Dryer fires are one of the leading causes of household fires in the United States. Each residential dryer vent should be cleaned annually by a professional. This insures that the vent and exhaust are up to code and operational. In fact, most dryer manufacturers require an annual professional cleaning in order to maintain the dryer’s manufacturer warranty.
Even though you clean the lint trap with each load, a little bit of lint gets past that trap and accumulates in the dryer vent (the exhaust from the dryer to the outside), or dryer exhaust. A clogged dryer vent causes the dryer to overheat and that very flammable dryer lint poses a very real danger.
ADVANCED WARNING SIGNS
Clothes (especially towels or jeans) that take a long time to dry
Clothes are hotter than usual at the end of the cycle
Flapper on vent hood doesn’t open when dryer is on
Clothes dryer is hot to the touch on the outside of the unit
The dryer is shutting off before the cycle is completed (a safety control indicating that the dryer has exceeded a safe temperature)
If any of the above have happened or are happening to you, please call your local DUCTZ immediately to schedule a dryer vent cleaning.
Once you have your dryer vent cleaned by DUCTZ, you will be reminded each year to re-schedule your annual dryer vent cleaning.
Fact
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Estimates that in 2011, clothes dryers were associated with 6,600 fires, resulting in 260 injuries.
