Dryer Cleaning Tips

Did you know that every year, clothes dryers cause thousands of major residential fires in the U.S.? What's the primary culprit? Lint. Dryer venting can become clogged with lint, causing a dangerous buildup of heat and an instant fire that spreads fast.

Here are three ways you can keep your family and your home safe:

1. Clean out dryer venting at least once per year

A venting system should be cleaned out from inside of the dryer to the outside vent cap at least once per year.  Professionals can be hired for this or you can purchase a long brush to do it on your own and save money. We also recommend Lint Alert, which monitors for lint build-up and blockage in gas dryers and alerts homeowners if there is a fire risk.

Warning Signs
Pay attention to drying time. If it's taking longer for clothes to dry, it's likely that lint is clogging the venting system. You should clean it out as soon as possible. Waiting to do this will threaten safety.

2. White vinyl venting should be replaced immediately with an aluminum one.

White vinyl no longer meets national fire code standards in the U.S., as it is considered highly flammable. Aluminum venting may be purchased at any hardware store.

3. Clean out your dryer's lint screen after every load.

Dryer lint screens should be cleaned out after every load. For extra precaution, homeowners can use a bristled brush to remove stubborn pieces of lint and pieces that collect in the screen's housing. A screen with tears should be replaced immediately.