer’s surface near the vent indicates that your duct is either clogged or leaking.
Odor From Dryer Sheets: Dryer sheets used for the drying process start to smell.
Issue In Dryer Vent Hood Flap Opening: There is a problem with the dryer vent hood flap opening while using the dryer.
Why Is Commercial Dryer Vent Cleaning Required?
Cotton, nylon, etc. are very common cloth fabrics that we commonly use. When these clothes are dried in the dryer, they leave behind the lint (nylon, cotton, etc.) inside the dryer. As a result, the commercial dryer vents get filled with lint.
The accumulated lint causes dryer vents to struggle to function properly as there is high pressure on the internal blower of the drying machine.
This pressure causes the exhaust air temperature to gradually increase, which might cause the flammable lint in the vent to catch fire. Once the lint catches fire, the flames could travel through the thin metal vent pipe and start a building fire. The dryer, fanning the flames, would cause the fire to spread throughout the laundry room.
This entire dangerous situation can be avoided if you schedule regular professional commercial dryer vent cleaning. For residential dryer vent cleaning, note that the dryer vents will be filthier if more kids and pets are living in the house.
Pet hair is particularly flammable; as people’s clothes are dried, it separates from them and quickly accumulates along the full length of the vent, creating the ideal conditions for a dryer vent fire.
Safety Tips for Commercial Dryer Vents
As a business owner, you should ensure that your employees and facility remain safe from any hazardous accidents. The following are some useful tips that you can follow to reduce the risk of commercial dryer vents fire.
- Hire a professional to install and maintain the dryer.
- Don’t use the dryer if it doesn’t have a lint filter.
- Lint filters should be cleaned before and after each load of laundry. The lint that has gathered around the drum should be removed.
- If the filter appears to be clogged, clean it frequently using a nylon brush.
- Never overload your dryer and operate it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- When the dryer is on, make sure the outdoor vent lid is open.
- It’s a good habit to often check the dryer’s venting system to make sure it isn’t impaired.
- Make sure to clean lint out of the vent pipe at least once a year, or more often if your clothes aren’t drying as quickly as they should. It is better if you go for professional commercial dryer vent cleaning as the professional air duct cleaning services have specialized tools to inspect and thoroughly clean your dryer vents.
- Protect the exterior wall dampers from the elements by covering them.
- Maintain dryers in good condition. A competent specialist should examine gas dryers to ensure that the gas connection and line are secure and without leaks.
- To maintain optimum air flow and drying time, metal venting material (flexible or rigid) should be used.
- Ensure that the machine is connected correctly and that the appropriate connection and outlet are being utilized.
How Is Professional Commercial Dryer Vent Cleaning Done?
The best thing to do is to let the professionals from an air duct cleaning company perform dryer vent cleaning in your facility. Once you understand that it’s time for your commercial dryer vents to be cleaned, contact professional air duct cleaning services right away. These companies have experienced professionals who know how to deal with clogged dryer vents.
Professional cleaners will examine your vents and pipework to see whether there are any pressing problems that should be taken care of first. Once the technical space around the dryer has been pronounced safe, the professional cleaners will start the cleaning work with specialized tools.
After performing a visual check of every dryer vent and piece of ductwork, they will start clearing up any lint buildup and other dirt.
After removing the material accumulation, the experts will proceed to thoroughly clean all ductwork and filters before providing a report on the completed service.
How Frequently Should You Clean Commercial Dryer Vents?
Due to their bigger size compared to residential dryers, commercial dryers do not require as frequent cleaning of their vents. You should get your dryer vents cleaned around every three to five years if you use your dryer at average levels.
To maintain ideal profitability, many laundromat operators choose to clean their businesses more frequently. Since purchasing a commercial dryer entails a substantial expense, it is a rational approach to keep them operating at full efficiency to maintain sustainable profits.
Even in the presence of a small bit of lint buildup, the machine has to work harder to discharge the damp and air-containing lint through its exhaust. This results in longer operating hours, exorbitant energy bills, and eventually lower earnings.
Therefore, professional commercial dryer vent cleaning regularly will benefit you financially as well as lessen the possibility of a fire that may potentially ruin your business.
Commercial Dryer Vent Cleaning Cost
Due to the larger size of the unit, commercial dryer vent cleaning cost will typically be higher than residential dryer vent cleaning. Compared to the simple ducts that are commonly found in residential machines, the ducts in industrial dryers are larger and more comprehensive.
The commercial dryer vent cleaning cost will probably increase if mildew or mold has developed inside your dryer vents. The mold removal service will add to the regular cost of commercial dryer vent cleaning.
The eradication of such particulate matter requires specialized tools and consumes more energy and time. However, you get long-term benefits from professional commercial dryer vent cleaning as regular cleaning will save you from high energy bills and increase dryer efficiency. If you don’t take care of this issue as soon as it arises, you might have to pay even more for repairs in the future.
The Advantages of Commercial Dryer Vent Cleaning
- Fire Safety
In the United States alone, dryers are the cause of more than 15,500 fires each year. The simplest approach to avoiding a dryer fire in your house is to perform a thorough dryer vent cleaning because they are most frequently caused by too much lint, debris, or obstructions in the dryer vent line.
- Conserve Energy
A clogged commercial dryer vent system with improper functioning will burden you with an extra $18-$24 per month due to prolonged and multiple cycles. Professional commercial vent cleaning can cut your exorbitant energy bills.
- Get Rid of Mold and Mildew
Mold growth and mildew growth appear in dark, warm, and moist environments. Just like air ducts provide the ideal environment for mold growth, the laundry areas and dryers offer the same environment for mold growth. Such an environment is present in the clogged dryer vents.
A professional air duct cleaning company will clear your vents of blockages, enabling moisture to once again be freely vented from your dryer and laundry room, preventing the spread of mold and mildew.
A clogged dryer vent traps heat and moisture in your dryer and laundry area, which makes drying more time-consuming. Professional commercial dryer vent cleaning will restore adequate circulation throughout the vent line, which will reduce your drying time.
- Increase the Durability of Your Dryer and Clothes
Due to retained heat and moisture as well as longer or more frequent drying cycles, a clogged dryer vent can be harmful to both your dryer and your clothes. Professional commercial dryer vent cleaning can help to make your clothes last longer by restoring the airflow in your dryer vent.
- Avoid Ingesting Carbon Monoxide
Many dryers release carbon monoxide. When a dryer vent system is working properly, the carbon monoxide is evacuated outside. However, clogs may stop the gas from leaving the structure. The accumulation of carbon monoxide is detrimental to health and can result in death. You may protect yourself and others in your building from carbon monoxide poisoning by performing routine commercial dryer vent cleaning.
Different Types of Dryer Ducts: Commercial Dryer Vent Cleaning
The improper installation or maintenance of ducts often causes dryer fires each year. Your dryer’s safety may be directly impacted by the duct type you select.
There are three varieties of dryer ducts:
- Flexible
- Rigid
- Semi-rigid
Flexible ducting is not allowed in many places because it collects lint and can catch fire, notably if it is constructed of plastic. Some locations still permit polyester film flexible ducting, which resembles foil wrapped around a wire spiral but carries many of the same dangers as plastic.
Aluminum semi-rigid ducting resembles a long, tubular accordion and is frequently made of this material. The semi-rigid ducting’s folds enable it to bend around small impediments, but they also collect lint and reduce airflow. Aluminum or galvanized steel rigid ducting is seamless and free of barriers that could obstruct airflow or catch lint.
The Significance of Laundry Duct Design: Commercial Dryer Vent Cleaning
The design of the laundry duct is crucially important as a bad design may limit airflow, retain damp air, and cause lint to build up. Lint accumulation just weakens the ventilation system and reduces its effectiveness. As the accumulation persists, your dryer’s performance suffers, and your laundry’s overall effectiveness is diminished.
It is possible to measure the efficiency of your dryer’s exhaust ducting by taking pressure readings. Back pressure is measured here to ensure the system is functioning properly. The reading results should be identical to the parameters listed in the dryer’s installation manual. The ventilation system’s length, curves, and bends might make it more difficult for the air to exhaust, which raises the pressure.
The ducts should have as few bends as feasible on their path to the outside. A bigger duct pipe diameter can also benefit by increasing airflow, but the pipe needs to be precisely fitted to accommodate the machine.
Generally, dryers are vented directly to the outdoors separately, but shared or common vents are sometimes used in conjunction with multiple dryers. Extra care must be taken to guarantee optimum ventilation for these systems.
A 45-degree angle should be maintained between the individual tumble dryer vents and the common venting system, and they should never be joined at a 90-degree angle.
The ductwork that is too small or improperly put together can create too much back pressure, which can result in slower drying periods, more lint building up inside the duct, lint sweeping back into the room, and a higher risk of fires.
An air duct cleaning professional will be able to assist you in maximizing the efficiency of your commercial dryers. If you feel some issues with the performance of your dryers, contact air duct cleaning services. The professionals will inspect your machine and guide you through the next steps.
Final Thoughts: Commercial Dryer Vent Cleaning
If your business facility has commercial dryer vents, then clearly you have a dangerous fire hazard. Especially in commercial settings, dryer vent lines can accumulate too much lint and debris. This accumulated lint heats the dryer system and causes mechanical issues.
The tiny sparks emitting inside the dryer vent make the trapped lint burst into flames. The best prevention is to schedule regular professional commercial dryer vent cleaning from a reputable air duct cleaning company.
Regular cleaning will help you save energy, improve dryer system efficiency, get rid of mold growth, protect against carbon monoxide poisoning and increase the durability of your machine and clothes.