This blog is going to describe a simple, cheap maintenance task that could save you from a house fire.
Do you know what do you probably have in your home or apartment that is annually responsible for around 15,000 fires, 20 deaths, over 300 injuries and more than $80 million in property damage?!
Answer: Your clothes dryer.
Yep, I found those stats from a 1999 report developed by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shocking also. Well the good news is that the fires were not due to anything inherently dangerous about the dryer as an appliance, but more so the lack of proper maintenance by the user. As it turns out the fire originated most frequently from two places: the dryer venting and the lint trap.
It bothers me when I find out after the fact that I was supposed to do maintenance on something that I did not know I was supposed to do. Don't think you are alone in being surprised in what I'm going to tell you. There is probably an unbelievable amount of dangerous lint lining the walls of your dryer ducting and inside your dryer right now that you need to clean out. It does not matter that you regularly clean out the lint filter in your dryer, "lint happens." Loads of clothes taking longer and longer to dry is a classic sign of lint build-up.
In this detailed and photo intensive tutorial called Dryer Vent Cleaning, I will show you what is probably lurking in your dryer venting and how to get rid of the lint which causes the fire risk in your home. You're my reader and I want you safe, so please read this tutorial and spend a few hours and $15 to make your home safe.
Comments
Bob, Great Column as usual. I have a local contractor fixed my dryer vent and told me to clean it out yearly.. He fixed up a Wye connector and told me to direct my leaf blower up it. I just have new leaf blower and will give it a try this spring. Of course it may not remove lint that is crusted to the pipe.
Great column! I know of two people who’ve had dryer fires because of this and the damage was significant. I hope people heed your advice-it could save money and lives!