When was the last time that you looked in your dryer vent? A lot of people don’t think to ever take a peek and unknowingly let the lint quietly build up until it becomes a safety hazard. One of our technicians was talking today about how he sees this problem a lot and wanted me to share with you the best ways of cleaning it out. I fully agree with him that this is such an important home safety issue that it needs to be talked about. You need to be checking your vent every few months to prevent fires from starting.
So here’s what you have to do:
- Detach the dryer vent from the dryer
- Use an electric leaf blower or a shop vac set in reverse to blow through the tubing. All of the gunk that is in there will come out of your house on the other side. IMPORTANT NOTE: Do NOT use a gas leaf blower inside your home because the fumes are toxic and can cause some serious health risks, even death
- Check the vent outside of your house and clear out all of the remaining debris
Another thing to take a look at is how close the vent is to your heat pump or air conditioner. Often they are installed close together and lint from the dryer vent gets in the coils of your outdoor unit. You will want to examine the unit to see if there is any buildup. If you find any lint, have a reputable HVAC company do a professional tune up and cleaning on the system to ensure that there is no damage to the unit. They will also be able to talk with you about ways to prevent the lint from collecting on the coils (in fact, my technician said he recommends a solution involving pantyhose). If you want more information or to schedule a cleaning for your unit call me, Angie, at 253-630-9224.
If I haven’t convinced you yet to take a look at your dryer vent, check out this news story about a family in Kent who suffered a tragic fire because of a clogged dryer vent. Please don’t let this happen to you! http://www.kirotv.com/video/9914544/
With the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics rapidly approaching, we wanted to cheer on some of the Olympians who are representing South King County in Vancouver this year.
NICOLE JORAANSTAD is from Kent and will be a member of the women’s curling team. She graduated from Kentridge High and has been dominating the world of curling since 2006 when she didn’t qualify for the Olympics that year. We look forward to seeing what she can do at the Olympics this year!
APOLO OHNO of Federal Way is poised to set a new record for the most winter Olympic medals. He is currently tied at 5 medals with long track speed skater Eric Heiden for the most in a career for an American man, and is hoping to add at least one more this winter to tie with Bonnie Blair. We look forward to cheering him on to meet that goal!
J.R. CELSKI, also of Federal Way, joins Apolo Ohno in the short track speed skating. He had a bad accident in September at the Olympic trials where he cut his thigh to the bone and required surgery to fix it. He is optimistic that he will be up to the task of winning some medals in Vancouver. With his record of winning 5 medals at the World Championships in March, he will be one to watch at the Olympics.
All of us at AAA Heating & Air Conditioning wish these Olympians the best of luck in Vancouver and look forward to watching them win many medals in the next few weeks!
Image sources: http://www.usacurl.org/athletes/biographies/nicole_joraanstad.gif & http://www.g-skate.com/images/blades/Apolo_JR.jpg
Here at AAA Heating & Air Conditioning, we are running a mid-winter special on Precision Tune Ups so that you can make sure your furnace is in the best working condition this season. It is important to get Precision Tune Ups performed once (heating only) or twice (heating & cooling systems) a year to increase the longevity of your equipment, reduce utility bills, and help prevent future breakdowns.
Right now, we are offering $188 of Services for only $93! If you call and schedule by February 28, 2010, you will get:
- 23 Point Precision Tune Up that will fully clean, adjust, and reset your system to factory specs
- Complete Carbon Monoxide Test
- Free High Efficient Air Filter
- 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed—if you don’t think you’ve gotten an excellent value, you don’t pay us!
Call us at 253-630-9224 today to schedule your Precision Tune Up for only $93. However, make sure you call us before February 28, 2010 or our offer will have expired.
P.S. Don’t just take our word for it that you need annual Precision Tune Ups. Your utility company, The Center for Disease Control, and all heating & cooling manufacturers will also tell you how important it is.
