Periodic cleaning of your dryer vent helps eliminate this risk to your home and family.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, these clothes dryer fires result in 20 deaths, 370 injuries and over $75 million in property damage each year. The main culprit? Dryer lint.
The steady, silent accumulation of fabric particles that get beyond your lint screen will not only decrease your dryer's performance, it creates a fire hazard. Cleaning your lint trap after every load will slow this process, but cannot prevent it. As your vent gradually becomes caked with lint, your dryer's airflow decreases. This not only prevents your dryer from drying as it should, it can cause it to overheat and ignite the highly flammable lint.
If you haven't cleaned or checked your vent in the last two years, you should do it now.
