Dry Your Clothes Faster

Murrieta, CA Dry Your Clothes Faster

The most frequently asked question about dryer vent cleaning we get is, "How often should I get my dryer vent cleaned?".  There is no easy answer for this, however, if you listen close enough, you'll find that your clothes dryer will tell you if a duct cleaning is necessary.  Chances are, if you are here, you suspect something may be amiss, or you just came to see what comes out of a dirty dryer vent.   Here you'll find a video illustrating how dirty a vent can be, even if it is just the first 5 feet or so:

How Long Should It Take To Dry My Clothes?

It is crucial for the homeowner to know how long a load of clothes takes to dry.  This information is used to determine when the dryer vent requires service.  I like to prescribe the following technique to figure this out:

1.  Start with a clean dryer vent.  At this point, you'll know your system is as clean as it can be and as efficient as possible.

2.  Begin a dryer load consisting of heavier common items like towels and jeans.  Make it a size you would typically throw together.  Avoid t shirts and lighter fabrics as these can dry quickly and skew the results.

3.  Ensure the the dryer is set to TIMED DRY.  Set timer for 45 minutes and press start.  Walk away.

4.  Once your dryer has finished the cycle, check the clothes for preferred dryness (found this can vary person-to-person as well).  Using the 45 minute dry cycle as a baseline for your heavier items, adjust your time accordingly for desired dryness.

     Now what has happened is the homeowner now has a baseline to work off of.  After completing Step 4, and making the necessary time adjustments, they know how long a load will take for their heaviest items when the dryer vent is completely clean.  From here, the dry times can be monitored by using TIMED DRY.

What Dryer Setting is the Best?

    At this time, I would like to discuss WHY timed dry is preferred over sensor dry, as so many newer appliances are equipped with this feature.  Sensor dry will continue to make adjustments to the dry cycle, slowly over time.  This occurs when lint begins to deposit into the vent and restrict the venting of the air from the dryer.  The sensor compensates for this restriction and slowing of the wet air by extending the amount of time the dryer is running, in order to adequately dry the clothing.

    When this happens, the dry times go from 45 minutes or so, to a whopping 3 hours, in many cases!  DO NOT let your dryer fool you with the easy button!

    People will find that a cleaning is not always an annual requirement in their home.  It is very subjective and dependent upon use of the appliance.  People also find that their needs can change, as children move in and out of the home, for example.

    Over time and use, damp clothes start coming out of the dryer at the time determined by the user to be the "sweet spot", thus requiring more time to dry. More time = More $$.  Using the timed drying method, the homeowner has a faster indicator of how often they need to clean out their dryer vent while saving money on their utilities and also preventing a structure fire from the build up of flammable lint!

Sounds like a good idea to me: Lower utility bills, lower chance of fire & shorter drying times.

If you've never had this service performed, give us a call or check us out online!  If you won't benefit from our service, WE WON'T PERFORM IT!  Simple as that.

-Stay Sooty