The Importance of Clean Dryer Vents

The vents used by the dryer allow for hot air to be cycled out of the house and lowers the amount of time needed to dry items.  While there are no hazards from having a dryer vent air inside of the house, newer models of dryers are actually designed to not use one, there is a potential fire hazard with the vent itself.

While it is very common to have the laundry set up in the basement this can cause problems with the venting system.  Dryer vents should have as few turns and vertical lifts as possible before they exit the home so they should be installed against a wall that goes directly outside.  While the lint catch that is part of your dryer normally does a good job at catching most of the lint, even the most avid of cleaners will have lint build up inside of the dryer and the dryer vent.

Your dryer vent should be cleaned out every single year if not more often.  There are a number of inventions on the market that will allow you to do this yourself with just a drill or another tool or it can be done by a professional.  Look through your user manual to see how often you should be cleaning the inside of the dryer and put a note on the calendar to have your vents serviced yearly. A bit of maintenance can prevent a lot of trouble down the road.