Dryer vent fires are a major hazard for most homes in New Jersey. They usually emanate from the accumulation of lint and debris. Over time, the buildup restricts proper airflow. This then causes the appliance to overheat. In turn, this increases the risk of ignition. As a homeowner in the state, it’s important to understand the risks of having too much lint and debris in…
New Jersey experiences very high humidity levels. The problem with this is that it results in the buildup of moisture in your HVAC system. When this is the case, mold and mildew might even grow in there. This results in poor indoor air quality. It even makes your system work extra hard. This eventually causes high energy bills. Since you don’t want to experience such,…
Since vents are usually out of sight, they are easily forgotten. This shouldn’t be the case. The reason behind this is that dirty vents can be quite costly and dangerous. They have the potential to increase your energy bills. They could also cause fire outbreaks. In fact, clogged vents cause thousands of fires each year in the US. As you don’t want to be part…
Cleaning air ducts is key. However, they are usually out of sight. Due to this, they are easily forgotten. This shouldn’t be the case. This is because dirty ducts can mess up overall indoor air quality. They could even cause serious health issues. In addition, dirt affects the overall efficiency of your HVAC system. Since you don’t want to experience such issues, it makes sense…
Last Tuesday, I found myself staring at a blackened, twisted mess that used to be my neighbor’s laundry room. Standing beside the fire inspector as he pointed to the charred remains of a dryer vent, I couldn’t help but think about the load of towels tumbling in my own machine at home. “This is the third one this month,” he sighed, clicking his flashlight off.…
The morning I found myself in the ER with my five-year-old daughter struggling to breathe changed everything I thought I knew about home maintenance. Between nebulizer treatments, the pulmonologist asked a question that blindsided me: “When was the last time you had your air ducts professionally cleaned?” In fifteen years of homeownership, I’d replaced roofing, updated plumbing, and religiously changed HVAC filters – but never…
The first time I inspected a three-year-old oceanfront home in Cape May, what I discovered inside the ductwork stopped me cold. The gleaming exterior of this million-dollar property had masked a ventilation system so compromised by salt corrosion that sections were literally crumbling at my touch. The homeowners—a couple who had saved for decades for their dream retirement home—were about to face a $23,000 repair…
Last Tuesday, I found myself in Lisa Brogan’s living room, watching her point accusingly at an air vent in the ceiling. “That thing’s trying to kill us,” she half-joked. Three months earlier, her 8-year-old son had developed what doctors initially called “seasonal asthma,” but the timing was suspicious. Their symptoms had started just weeks after moving into their Toms River colonial – a dream home…
Look, I’ll be straight with you—I used to think air duct cleaning was a total scam. Another excuse for service companies to extract money from Ocean County homeowners already stretched thin by property taxes and flood insurance. That was until last April, when I finally caved to my wife’s persistent requests and had our Barnegat home’s ducts cleaned. The technician pulled out what looked like…
Let me tell you something about life down the Shore – it’s not just about dealing with bennies in the summer and protecting your pipes from freezing in the winter. After 20 years of maintaining homes from Long Branch to Seaside Heights, I’ve seen what our salty air and that sneaky Jersey Shore sand can do to a dryer vent system. Trust me, it’s not…