Why Clean Your Dryer Vent

Clothes dryers may pose a hazard in your home. If you don't properly maintain it, your dryer can overheat and cause a devastating fire. In fact, dryers cause thousands of fires each year, but they can be prevented. Having your dyer cleaned once a year to clear lint build-up will not only help prevent fires, but will also save on energy costs.

Fire Prevention

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that clothes dryers are associated with approximately 15,600 fires annually, causing 15 deaths and over 100 million dollars in damages. Lint built up is the most common cause; and it's not just in the lint filter. Dangerous amounts of lint can build up behind the dryer and inside the vent system, clogging the vent hose.

Fires can occur when lint builds up in the dryer or in the exhaust duct. Lint can block the flow of air, cause excessive heat build-up, and result in a fire in some dryers. Because lint is easily combustible, fires can start quickly. Flexible plastic hosing is the next thing to catch on fire and then it spreads quickly.

Safety is the main reason to have your dryer vent professionally cleaned at least once a year.

Energy Savings

According to recent industry studies, an excessively clogged dryer vent may add an additional $18-$24 to your home's energy bill. That translates to almost $300 a year in unnecessary fees. Most dryer vent cleaning bills come well below this $300 mark. So it only makes sense to follow dryer manufacturer recommendations and have the cleaning performed once a year. Also, clearing the lint build-up will reduce the strain of a clogged vent on your dryer and therefore prolong the life of the appliance.

In addition to fire prevention, saving money on your energy bill as well as prolonging the life of your dryer, is another great reason to clean your dryer vent.

Dryer Vent Research/Reference

The dryer vent cleaning research process is pretty straight-forward. Because it is a service that is recommended yearly, there are many authorities that weigh in on the matter. The following links reflect their comments:

Consumer Product Safety Commission

National Fire Protection Association

Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

Mr Duct Cleaning