According to the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Data Center, clothes dryers are responsible for approximately 15,600 structure fires around the country each year. Eighty percent of these fires start with clogged dryer vents, and result in 15 deaths and 400 injuries on average annually.
Don’t become another statistic! See below to find out why it’s of utmost importance to have your dryer vents as well as the lint trap cleaned by an HVAC professional:
While you should be cleaning the lint trap after each load of laundry, this practice alone is not enough to prevent a fire from sparking. When your dryer vent system can’t properly dispose exhaust, it can overheat and pose a threat to you and your home. While you may be able to clean your dryer vent yourself, it’s always a good idea to get an expert’s advice.
How do you know when it’s time to clean the vent? There are a few tell-tale signs:
Clothing is not completely dry, or feels abnormally hot after a normal drying cycle
You notice a musty odor in your clothing following a drying cycle
More than a year has passed since the last time you had the vent cleaned
Drying time for clothing takes longer than 35-40 minutes
For more information about the importance of cleaning your dryer vent, give Uptown Plumbing, Heating and Cooling a call today at (612) 324-1004
