You may not think of your clothes dryer as something that cold winter temperates can affect, but you should. The winter chill can wreak havoc on your dryer even if you keep it inside of your home.
Keep reading to find out the reason, get tips to prevent it from happening and learn solutions for resolving the situation if it has already occurred.
3 Problems Caused By Frozen Dryer Vents
When was the last time you thought about your outside dryer vent? Months? Years? The fact of the matter is, you should check on it on a regular basis during the winter season. Water from rainfall that freezes can block the flap and louvers of the vent by freezing them shut. Snow can also present a problem if it piles up around the vent and the dryer vent becomes blocked by the snow.
A dryer vent flapper that is frozen shut can cause the following serious outdoor dryer vent issues:
1. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
This potential scenario should be taken very seriously because carbon monoxide can be deadly. If you have a gas dryer and your vent becomes blocked, you could end up with carbon monoxide in your home.
2. Lint Buildup
Another dangerous situation is the buildup of lint inside of your dryer. It can cause a fire to break out in your dryer due to overheating. Keep your eyes peeled for lint blowing into the room and a buildup of lint inside and outside of your dryer. These are all telltale signs.
3. Inability To Operate Properly
Two different situations are possible here. Neither one is appealing. In the first scenario, blocked airflow from the dryer vent freezing results in an overheated dryer and, subsequently, a fire. In the second case, your dryer feels excessively hot at the end of a cycle, takes a long time to thoroughly dry your clothes or shuts off before the cycle is complete.
How To Clean The Dryer Vent From The Outside
While the prospect of these outdoor dryer vent problems is frightening, the good news is, there are simple solutions you can execute yourself.
Make it a point to check the vent regularly throughout the winter months to make sure it is not obstructed. You should be especially vigilant about doing this after it rains and snows.
If you find that the vent has already frozen over and you are experiencing outside dryer vent issues, melt the ice or snow with a hairdryer. Now you can take preventative measures to ensure it does not happen again:
- Use a cloth to wipe the louvers dry.
- Use your finger to smooth a thin layer of petroleum jelly to the inside lower edge of each louver.
- The petroleum jelly guards against the louvers freezing together and ensures that water flows away from the edges.
Preserve Your Dryer’s Performance And Keep Your Family Safe
While the above steps are measures you can take on your own to resolve outside dryer vent issues, there are many repairs that should only be done by an experienced, certified repair technician. In fact, it would not be a bad idea to have a reputable company on hand to make sure your dryer is not creating a potentially harmful or costly situation.
This is exactly what you get when you hire Area Appliance Service to work on your clothes dryer. We have been repairing and servicing major clothes dryer brands including Maytag, Kenmore, Whirlpool, LG, Amana and Samsung since 1958.
Our commitment to quality has earned us a long list of credentials including:
- We Are A Certified GOOGLE GUARANTEED SERVICE Partner
- A+ BBB Rating
- HomeAdvisor Screened & Approved Service Award
- Elite Service Award
- Association Of Home Appliance Manufacturers
- 100% Satisfaction Guarantee On Parts & Labor For Up To 12 Months
- We Are Green, Recycling All Parts
Furthermore, we deliver excellent customer service by showing up for appointments on time, being transparent about the cost of fixing the issue and we make ourselves available to you anytime with our 24/7 emergency service. We also take great pride in doing high-quality work.
Give us a call today at 847-459-8070 to experience the Area Appliance Service difference for yourself.
