What Are Clothes Dryer Basics?

Doing laundry is a part of life. And while it no longer requires using a scrub board, a large tub heated over an open fire and lye soap, it is still not a chore that everyone loves. After all, like many household chores, it is one of those jobs that never seems to be finished. Then, when you add in the additional aspects of doing laundry, such as remembering to clean out the lint tray, dusting behind the dryer unit and periodically having the dryer vents and duct work cleaned, it can seem as though you spend a great deal of time thinking about the laundry.

But with all this time spent doing laundry, have you ever thought about what is actually involved in drying your clothes and linens? Simply put, there are 2 main elements in dryer basics-heat and the removal of moisture. Both of these are critical in order to have warm, dry laundry when you open the dryer door.

The elimination of moisture is the key focus of the dryer. Yes, many of us have been known to throw a wrinkled item in the dryer for a few minutes in effort to get out the wrinkles and avoid ironing, but ultimately, the job of the dryer is to dry what is put into it. This is done by the warm air produced by the dryer while the moisture is converted into humidity and then released into the outdoor via the dryer vent.

However, sometimes this moisture will condensate into pools in the dryer vent. When this happens, it is a clear sign that you need to have your dryer vent and duct work cleaned out. To ignore the warning of collected water is to set yourself up for disaster-whether it is the ultimate replacing of your dryer or a worst case scenario of a fire due to build up in dryer vent.

The second key element of the dryer is heat. It is important that your dryer's heating element work properly as this also affects how your dryer vent will work. Most dryers today had a one-time, non-resettable thermal fuse or safety device. This device is designed to open if the dryer vent is not properly installed or if the vent becomes restricted. Should this happen, you will have to replace the part.

In older dryers, thermal devices were not a part of the design and often resulted in owners being unaware of any problems with their dryer vent which ultimately ended in poor drying, overheating and fire. Some models also had problems with timer operation which affected how well the dryer cycles worked.

When it comes to doing laundry, make sure that these key elements are in good working order so that you don't have to worry about any threat of fire due to build up in your dryer vent. If you are not sure, then contact a professional to clean out your dryer vent and reduce your risks.

Learn more about clothes dryers by visiting Dryer Vent Wizard of Farmington, MN. Article independently authored by Janet Slagell. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Dryer Vent Wizard. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.