I have had several calls from Albany, Schenectady and Troy areas regarding problems with Clothes Dryer Vents. This is probably in response to a newspaper article by Angie Hicks, the creator of Angie’s List.
As a landlord, you know THE TENANT IS NOT GOING TO CLEAN THE DRYER VENT!!! So if you supply any of your tenants with dryers, you might want to clean the dryer hoses and better yet, replace those old style ribbed white/foil flexible ones. They catch too much lint and can clog up and cause a fire. It also decreases the operation of the dryer and it takes much longer to dry the clothes and therefore costs someone (maybe you) more money. Currently all dryer manufacturers suggest that you have the rigid, non-flexible vent pipe. Even if you have the non-flexible vent pipe, it is very important to have it cleaned at least every two years. As soon as you have this done, you will notice that the dryer works better and is not failing. If you supply a dryer for a multi unit building, this is a must for safety and efficiency. I suggest doing it every year at a specific time, for example when you change the batteries in the detectors. The longer a vent pipe is, the more likely you are to have a clog. There are devices to do this yourself, consult the dealer who supplied you with the dryer.
