You cannot see the air moving through your dryer vent. However, the metal tube may contain hazardous gases or fumes that can enter your nostrils, often unwittingly, wreaking havoc with your health. A dirty and clogged dryer vent can be especially risky for people coping with lung conditions or respiratory issues. Florida’s heat, humidity, and long laundry seasons make clogged vents even more dangerous. A professional and reliable vent cleaning service provider can come to their rescue.
Excess humidity leading to mold growth
Florida is known for its subtropical and humid climate. When the dryer vent gets clogged with lint, steam from wet clothes lingers in the vent. The combination of darkness, damp, and warmth serves as the perfect breeding ground for mold.
Mold spores enter your laundry room, unseen. Those inhaled irritants affect the airways, worsening asthma and COPD in patients. Others can experience coughing and shortness of breath.
Lint can be bad for respiratory health
The lint getting accumulated on your dryer vent is just fuzzy cotton. It also contains fabric fibers, skin cells, detergent residue, etc. These fine particles escape around the dryer seal and vent joints and remain suspended in indoor air for hours. When you inhale these particles, it leads to flare-ups, a runny nose, recurring bouts of cough, and irritation.
Heat stress can aggravate lung conditions
Blocked vents can trap heat in the dryer and the room. As Florida’s summer intensifies, your body will struggle to cool down with the excess heat. This also brings down indoor air quality by reducing oxygen density. People with chronic lung disease will face more problems than others. They may feel dehydrated and worsening coughing.
Of course, clogged dryer vents can lead to additional hassles, apart from respiratory problems. Your overall energy bill will go up, and an unclean vent seems inviting to small insects and birds. The best option is hiring a capable vent cleanup service provider such as Express Dryer Vents Cleaning of St Cloud.
Signs of a clogged vent hampering indoor air quality
Those with respiratory issues must treat these symptoms as red flags:
- Clothes need more than one cycle to dry properly.
- You see lint on the floor or around the vent cap outside.
- Laundry room air has a musty smell.
- You and your family members develop frequent respiratory tract infections.
These signs indicate it is high time you hire a trusted vent cleaning company.
Why DIY vent cleanup may not be enough?
You may think that buying and using DIY vent cleanup kits may be enough. However, without proper equipment and required expertise, you may not get the expected results. The vent may still be left with some lint, insect, or bird nest debris. Professional companies use powerful vacuum cleaners and rotary brushes for a thorough vent cleanup.
Summing it up
For most people in Florida, a dirty dryer vent is an inconvenience. However, for people living with asthma, COPD, or severe allergies, it is a major health risk. A yearly vent cleanup is recommended for such people, and choosing the right service provider is a must.
