ServiceMaster Clean Property Services Vancouver has been synonymous with Dryer Vent Cleaning in the Lower Mainland for more than two decades. This is because dryer vent and dryer duct cleaning is one of our core services. Without a doubt, we’ve cleaned hundreds of thousands of dryer vents in that time, from one room bungalows to thousand unit high rise apartment buildings. As a result, our crews are highly experienced, and can diagnose and solve any problem they may encounter.
The most common damage resulting from improperly maintained dryer ducts is water damage. This is due to the fact that, when a blockage occurs, condensation forms and collects within the pipe. Over time, this wet debris may sag and crack the vent. This may cause thousands of dollars in damage to the surrounding structure.
Annual cleaning of the dryer ducts is the accepted solution to prevent dryer inefficiency and stay ahead of expensive damage. This is because condensation build up is a result of poor air flow. Once a vent system becomes compromised it can be challenging and expensive to correct the problem, especially in slab ducts systems. Therefore, annual maintenance, assessment and dryer duct cleaning is the foremost defence for a multi-unit property. Allow us to help you with all of your dryer vent cleaning anywhere in the Vancouver area.
SAFETY
Safety is the most important aspect of the service when accessing Dryer Vents above 10 ft. Because of this our teams are all Fall Protection Certified and most have Rope Access Certification as well. The team will access exterior vents using aerial lifts, ladders and rope access, accompanied by a compliant fall protection system.
Dryer Vent and Duct Cleaning Technique
The primary method we use for vent cleaning is to insert a skip into the ducting that blows high pressure air through. This system pushes (or pulls) any debris like lint, dust or other small items, out of the ducting. This process results in a clear and serviceable duct that will allow your dryer to vent its moisture outside, and not back into the building.
Basic Definitions
Maintenance Dryer Duct Cleaning vs Restorative Cleaning
Maintenance dryer duct cleaning is an annual or biannual task which is intended to keep functional ducting functional. This service is intended to prevent problems, it is not intended to fix existing problem that have already occurred.
If maintenance duct cleaning is neglected, lint buildup can eventually lead to an obstruction, particularly where the design of the duct system is not ideal. This is where restorative cleaning comes in.
Restorative dryer duct cleaning is necessary once a dryer duct is already blocked. Any dryer duct that still has reduced airflow after standard maintenance cleaning requires restorative cleaning. Restorative cleaning takes additional time and specialized tools to accomplish. Because we never know what we might find when providing this service, it is always billed as an extra on a time and materials basis and the results are not guaranteed.
Exterior Dryer Duct Cleaning
The most important and effective part of our cleaning process is always performed from the outside. Exterior dryer duct cleaning involves accessing the exterior vent, inserting an air hose or “skip” as far as possible into the duct and extracting it, pulling any lint from the system. This process is repeated until material stops coming out. Exterior cleaning generally provides good results and is quite effective on its own but we always recommend that it is combined with our interior service for the best results.
Interior Dryer Duct Cleaning – Suite Access Required
Although the most critical aspect of the cleaning process always takes place from the outside, suite access remains an important and recommended part of the dryer duct cleaning process for several reasons. First of all, interior access allows our technicians to better assess the entire system for function and safety. During interior cleaning our technicians inspect the ducting system to ensure that; booster fans are functional, the lint screens are properly installed and clean, that the flex hose is properly connected and free of kinks, and that the dryer and ducting are functional and free of blockages. Our technicians will clean and vacuum the lint screens and wherever practicable, disconnect the flex hose from the wall and use their air skip to mobilize any debris further into the ducting, allowing debris to be more effectively extracted from the outside.
Interior dryer duct cleaning becomes even more important is situations where the duct run is less than ideal because it is too long, has too many bends, or is constructed using the wrong ducting.
Vent Covers
Having the correct type of vent cover is essential for proper air flow. This means that, the vent must have an appropriate damper system and a sufficiently large opening or grid. Despite this, we have found that the correct covers are often not installed on dryer vents. Sometimes, the covers used are not designed for dryer vents but are intended for for bathroom or kitchen exhaust systems. Having the correct cover is the number one defence in maintaining air flow. We can help specify, remove and replace vent covers, this is most efficient to do at the same with the annual cleaning.
CLEANING PROGRAM FOR SHARED LAUNDRY ROOM VENTS
ServiceMaster Clean Residential Vancouver is launching a program for regular maintenance of common laundry room dryer vents across the Lower Mainland. The constant use of these facilities generates huge amounts of lint build up in very short time spans. The result is less efficient dryers, risk of damage to the machines, and greater risk of fires. Our maintenance program drastically reduces those risks and related costs.
To give an example, manufacturers recommend annual dryer vents vent cleaning for regular 1 family use of a dryer. This is based on a few loads of laundry dried per week. Common laundry room dryers are used many more times each day than one family would use during an entire week.
Booster Fan Cleaning
A booster fan is recommend to help maintain sufficient airflow levels if your dryer vent line exceeds 25 feet. Because of this, the booster fan should be cleaned at least once a year to ensure safe and adequate function. During our booster fan cleaning service, our technicians remove all lint and debris that has built up on the fan and its mechanical components. Afterwards, the booster fan is inspected to ensure it is fully-functioning and helping your vent system operate at maximum efficiency.