Dryer Vent Clean Out for Home Fire Prevention

Cleaning out your lint trap on your dryer simply isn’t enough. Have you cleaned out your dryer vent lately? Did you know it’s something you should be doing routinely (like every three months)? Not only is it good for saving money and improving efficiency, but it can also be a life-saving practice that helps prevent home fires. Don’t worry, we’re going to cover the ins and outs of the benefits of cleaning out your dryer vent and making your home a safer place for you and your loved ones!

What Is a Dryer Vent?

We’re glad you asked! Your dryer vent is the tube that lets out the hot air and moisture from your dryer. In most cases, it moves through the dryer to the exterior of your home using a flexible metal tube. However, in some cases it can blow into the interior of your home, as well.

Identifying what your dryer vent is will help you feel a lot more comfortable when you approach cleaning it yourself or have a professional come to assist you.

Why Should I Clean It?

Good question. Your dryer vent can become clogged pretty easily because lint gets trapped and impacted in there. The warm moist air being blown through the tube makes it even easier for the lint to pile up. There are a couple of different reasons you should clean your dryer vent routinely.

Efficiency If your dryer vent gets clogged, your dryer is going to take a lot longer to dry your clothes because there will be nowhere for that moist air to go! You may have to do multiple cycles just to get one load of laundry dry. This can cause your electricity bill to skyrocket.Health When your dryer vent gets clogged there is nowhere for the warm, moist air to go. This can create mold in your dryer and lead to a myriad of health concerns for you and your loved ones. Plus, it’s going to make your clothes smell like mold!Safety According to the U.S. Fire Administration about 2,900 dryer fires happened last year and led to approximately 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss. Failure to clean the vent was the leading cause of home dryer fires.

How Do I Clean It?

Our best advice is to always seek help from a professional if you are uncomfortable doing a home project on your own. If you feel comfortable, here are the do’s and don’ts of cleaning out your dryer vent from the U.S. Fire Administration.

We know that dryer vent clean out isn’t the most exciting thing to think about, but we hope that you’ll take those extra precautions to keep yourself, your loved ones, and your home safe. Clean your dryer vent out every few months and put your mind at ease about dryer vent-related home fires!