DRYER VENT CLEANING

 The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that 15,500 clothes dryer fires occur annually, causing an average of 10 deaths, 310 injuries and more than $84.4 million in property damage.  

 The leading cause of clothes dryer and washer fires is failure to clean the dryer vents. When these vents are damaged or dirty, they create resistance and increased pressure on the clothes dryer’s internal blower. This can result in the rising temperatures inside the dryer system which can ignite the flammable lint.

Dryer vent cleaning and maintenance can prevent dryer fires and health hazards from afflicting your home. Clean vents will also increase your dryer’s energy efficiency and performance.

 A good rule of thumb is to have your dryer exhaust vents inspected and cleaned by a professional at least once per year. However, if you have a household that uses your dryer often, such as one with a lot of children, you may want to consider increasing that amount to every six months.