Factors to Consider When Choosing a Dryer Vent Solution

If you are planning to buy a new clothes dryer, you should also spend some time thinking about the type of dryer venting solution that you are going to install. The right type of hose or ducting will help your new machine to run at maximum efficiency and will make your utility room safer too. To ensure that you make the best choice for your new appliance, the dryer duct cleaning specialists at Steve's Air Duct Cleaning have compiled a list of factors that you need to consider before making a final decision. After reading through the list, you will be able to make an informed choice that meets your specific needs.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Dryer Vent Solution

There are four main factors to consider when choosing a venting solution for your new dryer:

1. Flexibility – Our dryer vent cleaning experts tell us that flexibility is a key concern in utility rooms that do not have the space for a rigid, metal duct solution. If you need your dryer vent hose to snake from the machine to a nearby exit, traveling around various obstacles along the way, you may wish to consider vinyl or plastic tubing. However, this solution does have some serious drawbacks, as we discuss below. If you would prefer a safer, longer-lasting solution, we recommend looking for a different location for your dryer: one that allows you to use more rigid and durable venting options.
2. Safety – The biggest safety issue with dryer vents is lint buildup. If too much lint is allowed to accumulate in your vent, it may catch on fire. The consequences of a dryer vent fire, as you can imagine, are often very serious, especially if one occurs when you are not at home. With this in mind, we feel it is our duty to warn you that flexible plastic and vinyl hosing is one of the worst choices as far as this particular factor is concerned. Added to the fact that they allow lint to build up very quickly, they are also manufactured from materials that are far from the most heat-resistant currently available. For safer options, you should really consider aluminum foil tubing, semi-rigid aluminum vents, or rigid metal vents/ducts.
3. Durability – If you are going to the trouble and expense of buying and installing a new clothes dryer in your home, it is a good idea to choose a venting solution that will serve you well for many years to come. Aluminum foil tubing, semi-rigid aluminum tubing, and rigid vents & ducts are all more durable than plastic or vinyl hosing, with rigid vents/ducts being the most durable options. Semi-rigid and rigid venting solutions are also easier to maintain so you won’t have to spend as much on dryer duct cleaning services than would be the case should you choose a flexible plastic or vinyl tubing solution.
4. Cost – For homeowners who are on a tight budget, vinyl or plastic tubing is undoubtedly the cheapest option but, for the reasons already mentioned above, we would caution against using this type of venting solution. In our long experience as Arvada dryer vent cleaning specialists, this type of solution often turns out to be a false economy. A clothes dryer is a significant investment for many people and it is therefore well worth spending a little extra money to protect this investment by choosing a safer and more durable venting solution, such as aluminum or metal ducting.

If you would like to speak to one of our technicians about dryer vents or dryer vent cleaning services in Arvada, please feel free to get in touch with us by phone or email. If you are not in our service area, we recommend searching for local service providers using ‘dryer cleaning near me’ or ‘air duct cleaning near me’ as your primary search terms. Most reputable companies will be willing to advise you and will also be able to provide you with a professional vent cleaning service in the future. It is important to note that whichever venting solution you choose, you will need to have it cleaned at regular intervals if you want to prevent lint buildup and other potential safety issues from arising.