Rooftop Maintenance for the Winter

Whether you want it to or not, winter is coming to the Dallas area. We do not typically get heavy snows that pile up on our roofs, here. But this time of year does bring some changes to the environment that can cause costly problems for your home. These problems often start from your roof and work their way down. While you cannot stop Old Man Winter, you can perform some rooftop maintenance to protect your home from his tricks. Everything from rooftop dryer vent cleaning and inspection to gutter cleaning, we’ll outline several easy tasks you can do to prepare for winter!

Winter Weather Necessitates Rooftop Maintenance

In the Dallas metro area, temperatures can drop below freezing anytime from October through February. With these cold bursts come potential for snow, sleet and freezing rain. Ice storms have caused major damage in the past, just as they will in the future. The only thing you can do is to prepare your home and family through rooftop maintenance and other readiness for what winter can bring.

Early preparation is extremely important, especially when it comes to working on your roof. As temperatures drop, roof shingles become more slippery as these materials harden in the cold. Add even a little dew or rain, and performing rooftop maintenance can become deadly.

Start your rooftop maintenance early. Schedule important services, such as rooftop dryer vent cleaning and inspection, in late summer or early fall. In light of how the weather works in the Dallas area and for safety, you should try to get this work done each year by Thanksgiving.

Important Rooftop Maintenance Needs

For your Dallas area home, you need rooftop maintenance and inspection at least twice yearly. Ideally, you should schedule services for spring and fall. But who does this work and what do you need them to do?

Tree Maintenance

Professional tree maintenance is very important for preventing a range of problems, some of which are catastrophic. A single tree branch can drop onto your roof from light winds or a heavy storm, breaking through your roof. Or, an unstable tree can fall over from wet grounds, heavy ice or blustery winds. A branch or a tree can also bring down power lines onto your home, causing a fire or risk of electrocution. Many people do not realize that rodents and racoons can use branches as a highway to your rooftop and into your home, such as through a rooftop dryer vent.

Gutter Cleaning Service

Your rain gutters quickly fill with leaves, twigs, acorns and other debris during autumn and winter. This debris clogs the gutters and prevents proper water flow. As a result, ice builds up at the edge of the roof and causes leaks and other damage. Having professionals clean your gutters is certainly safer than doing it yourself. Removing this debris can also add years to the life of your roof and interior walls beneath it.

Flashing Inspection

Roof flashing is an aluminum or galvanized metal covering placed where structures attach to your roof. These structures include joints, the base of the chimney, around skylights or at your rooftop dryer vent. This flashing plays a very important role, directing water away from these joined areas and off the roof slope.

Have this flashing inspected at least twice per year, such as when your dryer vent cleaning service performs their work and your chimney sweep cleans the chimney. Each of these professionals know how to ensure the flashing properly performs its function. If they find problems during inspection, they can fix the flashing for you.

Shingle Inspection

Loose, worn or missing shingles can cause major problems during winter weather, even in the fairly temperate Dallas area. The main function of these shingles is to keep your home dry. When compromised, one shingle can cause tens of thousands of dollars in water damage. One bad shingle can also cause others around it to lift, loosen or blow away.

Rooftop Dryer Vent Cleaning and Inspection

Rooftop dryer vent cleaning and inspection is rarely considered as important as it is to the safety of your home. In fact, many home fires in the Dallas area start because of a poorly maintained dryer vent. These fires cost Americans over $238 million each year and injure 440 people. Dryer lint is the biggest culprit in starting these blazes.

If you think about the type of clothing you wear in winter and your family’s use of heavier materials like blankets, you can imagine how much more lint your household generates in colder weather. Although dryer fires can spark anytime of year, fall and winter certainly make your dryer and its dryer vent work harder. With excess lint, you are simply waiting for a fire to start.

Dallas Area Rooftop Dryer Vent Cleaning and Inspection

Have the experts at Superior Dryer Vent Cleaning to clean your Dallas rooftop dryer vents now as part of rooftop maintenance, before the weather grows colder. We can also inspect your dryer vent, internal dryer connections, roof vent flashing and vent screen. You need to schedule this service out to keep your rooftop dryer vent or other dryer venting clean and fire risk-free. Schedule Superior Dryer Vent Cleaning by calling (214) 494-9740 now.

Learn More:

Dryer Vent Cleaning for a Dryer Vent on the Roof

Where Birds and Rodents Bed Down for the Winter

Dryer Vent Repair & Maintenance Tips for Homeowners

November 20, 2020November 23, 2020

Where Birds and Rodents Bed Down for the Winter

Did you know that birds and rodents use aspects of your home for nesting during the winter? They need to stay warm just as we do during harsh weather. Because they tend to be less active during lower temperatures, many people believe they hibernate. Instead, they bed down in parts of your home where they can find warmth, protection and quiet. This is why you need to put forth a little extra effort before winter, to keep rats, mice, squirrels and birds out of your dryer vents and other places they like to hide.

Where Rodents Like to Bed Down for Winter

Rats, mice, squirrels, other rodents and even raccoons can sense that the inside of your home is toasty warm when the temperatures plummet outside. This makes them want to be inside, but where you cannot see or disturb them. They also seek to get closer to any food sources they can find, such as from your cabinets, pet food bowls and garbage. These destructive creatures can use any opening to your home as a wintertime superhighway to meet all of these needs. Some of their favorite entry points are dryer vents, garages, chimneys, broken basement windows, gaps in eaves and crawl spaces.

Extra dryer lint that can be found in your dryer vent works very well for rodent and raccoon bedding. This dryer lint provides a soft, absorbent and toasty warm material for them to build a winter nest. Dryer vents are warmer than the outdoors and provide shelter from winter elements. They are particularly warm when you are running your dryer.

In many ways, living in a dryer vent can provide everything one of these little animals needs to survive even the harshest winter. Whether you have a rooftop dryer vent or one closer to ground level, you need to ensure it has a protective vent cover before winter begins. You should also have your dryer vent cleaning company clean the vent before winter and at the start of spring. Ask them to check the dryer vent covers and for any signs of animal entry.

Other places in which rodents and raccoons like to bed down for the winter include:

Garages
Chimneys
Basements
Crawl spaces
Sheds and outbuildings
Vehicles
Burrowed dens around the home

Where Birds Seek Shelter from the Winter Weather

Like rodents, birds seek warm spaces in which to retreat during cold weather. They typically prefer to stay in trees. But if they have few trees to choose from or need a safer space, they seek shelter in other tall structures. Your home can fulfill this need nicely, particularly if you have a rooftop dryer vent. Other places birds like to nest during the winter include corner eaves, gutters and chimneys.

To keep birds from nesting in these places around your roof, ensure you have a chimney cap installed. We recommend installing a Defender for side terminating dryer vents to keep birds and rodents out. It is very important to have your dryer vent cleaning company check the cover of your rooftop dryer vent a couple of times per year. At the same time, you can have them clean your dryer vent to prevent nesting and reduce fire risk. Have your gutters and chimney cleaned before winter sets in, too.

Why You Should Not Let Creatures Nest in Your Dryer Vents and Other Parts of Your Home

Although it can sound humane to let these little creatures nest in the warm spaces around your home’s exterior, it is actually quite dangerous. Rodent and bird droppings are highly acidic and contain disease-causing pathogens. They cause major health problems in people and animals, just as their acidity damages your roof and home materials.

You should not risk trying to prepare the roof areas and rooftop features of your home for winter unless you are specially trained to do so. Professionals have the right training, equipment and protective clothing to do this work for you. Call your local dryer vent cleaning company to properly clean and cover your dryer vent. Then have your chimney sweep perform the same work on your chimney. Your local landscaping or gutter cleaning company can clear your gutters and install vent covers as needed, too.

Dryer Vent Cleaning for Winter in the Dallas Area

In the Dallas area, simply call the dryer vent cleaning experts of Superior Dryer Vent. We will provide seasonal cleaning and ensure you have a protective dryer vent cover. At the same time, this work reduces your risk for home fire, helps your laundry dry faster and keeps little creatures from getting into your home. Schedule your appointment today by calling (214) 494-9740.

Learn More:

5 Warning Signs of a Clogged Dryer Vent

Is Your Dryer Vent a Fire Hazard?

Dryer Vent Services & Installation

About Superior Dryer Vent

Fall Cleaning before the Holiday Rush

Dryer Vent Cleaning for a Dryer Vent on the Roof

Is Your Dryer Vent a Fire Hazard?

November 12, 2020November 12, 2020

Fall Cleaning before the Holiday Rush

Fall rooftop dryer vent cleaning before the holiday rush

Almost everyone has heard of spring cleaning, but fall cleaning is equally important (cue laundry room organization, leaf raking and rooftop dryer vent cleaning). In fact, you should conduct a seasonal cleaning routine in your Dallas-Fort Worth area home at least twice per year. This effort refreshes your home and prepares it for the coming months.

But what cleaning should you do in the fall? Below, we explore important duties to include on your fall cleaning list. This list includes everything from your rooftop dryer vents and chimney, down to your laundry room and everything in between.

Exterior Fall Cleaning Tips

You need to start your fall cleaning outdoors before temperatures drop too low. Small animals like mice, rats and squirrels like to find winter shelters early, such as in your ground-level or rooftop dryer vents.

Some of the most important exterior fall cleaning duties include:

Dryer vent cleaning and checking dryer vent screens
Chimney sweeping and placing a chimney cap
Gutter cleaning and screening gutters as needed
General rooftop debris removal
Checking roof shingles for signs of wear

You should also clear away clutter from your sidewalks, driveway and footpaths. Prepare your landscaping for harsh temperatures and rake away all of the leaves. Power wash your windows, exterior hard surfaces and patio furniture. Store outdoor furnishings to protect them from wintertime water damage.

Fall Cleaning for Your Kitchen

Particularly in colder weather, the kitchen is the heart of your DFW home. It is usually the first room people go into after school or work, during mealtimes and when you want to enjoy some socialization as temperatures drop.

Fall cleaning in the kitchen looks much like your spring to-do list. You need to clean your appliances, clear counters and wipe them down, scrub your sink and clean the floors.

Bathroom Cleaning for Fall

You should perform major cleaning in your bathroom for the fall, but continue smaller cleaning chores regularly throughout the year.

Fall cleaning in the bathroom should include:

Clearing off counters
Wiping down shower or enclosed bath walls
Cleaning the tub, shower, toilet and sink
Refreshing towels
Sweeping and mopping floors
Dusting walls and the ceiling to remove cobwebs
Cleaning light fixtures and the ceiling vent or fan

Living Room Cleaning for Fall

Fall cleaning in the living room should focus on removing allergens, clearing away dust and debris, and decluttering the space. You will spend a great deal of time in this room during a chilly Dallas area winter, so you need clean air to breathe and space to relax. Some of the most important fall cleaning duties for the living room include:

Remove clutter
Clean carpets, rugs and curtains
Dust walls and the ceiling to remove cobwebs
Vacuum or professionally clean the upholstery
Clean beneath furniture
Clean and prepare the fireplace
Sweep and mop hard floors
Clean light fixtures or ceiling fans
Clean television screens and other electronic devices

Bedroom Cleaning for Fall

As in the living room, much of your bedroom cleaning should focus on removal of dust, debris, clutter and allergens these typically promote. In the months when we spend so much time indoors, allergens and dust can cause breathing problems, increased sensitivity to colds, allergic reactions and headaches.

Fall cleaning for the bedroom should include:

Carpet, curtain and upholstered furniture cleaning
Dusting walls and ceiling
Cleaning air vents
Cleaning light fixtures and ceiling fans
Removal of clutter
Laundering duvets, comforters, quilts and pillows
Dusting electronics
Cleaning beneath furniture
Sweeping and mopping hard floors

Laundry Room Fall Cleaning

Never underestimate the importance of seasonally cleaning your laundry room. Many household fires in the Dallas-Fort Worth area start in this space, particularly from built-up dryer lint and other debris. When you have your dryer vent cleaning company clean the ground-level dryer vent or rooftop dryer vent (and check the dryer vent screen outside too), ask them to check your laundry room indoors, too. They can inspect the dryer position at the wall and reduce your fire risk in other ways.

Besides rooftop dryer vent cleaning for fall, you need to perform some other chores in this space. These duties include:

Sweeping dryer lint and other debris from the floors and beneath appliances
Decluttering the laundry room
Placing hanging clothes and piled laundry in proper rooms
Properly storing cleaning solutions and other household products
Wiping down the inside and exterior of appliances
Mopping hard floors
Dusting walls and ceiling to remove excess dryer lint and cobwebs
Cleaning light fixtures and air vents

For dryer vent cleaning, dryer vent screen repair and laundry area safety inspection as part of your fall cleaning, call Superior Dryer Vent Cleaning in Plano, Texas at (214) 494-9740.

Home Exterior & Laundry Room Fall Cleaning

Learn More:

How to Upgrade Your Laundry Room

A One-Week Plan to a Healthier Laundry Room with the Help of Your Dryer Vent Cleaning Company

Is Your Dryer Vent a Fire Hazard?

November 6, 2020November 9, 2020

Getting Crafty with Dryer Lint

Put Your Dryer Lint Catcher to Good Use!

If you are a DIY or composting type of person, you probably dislike waste. In fact, one of the biggest sources of waste in your home is garbage that could otherwise serve some other purpose. Maybe you have noticed the amount of dryer lint you throw away each week and wonder, “How can I get crafty with this?” Believe or not, the lint you collect from your dryer lint trap or dryer lint catcher can serve a range of purposes in your household.

What is dryer lint, anyway?

Dryer lint is the material you collect from your dryer lint catcher and is often made up of clean scraps of fluff and threads from your clothing. If you have pets, your lint filter also catches their hairs from your laundry. When the lint trap and dryer are working as they should, you do not have to worry about your clean clothing having loose fibers or fabric cast-offs all over them.

However, this lint builds up in places beyond just the lint trap. It also drifts into the dryer vent outside of your home, whether near ground level or on the rooftop. As much as you find in the filter between each load, just imagine how much lint goes through this vent! That is why you need professional dryer vent cleaning.

Why is dryer vent cleaning so important?

Regardless of whether you decide to recycle your dryer lint or throw it in the trash, it is important to clean the filter before or after every laundry load. After all, in the Dallas area and throughout Texas, lint is a frequent cause of home fires.

You also need semi-annual dryer vent cleaning to remove this excess combustible material from your vents near the foundation level or on your roof. Otherwise, it continues to build up. Then, these vents become even more attractive to rodents and birds for nesting.

Not scheduling dryer vent cleaning also leads to problems with this important household appliance. Your dryer can stop getting your clothes dry, at all. Then, it must work too hard to keep up with your laundry needs. From there, it is only a matter of time until breakdown.

5 Ways to Re-Use Your Dryer Lint

Dryer lint is one of the most recyclable substances in your home. It is already washed by the time you pull it from the filter. It is super soft and continually in supply. So why not get crafty with it? Below are some of our suggestions for doing so.

1. Warm and Cozy Bedding for Your Pets

Whether you have pet mice, hamsters, guinea pigs or other caged creatures, they will appreciate lint for their nesting purposes. Consider first how these little guys typically bed down on splintery pine shavings. Then, imagine how soft dryer lint will feel to their little bodies. They can use lint just like pine fragments for nesting, burrowing and soiling.

If you choose to reuse your excess lint in this way, switch to natural laundry detergent and avoid using fabric softeners. These pets are typically sensitive to fragrances and other chemicals.

2. Dry Material for the Compost Pile

Few people realize that natural fibers like those found in your dryer lint trap are perfect for composting. They make up part of your dry or brown composting calculations. The material does not bring moisture to the pile and will not rot. So, go ahead and throw the lint onto your heap of carrot pieces, eggshells and apple cores!

3. Sewn Craft Stuffing

Do you make stuffed dolls or other plush toys? How about throw pillows or comforters? If so, dryer lint is one of the softest materials you can use for stuffing these handicrafts. Commercially made items like these typically have less safe fibers within them, such as polyester fiber fill or other chemically-created material.

4. Fire Starting Material

Northeast Texas winters can be chilly because the air is often damp. When winter cuts through you, there is nothing better than lighting a fire in the fireplace, fire pit or chimenea. When you need to get a fire going, keep a supply of dryer lint handy. Wrap the lint in wax paper to get things burning. You can even stuff toilet paper rolls with lint to create miniature fire starter “logs.”

5. Packing Material

Are you moving soon? Or, do you need to pack away fragile items for storage? Start cleaning your dryer lint trap regularly and save your dryer lint to cushion the breakables you need to pack. This free material works just as well as bubble wrap or packing peanuts. But it is natural material, unlike those Styrofoam nuggets that frustrate any eco-conscious soul.

Schedule Semi-Annual Dryer Vent Cleaning to Keep Your Household Safe

You can get crafty with dryer lint as part of home economy and green living. But, besides being economical and eco-conscious, you want to keep your home safe. One of the best ways to do so is to have the experts provide professional dryer vent cleaning each year. In the DFW area, call Superior Dryer Vent Cleaning at (214) 494-9740.

Learn more with Superior:

A One-Week Plan to a Healthier Laundry Room with the Help of Your Dryer Vent Cleaning Company

How to Upgrade Your Laundry Room

Dryer Vent Cleaning for a Dryer Vent on the Roof

October 29, 2020November 2, 2020

Preventing Fires that Start In Your Clothes Dryer

The idea of losing everything you own to a dryer fire is scary. But this happens to thousands of people every year, many of whom live right here in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex area. There are ways to prevent these household fires, so the damage is both sad and senseless. Below, we look at how these fires begin because of multiple issues like dirty dryer vents and excess lint. We also examine how you can prevent a dryer fire in your own home.

Are dryer fires common?

According to the National Fire Protection Association, dryer fires are more common than most people realize. Some key statistics include:

An average of 15,790 home fires starting in laundry appliances occurred each year from 2010 to 2014
Dryer fires and washing machine fires cause 13 deaths, 444 injuries and about $238 million in damage each year
92 percent of laundry appliance fires start with the dryer
Dust, fiber, lint and clothing are the most common items igniting a dryer fire
Excess lint and fibers caused 26 percent of dryer fires

How Dryer Fires Start

As you can see from the statistics above, dryer lint is a major factor in the starting of these fires. By cleaning your dryer’s lint filter, you are taking a major step toward fire safety. Lint is very combustible. It plays a major part in most fires when the material comes in contact with the appliance’s hot working parts.

Lint builds up inside the dryer vent, being how dryer fires start in many homes. This vent has many turns and bent areas where lint collects. All it takes is one overheated part to ignite this material. A bad heating element is often the reason the lint goes up in flames. The heating element overheats because of issues like a faulty temperature sensor. Positioning the dryer too close to a wall or using duct extenders made of thin foil or plastic are also how dryer fires start.

How to Prevent a Dryer Fire

You can prevent a dryer fire by cleaning out the lint filter between each load of laundry. This highly flammable material ignites quickly and provides exactly what a spark or extreme heat needs to make your house go up in flames.

Other ways to prevent a dryer fire include:

Professional dryer vent cleaning and dryer vent inspection every 3 to 5 years
Keeping a five-pound ABC fire extinguisher within reach of your laundry appliances
Having your professional dryer vent cleaning service check vent location and size for safety
Paying attention to how your dryer operates
Not running the dryer while you sleep or when you leave the house
Contacting your professional dryer vent cleaning service if you notice signs of nesting birds or rodents around your vents

Putting Out a Dryer Fire

Putting out a dryer fire is made easier when you keep a five pound ABC fire extinguisher within reach of the appliance or laundry room. You also need to have a well-planned and practiced evacuation plan, should a fire begin. You should never risk your safety by putting out a fire. Always dial 911 for your local emergency services to respond from the closest Dallas or Fort Worth area fire department.

If you know you can contain the flames, there are six steps you should follow. If you do not feel confident in your ability to follow these six steps, leave your home immediately to concentrate on calling the fire department for help.

Six steps to putting out a dryer fire include:

Know the early signs of a dryer fire.

These signs include popping noises, extreme heat around your dryer or a burning odor.

Leave the dryer door closed.

Trying to open the door can cause burns on your body, while also feeding the fire with oxygen. Besides burns, you risk CO2 exposure and breathing in toxic fumes.

Put the fire out.

Extinguish the flames using an ABC extinguisher. Use the PASS technique:

P – Pull the pin using a firm motion
A – Aim the extinguisher low at the fire’s base
S – Squeeze the lever firmly
S – Using a sweeping and spraying motion from side to side at the base of the fire

Unplug your dryer after putting out a dryer fire.

By unplugging the appliance after putting out a dryer fire, you can help prevent reignition. But only do this if you do not see damage around the connections.

Safely exit your laundry room.

After putting out a dryer fire, safely exit the room. Ensure you close the door behind you, as doing so can contain fire if it starts again.

Make safety your biggest priority.

Before installing a new dryer or using your laundry appliances after putting out a dryer fire, call in some experts for inspection. Start with your licensed electrician who can inspect your electrical system. Also have your professional dryer vent cleaning service clean the dryer vents and check all of these connections for safety.

In the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex area, Superior Dryer Vent Cleaning provides the services you need to prevent dryer fires and keep your dryer in safe working order. Call us to schedule your twice-yearly dryer vent cleaning at (214)494-9740.

Read more about dryer fires and dryer vent best practices:

Is Your Dryer Vent a Fire Hazard?

Why You Need Dryer Vent Installation

Learn more at the Superior Dryer Vent Blog!

October 23, 2020October 23, 2020

A One-Week Plan to a Healthier Laundry Room with the Help of Your Dryer Vent Cleaning Company

Did you know that your laundry room can trigger respiratory infections, allergies, asthma and general breathing difficulties? Beyond physical health, a disorganized or poorly functioning laundry room can affect your mental health, too. With some help from your Dallas-Fort Worth area dryer vent cleaning company and our one-week plan, you can clear out the lint, get organized and live in a healthier home.

For a healthier laundry room, simply follow the plan below. Remember to schedule your dryer vent cleaning company visit in advance for day seven. Their service plays a big role in home health and safety.

Day One: Fully Clean Your Washer and Dryer

Clean appliances run better and get your laundry cleaner. This day’s tasks include:

Deep cleaning the washer
Deep cleaning the dryer
Scheduling the dryer vent cleaning company

Clean the Washer

To clean your washer, take the following measures:

Clean the exterior of your washer using a sponge or soft cloth dampened with cleaning solution
Use the same sponge or cloth to clean inside the washer’s lid
Ensure you clean the rubber seals on the lid
For a washer with a lint trap or removable detergent dispenser, remove these and clean with warm, soapy water
Use cotton swabs to remove grime and built-up gunk from crevices, seals and inside the lid
Pour one to two cups of white vinegar into the empty washer and run it on the hottest cycle

Clean the Dryer

Schedule your dryer vent cleaning company to clean the dryer vent as well as the inside of your dryer, just beyond the lint filter. You can likely see built up dust and debris in this area. Not only does this lint aggravate breathing conditions, it also creates a fire risk.

After ensuring you have the dryer vent cleaning company scheduled for their end of your maintenance, follow these steps:

Clean the exterior of your dryer using a sponge or soft cloth dampened with cleaning solution
Remove the lint filter and built-up lint from the filter compartment

Remember that it is dangerous to remove the cover of your dryer and you should not do so under any circumstances. Have pros with proper training and equipment provide this service for you. Simply call a dryer vent cleaning company for assistance.

Day Two: Free Yourself from Grime and Clutter

Clear all of the junk from the top of the washer, dryer and other surfaces in your laundry room. Also throw out empty containers, used dryer sheets, unnecessary objects and other trash. Throw out bottles of fluids you do not use. Next, tackle lint balls all over the room.

Once you complete those steps, move onto to these:

Vacuum your laundry room from floor to ceiling and everywhere in between, including under the appliances and furniture
Wash or spot clean furnishings, rugs and other textiles
Clean counter tops, doors and shelves using an all-purpose cleaner
Mop the floor, particularly the corners and under the edges of the appliances
If you can safely move the appliances aside enough to clean the floor beneath them, do so

Day Three: Organize for a Healthier Laundry Room

After decluttering on day two, you can more easily organize your laundry room.

Sort standard laundry products into those you use in every load and those you only use sometimes. In the “sometimes” category are supplies like stain fighters. Store your daily products close to the washer. Place the less often used products on another shelf for occasional access. Use open trays or baskets to organize.
Place a decorative bowl for loose change, safety pins, buttons, dollar bills and other things that fall out of pockets.
Place a small trash can nearby for easier disposal of dryer sheets and lint.

Day Four: Inventory Your Supplies and Maintenance Services

Now that you decluttered your supplies on day three, you are ready to inventory your laundry supplies. Purchase back-ups and store them in the proper space to stay organized.

Items to ensure you have on hand include:

Mending kit
Iron
Ironing board
Starch
White vinegar for stain removal and machine cleaning
Hangers
Folding drying rack
Clothing steamer

Day Five: Make Your Space Relaxing

For laundry in an unfinished basement or garage, consider adding some relaxing touches. Tips include:

Soft lighting
One or more outdoor rugs
Room divider screen
Shelving
Attractive baskets

Day Six: Establish Your Routine

Tips for managing your laundry and not letting it manage you include:

Sorting laundry instead of creating piles
Designating a basket or bin to separate hand washables
Leaving the washer door open for a better smelling laundry room
Cleaning the lint filter with every use
Scheduling routine service by a dryer vent cleaning company

Day Seven: Service by Your Dryer Vent Cleaning Company

You should already have an appointment with your dryer vent cleaning company. On this day, let them do their part to help you have a healthier laundry room. Their work helps you avoid risk for fires, rodent and bird nests in the vent, or other lint-related dangers. This service also helps you keep your home environment cleaner.

In the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area, call the pros of Superior Dryer Vent Cleaning for your dryer vent installation, relocation and cleaning needs. Learn more about our services and schedule your appointment by calling (214) 494-9740.

A One-Week Plan to a Healthier Laundry Room that Your Family Will Love!

October 16, 2020

How to Upgrade Your Laundry Room

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans spend an average of 54.2 hours per year doing laundry. This is a lot of time to spend in one bland room of your house, loading and unloading appliances and folding clothes mindlessly. You deserve more excitement from these hours. This is why we asked some of the pros at Superior Dryer Vent Cleaning Service in the DFW Metroplex for some tips about how to upgrade your laundry room.

The good news about laundry? That is, there is no hard and fast rule about how you must perform these tasks. This means you can upgrade your laundry room however you want. You only need to remember some key considerations, such as dryer vent placement and utility access when reconfiguring or redesigning your space.

Below are some steps for upgrading your laundry room:

Consider What You Want

Why do you want to upgrade your laundry room? What do you envision for making laundry chores better? What else is important to you? Answering these questions will help you formulate a basic plan. It will also help you figure out your budget.

Ask yourself questions like:

Do I need the laundry space to function better?
What makes doing laundry difficult in the current space?
Does the room need to look nice, too?
Will I limit the changes to the current room?
Am I relocating the laundry facilities?
Will I buy new appliances?
Do I envision removing walls or rerouting the dryer vent or plumbing?

Decide how you want your laundry space to function. Do you use your laundry room for storage? Does the space also serve traffic through a back door, such as in a mudroom capacity? Do you make crafts in the room or use it as an office? Do pets live in your laundry area? Do you need a space you can more easily keep organized and well-maintained, such as through dryer vent cleaning service?

Draft a Plan for Your Laundry Room

You need a written plan to achieve all of your laundry room goals within a reasonable amount of time. This plan will also help you whittle down your loftier project to one that is achievable and more in line with your priorities.

When developing your plan, it helps to get some tips or ideas from experts you work with on an ongoing basis. For example, next time you have your dryer vents cleaned, ask the dryer vent cleaning service technician what they suggest to upgrade your laundry room.

Some ideas for taking your laundry room to the next level include:

Rods or a drying closet for hanging clothes
Window
Wine refrigerator
Television or sound system
Device docking station
Pet washing station
Fold-down ironing board
Drying racks
Storage cabinets
Rolling carts
Counter space or an island
Counter stools or comfy seating

Engage Professionals or Choose to DIY

If your plan involves easy-to-execute changes like new wallpaper, wall paint, organizational bin system or placement of a cozy chair, you can probably complete the work on your own. But if you want major changes like new cabinetry, relocation of appliances, electrical wiring or structural changes, you need some expert help.

Remember, if you intend to move your washer and dryer from their current operating position, you must consider proper dryer vent placement. Talk to a dryer vent cleaning service early in this planning. They will help you understand where your appliances can work and where they cannot operate to maximum benefit. While they are visiting your home for dryer vent location or installation, have them perform dryer vent cleaning service on the existing vent. This is important before you start to upgrade your laundry room.

Develop Your Budget

Now that you know what you want to achieve in your space and how you want it to function, you have some idea of things you need to purchase. Explore the cost of these items and start making a list to form your budget. If you are engaging a designer or other outside service providers, talk to them about their rates, too.

Do not forget to get rates for special construction needs. These often include rewiring by an electrician, dryer vent location and dryer vent cleaning services, water line extension by a plumber or other services.

Establish a Timeline and Go!

Once you have your vision, experts involved and a budget, you can start working on your laundry room upgrade. First develop your timeline according to your available time, the pros’ schedules, project goals, budget and a targeted completion date. Then, when ready, start making your vision come to fruition!

Maintain Your New Laundry Space

After the work ends, you can enjoy your share of the average American’s 54.2 hours of laundry time per year. But do not forget important maintenance needed on an ongoing basis after you upgrade your laundry room. This maintenance includes dryer vent cleaning service to keep your home clean and safe from fire, nesting rodents, allergens and other problems. In the DFW Metroplex, call Superior Dryer Vent Cleaning at (214) 494-9740 for scheduling.

October 9, 2020October 13, 2020

Deciding Where to Put a Laundry Room In Your Home

If you are updating your current Dallas area home or building a new one, you likely spend time considering floor plans, kitchen and bathroom ideas and other exciting nuances of your project. But have you considered proper dryer vent installation? Yes, your dryer vent is an important part of laundry room construction, relocation or remodeling.

Many people forget about this important component of safe laundry operation. In fact, your dryer vent is much like a tether for your clothes dryer. You cannot have a fully functional laundry facility without both. Even more importantly, they must connect. This possibly limits where you can place a dryer in your home.

Below, we look at some of the essential considerations for the location of your laundry room construction or renovation project. With the experts of Superior Dryer Vent Cleaning’s help, we also explore the role of proper dryer vent installation.

3 Essential Guidelines of Laundry Room Location & Proper Dryer Vent Installation

When deciding where to put your laundry room in your home, you probably have more options than you think. You do not have to stick to the standard concept of the laundry space being near the back door in a boring room. Few people ever want to go into that room, the overwhelmingly cramped and disorganized one. Instead, you simply need to find a space that meets some basic guidelines.

Let’s consider the three basics of laundry facility location:

1. You need enough space.

Some people function well within limited space for laundry, whereas others need a full-sized room to accomplish all of their laundry tasks. Much of your decision on the size of your laundry facility relates to how much washing and drying you do each day, week or month. Households with many family members typically need a larger, well-organized room. But those with only one or two people living in the home can get by quite well with a compact stackable washer and dryer in a tight closet.

First, define what “enough space” means to you. Obviously, the biggest issue is square footage for the placement of your washer and dryer. You also need clearance to open the unit doors to put in and remove laundry. Ask yourself what else you need in your laundry space. Do you need shelves, a folding table, hanging racks, closets and cabinets?

2. Consider Placement of the Utility Connections

When measuring or calculating square footage for your laundry room, remember you need to compensate for laundry connections. These include both wet and dry connections such as the electric outlets, hot and cold water access and a well-placed dryer vent. Just as you do not want electrical cords extended across traffic paths, you must also consider proper dryer vent installation.

Proper dryer vent installation involves venting the dryer to the outdoors. This makes spaces near the outer perimeter of your home best suited for laundry facility placement. Rooftop dryer venting is another option.

3. Traffic Flow Patterns and Concealment of the Facilities

Considering your lifestyle and activities is important when building or redesigning a laundry room. You need to keep the washer, dryer, laundry supplies and laundry, itself, out of the way of foot traffic and everyday activities. Most people do not want to see their laundry appliances on an ongoing basis. They usually prefer to have them behind one or more doors, if not in a separate room.

At the same time, you may need convenience while doing laundry. A good example of this need is if you have small children or otherwise need to multi-task while performing your chores. For people sharing this lifestyle, laundry facilities provide the greatest convenience in the heart of the home.

Where should I put my laundry room?

To help you decide where to put your laundry room, we have some suggestions. These include the most common locations for these facilities:

Kitchen
Bathroom
Hallway nook
Mudroom
Garage
Service porch
Separate shed or outbuilding

As you develop your plan for your new laundry facilities, talk to the experts at Superior Dryer Vent Cleaning for guidance. You likely need their support in determining proper dryer vent installation.

Before, During and After Your New Laundry Room Project

As part of your laundry project, you have some key things to manage in relation to your dryer vent. These include:

Dryer vent cleaning on the existing vent
Proper dryer vent installation for the new facility
Ongoing dryer vent cleaning service

As you can see above, you have dryer vent maintenance, cleaning and installation needs before, during and after your laundry project’s completion. It helps to get your dryer vent cleaning experts involved early for these services and proper dryer vent installation. Not properly cleaning your pre-existing vent can lead to catastrophic fire. Such fires damage many Dallas, Texas area homes each year.

Superior Dryer Vent Cleaning in Plano, Texas provides dryer vent cleaning and proper dryer vent installation services for the DFW Metroplex and surrounding communities. Learn more about our services and schedule your visit today.

September 18, 2020September 22, 2020

Dryer Vent Cleaning for a Dryer Vent on the Roof

Address: Dallas, Texas, US
Telephone: (214) 494-9740

During the recent quarantine, we all spent more time at home and with our families. For most of us, this means we did more laundry each week than ever before. As the dryer in your home worked overtime, your dryer vents collected extra debris. Without dryer vent cleaning, you risk the possibility of multiple big problems. But how do you do this cleaning with a dryer vent on the roof?

Why is dryer vent cleaning so important?

Proper dryer care and maintenance are essential because this home appliance uses electricity and operates at such a high temperature. This makes a malfunctioning dryer a significant fire hazard. In fact, almost 3,000 dryer fires occur each year in the U.S., causing about $35 million in property damage. These fires also result in injuries and deaths.

Besides those caused by fire risk, poorly maintained dryer ventilation could lead to other types of injuries. Without professional cleaning, a blocked dryer vent can cause dangerous gases to leak back into your home. This pollutes your household air and negatively impacts your family’s health.

Should I hire professionals for my dryer vent cleaning?

Professional cleaning is particularly vital for a dryer vent on the roof. Besides the risks associated with not doing a thorough job of this cleaning, maintaining a roof vent can lead to serious injury. Your North Dallas-based pros at Superior Dryer Vent Cleaning have the right tools and experience to get this job done safely and correctly.

Steps for Cleaning a Dryer Vent on the Roof

Proper vent cleaning by the professionals extends the life of your dryer, reduces energy use, prevents fire, and keeps your household air clean. This cleaning involves more than removing excess lint, particularly in a home with a dryer vent on the roof.

Below are some of the steps that Superior’s professionals follow, specifically when cleaning your home’s rooftop dryer vent:

Inside Vent Cleaning

A thorough professional dryer vent cleaning starts inside your home. This is true, whether the vent extends out the side of your house or through a dryer vent on the roof. The pros first disconnect the dryer and clean the vent from where it begins. We use commercial-grade vacuums that clear more lint and debris than a household vacuum can remove.

Locating Your Dryer Vent on the Roof

Next, we locate the dryer vent on the roof. This sounds simple but is actually pretty tricky and dangerous. This is why you need experts to do this job for you.

After locating the vent, the pros must remove its cover. They remove caulking to do this and must exercise great care not to damage your roof. Damage can lead to a roof leak or other problems affecting the structure of your home. The pros know precisely how to take care of your roofing during this critical step.

Cleaning Rooftop Dryer Vents

After removing the cover from the dryer vent on the roof, we clean the vent. Again, this involves using a commercial-grade vacuum. This powerful device suctions out lint and debris that causes fires. After clearing the vent of lint and other matter, we wipe down the inside of the vent to remove any residual dust.

Sealing the Vent Cover

Properly sealing the vent cover is as critical as carefully removing it. We take great care to ensure rain and other moisture cannot get into the connection between the vent and your roof. This takes special training and proves why you need professionals performing this annual service for you. The last thing you want is water in your dryer vent or leaking through to damage your structure.

How often do I need my rooftop dryer vents cleaned?

For your dryer vent on the roof, you need yearly inspections and cleanings. This is the same maintenance schedule as for other dryer vents. A great time to get this work done is before you return to a regular schedule after quarantines, homeschooling, and at-home workdays end. By having the pros clean your vents now, you can go back to work with the confidence that your dryer will work as it should when you need it. You will also keep your home and family safe from the dangers of obstructed dryer vents.

Schedule a visit from our professionals today by calling Superior Dryer Vent Cleaning in Plano at 214-494-9740.

September 2, 2020September 15, 2020

How to Install a Dryer Vent Hose

Dryers are essential for any household, and it’s clear when they aren’t working properly. Is your dryer not heating up properly? Why does it take forever to dry your clothes? Could it be that you need help with replacing a dryer vent hose or servicing your dryer vent? When it comes to dryer maintenance, the questions add up.

When dryers start to malfunction and break down, the result is a kabosh on any laundry until the problem is fixed. Replacing a dryer vent hose is an essential skill that you can quickly do at home with the right tools and parts.

The dryer vent hose size is typically a 4-inch aluminum foil or white plastic ducting that’s used to connect a dryer machine to an outside vent, but the best dryer vent hose is a metal vent pipe. Not only will this dry your clothes safely and quickly, but you’ll save 10 minutes off your drying time.

In this guide, we show you what type of dryer vent hose is best and how to replace your vent in just six steps. We also answer questions like how often should you replace dryer vent hose and can a dryer vent hose be too short.

What Type of Dryer Vent Hose is Best

The best dryer vent hose is one that matches to the type of dryer you own. No matter what dryer you have, you’ll need a vent hose that properly allows for ventilation and won’t endanger your home as a fire hazard.

Most homeowners go with a flexible aluminum 4-inch dryer vent hose, but you may want to try a telescoping design for a tight space, such as the Whirlpool 4396037RP. In other cases, you may want to look for vent hoses with stainless steel clamps.

If you’re not sure what kind of dryer vent hose to buy, there are universally compatible hoses that work with any dryer type.

How often should you replace dryer vent hose?

It’s important to clean out your dryer hose once a year, but you may want to replace your dryer vent hose every other year, depending on how often you use the dryer. We wrote on this very topic recently – be sure to read up on how often you should service your dryer and dryer vent system.

How Long Should a Dryer Vent Hose Be

A typical dryer vent hose is four inches in length. It’s important that the dryer vent hose length by short but not too short that it can’t reach the exterior vent from the dryer.

Can a Dryer Vent Hose Be Too Short

There are cases where you can cut a dryer vent hose too short. The most important thing to remember is that the hose must have a tight seal around the connections. When the space is too tight, it can be beneficial to shorten the vent hose or choose a flat vent hose pipe, such as products by Whirlpool.

How to Install a Dryer Vent Hose

You’re not the only one who wants to know how long should a dryer vent hose be. Once you have the right dryer vent hose length, you can install a more efficient dryer vent hose.

Hooking up a vent for a clothes dryer can be challenging in certain situations, especially if the outlet is located in a tight or difficult-to-reach space. In these cases, it’s best to pull your dryer back from the wall. This guide shows you how to install a vent for an electric dryer.

What You’ll Need

Adjustable wrench
Socket driver or flat blade screwdriver
Replacement vent or offset dryer vent kit
Dryer hose clamps
Utility knife
Foil duct tape

Tips Before Starting

Never use masking tape or other paper tapes to seal dryer hose connections, as it’s a fire hazard.
Disconnect the power to the dryer before starting
Remove the previous dryer hose and vacuum the interior of your dryer to remove lint

1. Move the Dryer Away from Wall

You’ll need easy access to the exhaust flange at the back of the dryer. This requires you to move the dryer a safe distance from the wall.

2. Remove Existing Hose

In the next phase, you’ll loosen the screws that hold the hose clamps and take off the existing flexible hose from the exterior vent and dryer. You can use a utility knife to cut away the previous duct tape and carefully pull away fro the dryer.

3. Replacing a Dryer Vent Hose

Place one end of the new hose over the dryer flange, now place a clamp over the hose and then tighten on the flange. Most dryer hose clamps have a pinch and release style that automatically tightens as you let go of the clamp.

Other clamps may require that you pull the clamp tightly and then tighten a screw to ensure it’s secure. You also do not want to insert screws into the hose or dryer flange, as these can catch lint and start a fire.

4. Secure Foil Duct Tape

Next, you’ll wrap foil duct tape across the end of the flexible hose exactly where it hooks into the flange. You want to make sure that you have an airtight seal.

5. Connect to Exterior Dryer Vent

In this step, you’ll bend the new hose to attach to the exterior dryer vent, then place the end over the top of the vent pipe. It should overlap by a few inches. Before you finish securing the tape, cut off any excess pipe that you don’t need.

You’ll clamp and secure the end of the flexible hose where it attaches to the outside vent. However, remember not to insert screws into the pipe or hose.

6. Finish Sealing the End of the Hose

All you have to do next is to seal the end of the hose using foil duct tape. You’ll seal this off right where the hose joins to the vent pipe, making sure that it’s airtight.

You can plug the dryer back in and move into place, being careful not to kink or pinch the flexible hose.

Get Expert Help for Your Dryer Vent

We’re on a mission to make everyone’s dryer more efficient and durable. How can we help you fix your dryer so that it runs perfectly for your home? Schedule a Free Consultation!