How to Clean a Dryer Vent to Prevent Home Fires

Having a dryer in your home can save you a lot of time, and the satisfying feeling of pulling warm clothes out of the drier is out of this world, however as the clothes tumble in the drier they produce a highly flammable substance from pieces of fabric known as lint. Most people don’t know how dangerous this appliance can be to their home when handled inappropriately.

There are millions of properties loses each year as a result of drier caused fires. This is caused by the buildup of lint on the heating element and other places causing it to overheat and possibly catch fire. Therefore, it’s advisable to hire professionals from Sem’s Duct Cleaning Company who will inspect your ducts and ensure vents in your house are clear from any debris. Milliken duct cleaning services are locally available to homeowners who are interested in doing their periodic system checks.

There are warning signs that alert you when it’s time to unclog the dryer vents to prevent the risk of fire:

• clothes not drying completely after a normal drying cycle
• A musty drier door during a drying cycle
• The food flap failing to open easily as it should after an operation
• Extremely hot clothes when taking them out of the dryer
• Increased temperatures in the room whenever the machine is operated
• Lint accumulation in the drier flap during operation
• Excessive odor on the sheets used during the drying cycle
• A visible sign of lint and debris around the lint filter for the drier

This article is meant to assist you to practice proper dryer vent maintenance to avoid the chances of causing a fire in your household and become a statistic.

1. One of the most important tips is making sure the interior vent of your drier is not made of plastic. Plastic catches fire easily, especially when there is overheating of the drier. Aluminum is the best alternative since it’s able to withstand high temperatures. Also, ensure your air duct pipes are shorter and not bent.
2. Consistent cleaning of the lint trap after each operation will help save the likelihood of them catching fire.
3. Lint accumulates at the back of the drier which is at times connected to the wall, thus this accumulation clogs the vent line leading to overheating when the drier is working. It’s advisable to unclog these vents yourself or call duct cleaning professionals to unclog your dryer vents.
4. Another useful tip is to keep the area around the drier free from items such as clothes, cleaning supplies and boxes as they act as fuel whenever a fire starts. They become catalysts to a fire and may end up spreading to the rest of the house. Hence keeping the place clean will minimize the possibility of the fire spreading to other areas in case you fail to notice it on time.
5. If you have technical skills, you can open the inside of your drier periodically and remove any lint that may have made its way to other parts of the drier otherwise it’s always advisable to have a technician take care of this since they will easily take the dryer apart and put it back together.
6. Check to ensure your gas line is intact to avoid the chances of gas leaking. If you have doubts about the gas line have a qualified technician replace the gas line to avoid accidents.

Milliken duct cleaning services in GTA can help keep your home from dryer vent fires. Contact us and schedule a dryer vent cleaning and maintenance service.

We recommend you to read “Ways to Conserve Energy Through Ensuring Your Vent Is Clean” and “7 Ways to Prevent Your House from Getting Dusty”.