Properly maintained dryer vents are as crucial to home safety as properly maintained chimneys. When to clean them also depends on a myriad of variables such as amount of use, what is going through them, and other house-specific circumstances. The best advice anyone can offer is to consult a professional about the frequency of safety cleanings given your individual situation.
Important Variables
That said, variables of critical importance are:
length
number of turns and jointed corners
shared venting with other appliances
exterior caps
what you put in the dryer
The last is why spring always brings a reminder from venting professionals to include dryer vents in your seasonal house cleaning. Considerably more bedding is typically put in dryers, along with sweaters being packed away until fall. That means more lint is going into the vent, if it is functioning properly to begin with, and that lint is dangerous.
A Seasonal Reminder
We believe no home owner is unaware at this point that dryer vents are the source of many house fires. You would literally need to live under a rock to remain oblivious to the constant news reports and public service messages in this regard. We also believe that every homeowner has a lot going on in spring and forgetting to clean the dryer vent is completely understandable.
So we remind you now: If you do not have short straight dryer venting — unshared with other appliances — that you can access completely, call a pro. If you do not have an exterior cap on venting you know to be clean and in good condition, cap it.
If your venting does meet those requirements, please exercise care appropriate to the venting material. Flexible aluminum venting is more easily damaged, but even metal vents can sustain damage if cleaned improperly. Remember, too, that more baby animals are looking for a nice hiding place in spring, so do not leave your vents open to the great outdoors.
Did you know that clothes dryers are one of the leading causes of home fires? Did you know that one of the main culprits for these fires is simply that the vents are not properly cleaned? Here are some basic tips to help keep your home and family safe.
Clean the lint filter – make it a habit of cleaning the lint filter after each use. If the kids are doing laundry, make sure you show them how to properly remove the filter, clean it, and replace it before using the dryer.
Clean the dryer vent – cleaning the dryer vent on a regular basis should become habit. In addition, you should also have it professionally cleaned throughout the year. This is especially important for homes that have significant venting for their dryer. A regular household vacuum simply does not have the power required to completely clean out a lengthy dryer vent system.
Proper Installation – if you are purchasing a new dryer, make sure it is installed by a professional. Most stores will offer this service as part of the purchase. Even if there is small fee for the installation, you are better safe than sorry. A professional can check all electrical connections as well as make sure the ventilation system is properly hooked up.
Regular Maintenance – your should perform regular preventative maintenance on the dryer to keep it in good working order at all times. Manuals will provide a trouble-shooting guide for the owner but if you come across something that is beyond your expertise, you should call in a professional. If the dryer is still under warranty, the service call may actually be covered and not cost you a penny.
Do not overload the dryer – this is self-explanatory. Putting too many clothes in the dryer is not only unsafe, it is a waste of energy as it will take longer for the clothes to dry.
Never run the dryer unattended – it can be tempting to run the dryer right before bed or when you are heading out the door for errands or to go to work. However, if there is a problem, who will be there to recognize and address it? Be safe, only run it when you are awake and in the home.