There are essentially two causes of blocked dryer vents, dryer lint and animals. Warm and dry dryer vents provide a very attractive spot for bird to make nests and for mice, other rodents and insects to take residence. There are some simple steps you can take to limit the chances of your dryer vents becoming blocked.

Clothes Dryer Lint Trap Cleaning

In addition to regular dryer vent cleaning, some periodic dryer vent maintenance and preventative measures are also recommended. The most obvious maintenance step is cleaning the dryer lint trap after every load of laundry.

If you use fabric softener it is a good idea to periodically wash the lint trap with soap and hot water using a soft brush. Fabric softener can build up on the lint filter and reduce the air flow through it, especially if you have a very fine lint screen.

Dryer Vent Screens

Dryer vent screens come in a lot of different designs but the main goal of all of them is prevent mice and other rodents and vermin from getting inside your home, to limit the amount of hot or cold air that can enter the dryer vent when the dryer is not running and to prevent water from getting in. Unless you will be checking an exterior dryer vent screen regularly, do not use a small mesh screen. These may seem like a good idea to keep insects out but they can get clogged with lint very easily and require regularly cleaning.

Most exterior dryer vents are on a wall but some homes have a roof vent in which case your options are limited because the primary object is blocking water. There are some animal control roof dryer vents available that work very well.

The most common exterior dryer vent is the standard slanted aluminum hood and flap door. These generally keep water out just fine but they rarely close tightly enough to prevent rodents and insects from getting in and don’t do a very good job of keeping the hot and cold air out or insects..

Another common hooded style is a dryer vent with a plastic grid over the opening and often with a flap door behind the screen. These will prevent birds and most rodents from getting it but mice and other vermin often chew through plastic. These don’t do a great job of keeping air and insects out either.

CAUTION: When cleaning chimneys by any method, wear appropriate eye protection, gloves and an approved dust mask. Cover fireplace opening or stove and all rugs and furniture in work area. Soot and corrosive debris from cleaning may cause damage. Work that requires ladders and working on the roof should only be done by competent experienced individuals with proper safety precautions. For your own safety, be aware of electrical and fire hazards at all times. Use caution when handling brushes, tempered spring like brush wire can injure eyes and puncture skin. Keep brushes away from children. All sizes and types of chimney brushes and chimney cleaning accessories are available.

Equipment Needed to Clean a Chimney:

In order to properly clean your chimney you will need the following items.  Make sure you have a Correctly sized chimney brush, chimney brush rods or rope and pull rings (depending on method used), fireplace cover (for use with an ash vacuum or to contain dust), protective covering for furniture and rugs, tape, metal bucket, small shovel and broom, vacuum cleaner, and a powerful flashlight.

Chimney Cleaning Directions:

Measure your chimney carefully to determine the correct brush size to select. Carefully measure the inside of the chimney tile or pre-fabricated chimney diameter. NOTE: An oversize brush will not improve cleaning action and could become lodged in the chimney. An undersize brush will not provide the pressure on the walls for proper cleaning.

IMPORTANT: TIGHTEN ALL FITTINGS SECURELY – COMPLETELY EXTINGUISH THE FIRE BEFORE CLEANING. BE SURE THE CHIMNEY IS COLD ALONG ITS LENGTH. BE AWARE OF HOT ASHES AND DISPOSE OF PROPERLY.

There are four common methods used to control the brush for effective cleaning.

1. Flexible Rod Method, Top Down (Preferred Method): Seal off fireplace or stove opening to prevent soot from entering the home. For fireplaces the Fireplace Cover is a great way to seal off the opening and allow a vacuum cleaner to attach to keep the dust out of your home. Attach the brush securely to the flexible rod and lower into the top of the chimney, add more rods as necessary to reach the flue bottom. Work the brush up and down several times until the chimney is clean. Use a powerful flashlight to look into the chimney to be sure you have cleaned it completely. Follow clean-up directions below.
   Note: For chimneys that have tight bends you should consider the ProFlex or Lock-Fast rods since they are very flexible yet have the strength to push a brush down the chimney. In some cases the Super Flexible rods will do a good job but they are very flexible with light-duty strength.
2. Flexible Rod Method, Bottom-up: Insert brush and rod up through the fireplace damper or chimney clean-out door. Add more rods as necessary to reach the top of the chimney. This method is often messy since sealing the opening cannot be done during cleaning. Professionals use the August West SootSweeper II system to pull dust and creosote particles from the air as the the chimney is being cleaned. Cover area around opening to prevent staining rugs, furniture, etc… Use a powerful flashlight to look into the chimney to be sure you have cleaned it completely. Work the brush up and down several times until the chimney is clean. Follow clean-up directions below.
   Note: For fireplaces that have a clean-out where you want to brush the chimney from the bottom-up. You will most likely need a flexible rod that will make a quick bend yet have the strength to force the brush up the chimney. In these conditions we recommend using the ProFlex or Lock-Fast rods since they are very flexible yet have the strength to push a brush up the chimney.
3. Line and Weight Method: Seal off fireplace or stove opening to prevent soot from entering the home. Securely attach a compact 20-pound (minimum) weight to one end of the brush with one accessory pull ring and attach a rope that is more than long enough to reach the bottom of the flue, to the other brush end. Lower the brush into the chimney and up again until the chimney is clean. Use a powerful flashlight to look into the chimney to be sure you have cleaned it completely. Follow clean-up directions below.
4. Dual Line Method: This method requires two people, one on the roof and one below at the clean-out or fireplace opening. Attach one rope to each end of the brush. Drop one rope down the chimney to the person below. Cleaning is done by alternately pulling the ropes to vigorously move the brush up and down in the flue. This method is often messy since sealing off the opening cannot be done during cleaning. Professionals use the August West SootSweeper II system to pull dust and creosote particles from the air as the the chimney is being cleaned. Cover area around opening to prevent staining of rugs, furniture, etc… Work the brush up and down several times until the chimney is clean. Use a powerful flashlight to look into the chimney to be sure you have cleaned it completely. Follow clean-up directions below.

For All Methods:  Sweep or vacuum up all residues prior to using stove or fireplace. Be especially careful to check the debris behind the damper and smoke shelf area, in elbows or “T” connections. Special hand held chimney cleaning brushes are available to reach hard-to-clean areas. Clean a wire bristle chimney brush after use and coat with a rust preservative. During the burning season we highly recommend the use of Anti-Creo-Soot or another creosote remover product to reduce the build-up of creosote deposits.

The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends that open masonry fireplaces should be cleaned at 1/8" of sooty buildup, and sooner if there is any glaze present in the system. Factory-built fireplaces should be cleaned when any appreciable buildup occurs. This is considered to be enough fuel buildup to cause a chimney fire capable of damaging the chimney or spreading to the home.

If you have ever wondered what it really is that your chimney sweep is doing while at your home, our new online tutorial is for you. You can now see HOW a chimney sweep goes about his or her job of sweeping and inspecting your chimney, by accepting the following agreement:

Agreement

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) is providing this information for the benefit of homeowners who hire CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps® to perform chimney sweep services and inspections. The situations presented and depicted in these tutorials represent best practices as taught by CSIA, but are not intended to be interpreted as sole determining factors as to a chimney sweep's technical competence as individual conditions and practices may vary. CSIA makes no representations or warranties about the applicability of the information for any particular type of situation since regional variations in construction practices and additional environmental, physical and geographical factors necessarily vary the level of service appropriate for your fireplace and chimney. Local laws and ordinances may govern and/or supersede the information and any recommendations provided herein.CSIA makes no representation or warranties concerning how a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep will perform, nor does CSIA guarantee the results of any inspection. In no event shall CSIA be liable for any damages whatsoever resulting from the use of or reliance on information contained in these tutorials. You may not copy nor redistribute, nor use any portion of these tutorials in a public or commercial manner without the express permission of CSIA. The use of CSIA's name, trademarks, or service marks in connection with this information in no way represents an endorsement by CSIA of any products of any CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps. The term Certified Chimney Sweep® and the Certified Chimney Sweep® logo are both registered trademarks of The Chimney Safety Institute of America and the use of any trademarks or service marks of the CSIA is strictly prohibited.

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Simply put, fireplaces work mainly because hot air rises. When you start a fire, the air inside the chimney becomes warmer and less dense than the air outside the chimney, and consequently it starts to rise. As the warm air rises, cooler air from the room flows into the firebox, fanning the fire, creating more heat in an ongoing cycle. There are also some pressure differentials produced as wind moves across the top of your chimney.

There must be at least 100 reasons why your fireplace may not function properly. We will try to cover some of the basics here starting with the easy obvious solutions and working towards the more arcane. Please bear in mind this is a very simplified list of the more common reasons that fireplaces don't work A true understanding of fireplaces requires extensive knowledge of air flow patterns, pressure differentials, and actual fireplace construction techniques. If the information provided here does not help you solve the problem with your fireplace, consider hiring an experienced, certified chimney sweep in your area. Often the problem is obvious to someone with enough experience once they can acutally look over the entire situation.

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Dryer Vent Cleaning

Damp lint collects inside clothes dryer vents, causing extended drying time and extra wear and tear to your appliance. Birds also find these warm, cozy vents and nest, blocking the entire flow of exhausting air. In worse cases, the dryer motor or heating element can overheat and cause a fire. Keeping these vents clean and lint free will improve the performance of your dryer.

15,000 Dryer Vent Related Fires Yearly*

If your dryer takes over 50 minutes per load you may be at risk of a dryer fire. At Hales Chimney we have your dryer lint solution. You Could Be Paying Double Dryer duct cleaning will substantially lower your power bill. Every 45 min. cycle can cost as much as $1. Can you afford to pay double? If your dryer is getting hot but still taking forever, it's almost always your dryer vent. Call Hales Chimney of Frisco Texas now. A full load of wet clothes contains about a half gallon of water. Lint is created from the clothes as water is removed during the drying process. This lint will build up in crevices deep down inside the lint filter trap, and all along the dryer vent hose. At the end of the day, your dryer is the number 1 source of fire in the home.

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