Dryer Vent Cleaning...be safe in 2015
 

Be safe in 2015. Get your dryer vent cleaned. Must watch this video from NBC News. I had SureClean Solutions (352-633-5387) clean mine last week and it was packed with lint. The house is only 3 years old. The industry recommends having it done every year.
http://youtu.be/JsMKp1vJEdk

If your dryer vent pipe system was "packed with llnt" within the first three years of use you most likely have a problem with the dryer filter. Modern clothes dryers in proper operating condition will not pack the vent full of lint in three years of use. The condition of your dryer vent you described leaves me :confused:

Just curious, what prompted you make make the decision to have your dryer vent cleaned? How did you choose the contractor you used?

Thanks
Don

I would agree with that. I cleaned my dryer vent myself after 5 years - very easy to do. It was a new house, not in The Villages. There was very little lint. I came to the conclusion that every 5 years was probably fine. Your mileage may vary.

Thanks for the tip; heading to Lowes to buy a vent cleaning kit to do my home in KC and will bring it with me to do our home in TV.

A Google search on "dryer vent cleaning scams" is worth doing before you decide to have your vent cleaned.

I found this when we moved in. Mine was due to improper installation. My dryer was close to the wall and flexible duct was installed then the dryer was push back due to the offset between two connection the vent was partially closed off. Poor alr flow allowed lint build up. due to the design of my CYV I had to get close metal offset vent. Works great now.

Dryer venting ducting not smooth tube there are bump or raised area that affect air flow which allows lint to catch or stick to sides. Over time lint builds up. Not the problem in the vent but inside the dryer where the hint allowed to build up due to the clogged or poor airflow. When lint build up in their when the fire hazard exists. Once lit links very flammable and quickly gets out of hand.

Dryer vents, refrigerator, stove, and central air filters are IMO routine cleaning maintenance (behind and under them due to dust) and should be check on biannual schedule depending on what you find. Don't find much then you schedule can increase. I bet very low percentage check this. For me far I got moved in it was the first thing I checked.

Dryer Vent Cleaning
 

My decision was based on the facts presented in the article posted below and the fact that my home is 3 years old. SureClean Solutions (Doug) was actually a simple selection since we have used this company repeatedly to clean our tile and grout. We knew without question that Doug's crew would have the knowledge and the tooling to do the job properly and professionally.
Sorry that you are confused-can't help you there!!
I watched the entire process out of curiosity and made the "lint" comment based on what I observed.
Actually, whether there was a lot of lint or just a little, I now have "peace of mind" knowing that the vent is clean and clear and working efficiently.
...
The Consumer Products Safety Commission states that “Clothes dryers are associated with over 15,600 fires annually, resulting in 20 deaths and 370 injures”. These fires caused over $100,000,000 in damage.
Why clean your dryer vent? Fires can occur when lint builds up in the dryer or in the exhaust duct. Lint is highly combustible and can block the flow of air, cause excessive heat build-up, and result in a fire.
Although clothes dryers have a lint trap, a significant amount of lint bypasses the trap and finds its way into the dryer and the dryer vent duct. In as little as a year this lint can accumulate to levels that can significantly block the flow of air through the dryer and dryer duct. When you add the warm moist air being discharged into the dryer duct this further helps the lint to start plugging the dryer duct.
Plugged or partially plugged dryer vents can also result in increased operating costs with longer drying times. This will also cause premature failure of components or the dryer. Overheating can also cause unnecessary wear and tear on clothing, thus shorting their life.
In a recent independent study it was found that a load of 7 large bath towels in a dryer with 62.5% vent restriction took 60% more time to dry the same size load and used 77% more energy than the load without the restricted vent.
The following are steps the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends Homeowners should take to prevent dryer vent fires.
Clean the Lint screen/filter before or after drying each load of clothes. If clothing is still damp when removed after a normal dryer cycle or requires a much longer than normal dryer cycle, this may be a sign the dryer vent needs cleaning.
Clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct (hose connected to the dryer) periodically. Most manufacturers recommend annual dryer vent cleaning for the dryer to work at maximum efficiency.
Check and clean the outside dryer vent exhaust for obstructions and make sure the flapper opens and closes properly. If the flapper is not fully closing, birds and other rodents can nest in the dryer vent line.
Clean behind and around the dryer where lint can build up. Keep the area around the dryer clean and free of lint and clutter.
Replace old style flexible plastic/vinyl hose with corrugated or foil hose. The plastic/vinyl hose is not fireproof and can actually cause a fire to start and spread quicker.
The interior of the dryer chassis should be cleaned by a qualified service person periodically. Lint and debris will build up inside the dryer as well as in the dryer duct.