Your Dryer Vent Could Be Costing You Time And Money...So Clean It!

Klenk here again,

Let me guess - your dryer takes forever to dry your clothes...if it drys them at all. Right?

So, when's the last time you cleaned you dryer exhaust venting? Last year? Two years ago? Ever?!

Dryers are like cars; If your exhaust on your car is clogged or obstructed it wont run very efficiently or sometimes not run at all. Same for you dryer. The only difference is that your dryer CAN CATCH ON FIRE AND POTENTIALLY BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN. There are several reasons why your dryer vent can cause your dryer issues. Here's a few:

• Blocked or obstructed
• Lint build up
• Bird nests or animals / rodents (they like the warm air especially in the winter
• Venting run length
• 90 degree turns

 

Again, think of it like your car; have you ever heard of a muscle car having "straight pipes"? What this means is that the straighter the run is for air flow, the more efficient it will be. A normal residential dryer will only blow air roughly 40-50 feet. Now, that sounds like a lot but you should also consider that every 90 degree turn in the vent is like adding 10 more feet to the length. This is the equivalent of suffocating your dryer. Some instances is can go into the wall, make another 90 degree turn upwards and go 10-20 feet up to the roof. Same for going below a first story such as a basement.

If your venting looks like this, you'll be buying a new dryer about every 2-3 years IF YOU'RE LUCKY! So if you keep wondering why your dryer wont last DON'T CALL YOUR DRYER A PIECE OF CRAP - FIX YOUR VENT! Any brand, any model, any priced dryer will malfunction or die if you venting is a mess. Appliance repair people just love to see this stuff because it means constant maintenance and customer's that are cheap never want to spend the extra $20-$50 in parts to correct it. A good repairman or installer would tell you that this is horrible and needs replaced and wont even repair your unit without you replacing this first.

The other issue with all the turns in your vent is that it's a great place for lint to build up. Once the lint builds up in the vent the dryer has nowhere else to exhaust this lint and hot air but back inside the dryer. This causes two HUGE issues:

1. Air build up inside the dryer causes the unit to get really hot inside and can confuse the thermostats and do damage other internal parts. Some dryers have what's called a thermal fuse inside them or a safety thermostat. When these parts sense that the temperature inside the dryer is too hot, they "blow" or break and do not allow the dryer to turn back on.
2. If the lint has nowhere else to go it will build up inside the dryer. It can become a nice thick blanket of lint that is just waiting to catch on fire. Don't believe me? Check these US government statistics.

So how can you prevent these issues? Simple - Clean you dryer vent and the inside of your dryer out every 3-6 months.
There are a few easy ways to clean your vent:

1. Blow it out
1.  Disconnect the venting from your dryer.
2. Take the outside housing of your dryer vent off outside the house(like a cage or the flapper on the outside)
3. Take a fabric potato sack or a normal garbage bag and apply it with tape to the outside (or have someone hold it over the hole) of your vent. Make sure to poke some holes in it so that some air can flow through but will catch the lint / nastiness.
4. Use an electric leaf blower inside your house, insert it into the vent and turn it on. It will blow all the goodies from the vent into the sack or bag and bang - you're done.
2.  Suck it out
1. Get a wet / dry Shop Vac style vacuum with some extra hose and vacuum it out from the inside and from the outside.

We carry GE dryers and they make many models that vent at least 90 feet and one that vents 150 feet! Ask us about a great deal on these models!

Check out our website www.klenkssales.com if you need a new dryer or if you want to contact us about cleaning you dryer in the Decatur Indiana area.

Have a fun weekend cleaning your dryer vent!

Klenk
klenks.sales@gmail.com

Why You Should Change Your Washer Hoses Every 5 Years (At Least)

Being in the appliance business for many years we've just about seen and heard it all. We had a customer one time a few years back that had left on vacation only to have to return early because the hot hose going to the washer had burst and flooded the basement with about 4 feet of water. It caused over $80,000 worth of damage to the home.

This could have easily been prevented with a $5.99 hose. Most folk's bill at the gas station in the morning is higher than that! It's good to replace them every 3-5 years but it's also important to inspect them every 90 days. When inspecting them be sure to not only check the washer connection but also the valves on the home as well. Many different circumstances can cause fill hoses to fail. Most generally the hose will develop a bulge or a blister near the barb fitting or metal coupling that attaches it to the washer. Here are some signs that your hose might be failing:

• A bulge or blister on the hose. Usually near the metal coupling that attaches to the washer.
• Rust build up on the metal couplings
• White lime or calcium build up on the metal couplings

The best thing you can do to prevent washing machine hose blow outs is to buy stainless steel braided hoses. These hoses have better strength and have a slightly longer lifespan.

Do yourself and your family a favor after you read this and inspect your hoses. You might be surprised at what you find!

If you're in our area and would like us to change your hoses for you, just give us a call at (260)724-3329 for a quote.

Klenk

Appliance Maintenance Tip: Cleaning Your Refrigerator

Hey all,

When's the last time you cleaned your refrigerator? Have you ever cleaned it? More often than not the answer is "It's been awhile" or "You have to clean that?"

I'm not talking about cleaning your shelves or your ice bucket. I'm talking about the back side where the compressor (that big black tank) is or underneath the unit where the coils are. This is a simple task that if done two times per year can save you money on your electric bill AND greatly increase your life expectancy of your refrigerator. Think about it; have you ever just turned your refrigerator off because your not using it? Rarely. Your refrigerator runs 24/7 - 365 days per year.

Most modern refrigerators have a condenser fan that keeps the compressor cool. It draws air from the front of the unit (where there is normally a grille) over the coils. However, anything in the air also gets drawn into the refrigerator such as dust, pollen and animal hair and dander to name a few. These things accumulate on the coils under the refrigerator and restrict airflow. Once air flow is restricted, the unit works harder and so do the components such as control boards. Room temperature can also make a difference too. In the summertime with no air conditioning and the oven on your kitchen is hot. That hot air is also pulled into your refrigerator.

So how do you do this you ask? It's easy and quick!

Here's what you'll need:

1. Shop Vac or a vacuum with a hose with good pressure. (Air compressors work but cause quiet the mess)
2. An appliance brush or any type of long skinny brush that is flexible

Follow these steps:

1. Unplug the refrigerator.
2. Take the grille off the bottom of the front (if there is one)
3. Run a flexible appliance brush over the coils with one hand and pull the dust towards the vacuum in your other hand.
4. Pull the refrigerator out. Most units made in the last 15 years have rollers.
5. Take the screws out of the back panel. Most units will have either flat-head screws or hex head screws (such as a 5/16" or a 1/4")
6. Once the back panel is off, use the appliance brush to clean around the compressor and the fan then vacuum up any dust, dander or hair back there.
7. Put your panel back on, plug in your refrigerator while your back there. 
8. Push it back in place and put your grille back on.
9. Your done! Congrats, now you have a happy refrigerator that will save you money and last longer.

If you're near our area and would like Klenk's to do it just contact us at (260)724-3329

Tired of messing with your old refrigerator and want a new one? Check out these!

If you have any questions please feel free to email us. 

Thanks,

Klenk

Next weeks tip: Changing your washer hoses before they burst!

Hey everybody!

Sorry we haven't posted any content in a long time. As small business folks we have so much on our plate. However, we've planned out some great material that we'll be posting here on a weekly basis that will give you great insight on new appliances and how to maintain your current appliances!

Thanks,

Klenk's Sales