Tip of the Month

 Information about Clothes Dryers

Every time you dry your clothes in the dryer, always remove the lint from the dryer filter.  You can test the filter to see if it's clean by running hot water over it.  The lint filter is made of mesh material and sometimes the hot water just sits on top of the mesh.  It doesn't go through it at all.  Dryer sheets sometimes causes a film over that mesh and that's what burns out heating units.  You can't SEE the film, but it's there.  It's what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free - that nice fragrance too!  You know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box, well this stuff builds up on your clothes and your lint screen.  The build up is also what causes dryer units to catch fire.   

One of the best ways to keep your dryer working for a very long time is to take that filter out, wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every 3-6 months.  When the hot water runs through it, you will know that it's cleaned.

Another way to keep dryers working for a long time, have your dryer vent cleaned.  At Sams, we provide this service.  See our air duct/dryer vent cleaning page.

Reducing Allergens in Your Home

There are plenty of things you can do inside your home to reduce allergen levels, from cleaning and vacuuming regularly to keeping humidity levels low. Here’s an overview of a few simple steps you can take.

1. Keep your home cool and dry by keeping humidity levels below 50 percent. To maintain this level, you may need to use your air conditioner along with a dehumidifier.
   
2. Get rid of things that may have gotten wet. If any carpeting in your home gets wet-from a flood or a burst pipe, for example—thoroughly clean and dry it within 24 hours. Sams Carpet Cleaning & Repairs can help you with this type of situation with our 24-Hour Water Damage Restoration Services.
   
3. Vacuum often. Vacuum at least once a week. A vacuum that has a special double-lined bag, a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter, or a combination of both will trap more of the carpet allergens.
   
4. Have carpets professionally cleaned.   Common household particles, such as dust, pollen, pet dander, etc., fall to the floor. Carpet fibers trap the particles, reducing their continued circulation in the air. Professional carpet cleaning effectively removes dust and allergens from the carpet and helps keep them out of the air we breathe.  See our carpet cleaning service.
   
5. Dust frequently. Clean the hard surfaces and shiny floors in your home weekly with treated dust rags, damp mops, or damp rags. Don’t use a dry cloth or feather duster, since you’ll just fling the allergens in the dust back into the air.
   
6. Keep furnace filters clean. Regularly clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioners according to the manufacturers’ instructions. Generally, when they’re in use, you’ll need to replace them (or clean them if they are the reusable type) monthly. Also look into our air duct cleaning process.