Fungus Damage
Convinced that something was awry, they wanted me to determine what was the cause of their problem. Upon arrival, I was directed to the master bedroom closet located downstairs. In the ceiling near the exterior wall was a 1-foot-square area with fungus damage. A bathroom was not located above this area, so the cause of the damage was not immediately apparent. The client did mention that the impacted area had slowly grown in size over the course of several months.
Damaged DryerDuct
While investigating the outside of the home, I noted the dryer duct vent cap exiting between the floors.The vent cap had been cut open and the flap that prevents vermin from entering the duct area was missing. The client indicated that he had recently replaced the dryer, and during the process discovered the duct was clogged and needed cleaning. I noticed a small amount of grass at the edge of the duct. With a ladder and a 4-foot fishing pole, I proceeded to pull out a world record bird’s nest. This nest was nearly 4 feet long and was sopping wet. As the moist, warm air traveled through the nest, it condensated and eventually seeped out into the ceiling area, causing the fungus damage. This probably turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Normally, the lint buildup eventually either burns out the dryer (which is probably what happened to the first dryer) or worse, causes a duct fire.
World Record Bird Nest
Every year, over 10,000 fires are caused by dryer ducts and result in otherwise preventable deaths and injuries. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage are also attributed to this deferred maintence item. Damage can range from something minimal, such as a burned up dryer, to complete loss of structures. One of the first indications that your dryer duct is clogged is that your dryer no longer seems to be drying as efficiently as it used to. In addition, vertically routed dryer ducts and/or faulty or unregulated lint traps increase the likelihood of clogging. If you suspect that your dryer duct is clogged, then it is important to inspect it. Pulling out the dryer and disconnecting the duct will usually give some indication if it’s clogged. If you need to have it cleaned, you can find the necessary tools at your local home improvement store, or it can be cleaned out professionally for around 250 dollars. I have provided links below to more info for you to utilize.
Good luck and be safe!
Ron
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5022.html
http://www.amazon.com/Brushtech-B68C-10-Feet-Dryer-Cleaning/dp/B000RL6HFY
