How To Prevent A House Fire By Cleaning Your Dryer Vent
If your dryer isn't drying your clothes like it used to, you may not need a new dryer. A dryer duct clogged with lint, reduces airflow so your dryer doesn't dry as efficiently as it used to. One of the major signs that it's time to have your dryer vent cleaned is the length of drying time. It should only take 30 to 45 minutes for the average size load of clothes to dry. If you notice that it is gradually taking longer to dry a load of clothes it is more than likely a venting problem.
Dryer lint is extremely flammable. In fact, clothes dryers cause many more home fires each year than chimney fires do. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are an estimated annual 15,500 fires, 10 deaths and 10 injuries associated with the dryer vent. Several hundred people a year are also subjected to carbon monoxide poisoning from improper dryer vent setups. The financial costs come to nearly $100,000,000 per year. In some cases faulty appliances are to blame, but many fires can be prevented with proper dryer venting.
Lint is the biggest culprit here. As you know from cleaning out your lint filter, dryers produce very large quantities of lint. Most people assume their lint traps catch all the lint, and that all they need to do is clean them out after each load. However, a significant amount of this lint is not caught by the lint trap and builds up inside the dryer vent pipe.
A clean dryer vent reduces energy and saves you money, increases the life cycle of your dryer, helps prevent dryer vent fires and will dry your clothes in less time. A good rule to go by is if your dryer vent is longer than 8 feet, have it cleaned out once a year.
Safety Tips
Clean out lint trap after every use.
Wash the lint trap screen with warm water and soap every month to remove film.
Do not run dryer when no one is home.
Take special care when clothes have been soiled with volatile chemicals.
Clean behind and under the dryer where debris can build up.
Clean lint inside the dryer and dryer motor areas.
Have the dryer inspected by a professional.
Have your dryer duct cleaned every year by a dryer vent cleaning specialist.
For more information on dryer vent cleaning, please visit Dryer Vent Cleaning
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