In the midst of maintaining your home through washing dishes, vacuuming, and countless loads of laundry, you may notice an issue with your clothes dryer and take a closer look. While examining your dryer, you may find that one or two of the vents on the back of your clothes dryer has burn residue around it. An observation of something being burnt in your home can be concerning, so it is important to understand the causes and potential effects of why your dryer grate looks burnt.
As a professional dryer vent cleaning service in Colorado Springs, we take dryer safety and the safety of your home and loved ones very seriously. According to the National Fire Protection Agency, a study that was conducted from 2010-2014 showed that an average of 15,970 home fires were caused by either dryers or washing machines each year. With almost 92% of these fires occurring by a dryer. These fires are most commonly caused by blockages in the dryer vents or poorly maintained dryers. Hence why Planet Duct has invested years in training and experience about these risks and preventative measures that can be taken to prevent these fires. One of our most popular services is dryer vent cleaning and safety inspections. This allows us to thoroughly clean the dryer vents and assess their safety and the overall safety of the dryer.
What Is The Vent In The Back of The Dryer For?
The majority of standard clothes dryers include two vents on the back wall of the inside of your dryer. The first vent, most commonly located on the left side, is called the heat inlet grille. The second, being on the right is an outlet grille. The vent in question is the heat inlet grille which allows the heating element of your dryer to expel its heat into the main compartment of the dryer. The drum then moves around tossing your clothes. The proper combination of heat and the movement of the clothes is what allows the dryer to perform safely and efficiently. The heat inlet grille is the vent inside your dryer that can look burnt or have unexplained burn residue on it.
Why Is My Dryer Vent Burnt?
The process of pushing hot air through the heat inlet grille makes it similar to an exhaust system. It allows the heat to both enter the machine through the inlet grille and exit through the outlet all while drying your clothes. Thus, the burn-like residue leftover from this process can be caused by a number of things:
- Color run-off from clothes
- Normal wear and tear
- Heat traveling through the vent
- Finish Removed by heat
- Melted foreign objects
All of these factors or a combination of all of these factors can make the vent inside your dryer look burnt.
How To Prevent Dryer Vent Burning
Fortunately, these are all minor issues and are common in most dryers. The burnt residue is not a fire hazard itself because it is a product of the dryer being used. The heat, color from your clothes, and normal use all discolor the grille making it look burnt. Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent this from happening. In order to improve the aesthetics of the machine, it is possible to replace the metal grille. It is helpful to note that the residue will likely impact the new grille as well. The majority of the grills found in the back of dryers will be made of metal with chrome or an aesthetically pleasing finish. If a new grille is replaced over time that finish will also be melted away making it look burnt.
Dryer Vent Inspection
If the dryer grille burn residue still makes you nervous we suggest that you have your dryer inspected. Since dryer fires are so common and can ignite very easily we believe that it is worth the time and money to protect your family and your home with a quick inspection. This could be coupled with a vent cleaning service or just a simple safety equipment inspection. Luckily At Planet Duct, we have NADCA certified technicians that are skilled in identifying the warning signs of a potential dryer fire. At the end of the day, we want to ensure that you are safe and comfortable in your home.
Professional Dryer Vent Cleaning | Planet Duct
Although the discoloration or burnt residue on the vent inside your dryer is not considered a fire hazard, Planet Duct is passionate about ensuring our neighbors throughout Colorado Springs are safe and comfortable in their homes. Since the leading cause of home fires stems from dryer vents, it is vital to have your dryer vents professionally cleaned. If you would like to learn why you should clean your dryer vents and how to protect your home from fires read Why Should I Have My Dryer Vents Cleaned? Our team of experts at Planet Duct is prepared to tackle any dryer cleaning issues, so give our team a call today to schedule your professional cleaning. We will send the mother ship with one of our qualified dryer vent technicians to clean and inspect your dryer.
