DeLints

SPECIALIZES IN DRYER and DRYER VENT CLEANING

DeLints is the ONLY EXPERIENCED company to call to perform all of your dryer and vent cleaning needs. Do not be fooled by cheap imitations! We are the first and only professional Dryer and Dryer Vent Cleaning Service in the Wiregrass. We have a background of over 17 years in appliance repair. So we know you’re dryer and what it needs to function properly and safely.

We do not compete with service and repair companies; we compliment their existing businesses. DeLints is not in the dryer repair business; we are in the vent cleaning business. Dryer malfunction is caused by lint buildup or inadequate ventilation, and when service personnel can't find a problem with the machine, it is definitely a vent problem that we can solve. We work together with the sales, service, and repair companies to maintain customer satisfaction and everybody wins.

The #1 Reason we offer this service: *there were 15,600 dryer fires, which resulted in 20 deaths and 370 injuries. Most people don't know that their dryer and dryer vent needs to be cleaned annually, or they put off the cleaning because they don’t have time, or think that a fire will never happen to them. Most people clean out their lint filter and think that's it. But that's not all that needs to be done. Dryer lint collects inside and behind the dryers and also in the vent. Lint is Highly Flammable, accounting for MOST DRYER FIRES. The dryer vent duct is where lint can really build up and get clogged, In addition to lint buildup; improper installation of your dryers venting system can also pose a serious danger to you, your family and your home.

The #2 Reason is: With lint buildup it takes more energy and money to dry your clothes. If your dryer isn't drying your clothes like it used to, you may not need a new dryer! A dryer vent clogged with lint reduces airflow so your dryer doesn't dry as efficiently as it used to. An inefficient dryer also uses more energy, therefore costing you more money in the long run.

THE ONLY SOLUTION! Is to have DeLints, the Dryer Vent Cleaning Professionals inspect and clean the venting systems and dryer.

*Source - the consumer products safety commission

Consumer Product Safety Commission

Underwriters Laboratories Inc.

WHO NEEDS THIS SERVICE?

Almost Everyone With A Dryer Does!

Homeowners, Condo Owners, Apartment Residents, Property Managers, Real Estate Companies, Appliance Leasing Companies, Maintenance and Repair Companies, Appliance Sales & Service Companies

Especially those homes with dryers located on inside walls. These centralized locations cause dryers to be vented greater distances, resulting in lint buildup and other obstructions, which seriously affect the performance of dryers. All dryer manufacturers recommend the yearly delinting dryer and of dryer vents.

What do we offer with our service?

A standard cleaning will involve unhooking the dryer and checking the dryer’s initial performance, taking before and after air flow reading by using our anemometer, before and after back pressure readings with a manometer. Use state of the art video equipment to view the condition of the vent system, clean vent system as necessary with special tools and checking all the connections and that the proper equipment is in use. We also perform an internal inspection, cleaning and lubrication of dryer and a final performance check.

So Don't Take The Chance! Put Safety in the Hands of The Professionals

Call DeLints today

334-792-3445

It will help protect your family and your home from a potential fire hazard and SAVE YOU MONEY by reducing energy consumption as well. The longer your dryer has to run the more it costs you. The cost of this service is nothing compared to the price you could have to pay if you have a dryer fire "IT COULD BE WITH YOUR LIFE" How much is it worth? Vent Inspections and cleanings are only $95.00, so why wait?

Don't take the risk!

Have your Dryer and Dryer Vent Inspected, and Cleaned Immediately!

FAQ’s

My dryer takes forever to dry my clothes, what's wrong?
To best answer this question let me first give you a brief explanation of how your dryer works. When you turn on your dryer the drum starts to tumble and then the heating element or burner kicks on to provide heat inside the drum to dry the clothes. That hot, moist air then gets expelled through the dryer vent to the outside. A clothes dryer just like a furnace has a "high limit switch" which is an emergency shut down switch that prevents the appliance from overheating. The reason I mention this is because a clogged or blocked dryer vent can cause the high limit switch to be tripped. So let's go back to the original question, "what's wrong?" Although the problem of the clothes not drying could be a myriad of things, one of the most common is a clogged or blocked dryer vent. This is what happens — You turn the dryer on, the drum begins to tumble, the burner turns on and because the vent is clogged the hot, moist air can't escape. The dryer gets hotter and hotter until the high limit switch is triggered which in turn shuts off the burner, or heating element. The drum continues to tumble, however. When the dryer has naturally cooled down the burner kicks on again and the whole process happens all over again, which is why it takes so long for the clothes to dry. If this keeps happening the high limit switch will eventually break and the element or burner won't turn on at all. If your dryer is taking longer than one cycle to dry an ordinary load of clothes you may have a clogged vent, or you may have a broken high limit switch and a clogged vent, or it may be something else. The first step to solve the problem is to have a reputable appliance repair company come out and evaluate the situation. If it turns out that it's the venting, give us a call at 334-792-3445, we'll be happy to clean it out for you. Our dryer vent service consists of cleaning the entire venting, replacing any short to medium length piece of white vinyl with flexible aluminum and proper clamps, cleaning the lint compartment, cleaning the undercarriage and checking the outside flap. If the dryer vent is the culprit, having it thoroughly cleaned will solve the problem, at least until it gets dirty again.

How long should a dryer vent be?
The maximum length of a dryer vent should not exceed 25 feet. Sounds simple enough, right? But there's a little more to it than that. You must consider every elbow too. And as far as air resistance goes, every elbow is equivalent to 5 feet of straight venting. Let me give you an example. Let's say your dryer vent has 10 feet total of straight venting and two elbows, that would be equal to 20 feet: 10ft + 2 elbows (5ft + 5ft) = 20 feet. In that example you would be under the maximum. Make sense? So now that we know how long a dryer vent should be, "Why does it matter so much?” is the next logical question. It matters because the small blower motor in your dryer can push that wet, sometimes heavy, lint only so far, and if the dryer vent is too long or has too many elbows that lint will accumulate much faster causing clogs and a potential fire hazard. Now I bet you're saying, "But I empty my lint basket every time I use my dryer, shouldn't that prevent any lint from accumulating?” Even though that is a great discipline to have and I commend you if you do clean the basket every load, unfortunately the lint basket itself does not stop all the lint your clothes produce. A lot of the lint does get past the basket and then accumulates in the vent and also the undercarriage. Unless you have a short run with minimal elbows, your dryer vent is bound to get lint accumulation. This is not to say that the short ones don't accumulate lint — they do. It's just that a shorter run will take longer to get dirty than a longer one. The best rule of thumb to follow when venting a dryer is — the shortest length possible with the least amount of elbows.

Is that white vinyl stuff okay to use for venting my dryer?
Let me answer that as emphatically as I can, NO! NO! NO! The white vinyl ducting is only supposed to be used on appliances that don't create heat, like a bathroom exhaust fan. Otherwise the stuff can melt and if it melts, it can't contain a fire or at the very least slow the spread of a fire if one does start. I see this stuff way too often in people's homes. If you read the owner's manual that came with your dryer I'd bet a dollar to a dime it says not to use the white vinyl either. Only rigid metal or flexible metal venting should be used with a clothes dryer. That's why when DeLints cleans your dryer vent we replace that short piece of white vinyl with a piece of aluminum venting. And if you have an overly long piece of the white stuff we'd tell you to have the whole line replaced by a heating contractor using rigid metal piping.

Is it okay to vent my dryer indoors?
Again I'd have to say NO. Although there are kits you can buy that allow you to vent a dryer indoors, there are some real good reasons not to. First of all that's a whole lot of moisture that you'd be putting into the house, maybe too much. An average load of wash, after the spin cycle, retains anywhere from one to two gallons of water. All that moisture could cause mold problems or even damage your walls and decor. Second, by venting indoors you'd be putting quite a bit of lint dust into the house, not the best of situations if your goal is to keep a clean, healthy home. Third, if the dryer you're using is gas; it will be exhausting carbon monoxide along with the hot, wet air. This is not something you want to be breathing. (It could kill you)

Why do birds nest in dryer vents and what can I do to prevent them from doing so?
Birds love dryer vents for a couple of reasons: 1) It's great protection from predators. 2) The warm air is good for incubating their eggs and keeping warm in cold weather. To prevent birds from nesting in your dryer there are two things you can do: 1) Install a screen on the outside flap. Be careful though, you must make sure the vent is clean first and that the screen you decide on has large enough holes for lint to escape but still keep birds out. Once it's installed you have to keep an eye on it. Check the screen every couple of months or so for any build up of lint. Even if the holes in the screen are large, lint is still likely to accumulate. 2) Even better than a screen, but more involved to install, would be a back draft damper. This device is installed in the dryer duct and remains closed until the force of the dryer air pushes it open. Note, I'm not talking about the outside flap here. Birds easily get those open with their beaks. This is a specialty item available at home improvement stores, but like I said they are not that easy to install.

My dryer vent is much too long, what can I do?
I've seen a lot of these types of vents. Too long and too many elbows. There are a few things you can do however. First, see if the dryer vent can be rerouted to make it shorter or with less elbows. If it can, the service professional you want to do it would most likely be a heating contractor, just make sure that they do this sort of work. If it is possible to reroute the dryer it's well worth it. You'll save money on energy and extend the life of your dryer. If rerouting the vent is out of the question, then at least have it cleaned often enough to keep your dryer running efficiently. How often is that? There are too many factors involved to say. You need to have it cleaned, then see how long it takes before it's clogged again. Only then can you set a regular schedule. How do you know it's clogged again? The clothes are taking too long to dry.

What can I do to maintain my dryer and help prevent a fire?
The following is a list of do's and don'ts that will help greatly, if you do them. I would strongly suggest you go over this list, even this article, with everyone in your family. I hope this article has helped you understand just how important and dangerous something as simple and rarely thought of as a dryer vent is. Prevention is the key. Be safe.

12 things you can do to be safe and keep your dryer running efficiently

1) Clean the lint screen after every load. Your clothes will dry faster, your dryer will operate more efficiently, AND you will reduce the risk of fire hazard. Never operate the dryer without a lint screen.

2) Softener sheets can cause a waxy build up on the lint screen. Occasionally wash the lint screen with soapy water and dry it completely before replacing it in the dryer.

3) Any needed repairs should be made at once. Never operate a faulty dryer.

4) Have the dryer duct and lint compartment cleaned by a professional at least once a year. Cleaning more often may be required if the vent is very long or has many elbows.

5) Always follow the manufacturer's instructions when using any appliance. This includes maintenance steps.

6) Make sure that the dryer's exhaust duct is unrestricted and free of blockage. Also make sure the flap on the outside works properly.

7) Never exhaust a dryer into any other duct, gas vent, chimney or crawl space. This could create a fire hazard from exhausted lint.

8) Never allow the gas line to any appliance to become kinked. Inspect the gas line and/or the electrical cord for deterioration. If you ever smell gas, contact your local gas company at once.

9) Keep the area around the dryer free of excess clothing or other combustible material.

10) Never, EVER, put a load of clothes in the dryer and leave the house or go to bed.

11) Never dry articles of clothing that have been exposed, even a little, to any sort of flammable liquids such as gasoline or cleaning solvents, etc.

12) Make sure that the outlet the dryer is plugged into is suitable for that appliance's electrical needs.