Maintaining and cleaning your dryer vent on a regular basis is essential for every homeowner. Every year thousands of fires are caused by dryer vents. It usually happens because of a person’s negligence. What does negligence have to do with fire caused by dryer vents? It has everything to do with it. When there is an excess in the collection of debris and lint, the duct becomes blocked thus giving rise to problems. These problems usually arise because the occluded duct prevents the inflow and outflow of air thus prohibiting moisture and carbon dioxide to vent out. If this happens, your house will possibly be in an inferno of destruction.

Dryer vent cleaning should be a high priority task for homeowners like you. You can prevent the possibilities of damaging your home from a faulty air vent by taking certain precautions. These safety measures have to be taken to keep both your dryer and your home in perfect condition. You can begin by checking your dryer’s ventilation system whether it is properly vented or there are no blockages on the exhaust opening. Moreover, regular cleaning the ducts and lint filter is also essential. Sometimes when it comes to duct cleaning or dryer vent cleaning it is always best to hire a professional to do it.

You can clean your dryer vent by yourself through several simple steps. You can start by unplugging the dryer from either electric or gas. If your dryer is gas then you should shut off the gas. Pull the dryer out then loosen the vent clamp behind the dryer’s back. Once you have loosened the clamp you slide the vent away from the dryer. After sliding the vent off, reach inside the hole at the dryer’s back and then pull any buildup or lint occluding the system. Dryer vent cleaning can be even better with a vacuum cleaner because it can help you reach further inside. This usually does a great job in removing or eliminating lint. You can also use the vacuum cleaner to reach on the vent tubing. Make sure that you check both ends because buildup and lint usually accumulate son these areas.

If you have finished removing the obstructions, you can now clamp back and reattach the vent. You should tighten the clamp and put the dryer properly back into place. You can also remove the vent outside the house to ensure complete dryer vent cleaning. Keep in mind that regular cleaning of your dryer vents gives you a safe home to live at.

Each time I venture out to my garden bench, I inadvertently pass my dryer vent exhaust.
The cracked hood surrounded by moss and mold covered caulk and rusted screws never fails to catch my attention. Knowing that hot and cold air must be escaping through that hole has put this home repair on the top of my fall to-do list.

What originally began as an aesthetic and energy saving fifteen-dollar-fix, has turned into a little research and a lot of shocking statistics!

The USFA (United States Fire Administration), released a report regarding residential building clothes dryer fires.

According to this report:
Clothes dryer fires account for about 15,600 structure fires, 15 deaths, and 400 injuries annually.
Eighty percent of clothes dryer fires in structures occur in residential buildings.
Annually, 12,700 clothes dryer fires occur in residential buildings resulting in 15 deaths and 300 injuries.
“Failure to clean” is the leading factor contributing to clothes dryer fires in residential buildings.
New home construction trends place clothes dryers and washing machines in more hazardous locations away from outside walls such as bedrooms, second-floor hallways, bathrooms, and kitchens.

A clothes dryer works by forcing hot air through a turning drum. Wet clothes dried by the moving hot air. Lint is created from the clothes as the water is removed and the clothes dry. While much of the lint is trapped by the dryer’s filter, it is also carried through the venting system, with the moist air. The accumulation of lint, both in the dryer and in the dryer vent, reduces the airflow and creates a highly flammable fuel source.
In addition to the accumulation of lint, blockage in dryer exhaust vents also occurs from the nests of small birds and animals or from bends in the venting system itself. A compromised vent will not exhaust properly to the outside and overheating is a common result; when enough heat is produced to ignite the lint or nearby items, a fire can occur.

Proper maintenance for clothes dryers involves removing the lint from the traps, vents, and surrounding areas of the dryer. Not unexpectedly, the leading factor contributing to ignition for dryer fires is operation deficiencies, specifically “failure to clean.”

Though dryer fire prevention is important no matter where you do your laundry, here’s an even more important reason to pay attention to this report:

New construction trends now situate washers and dryers in nontraditional areas of the house, such as upstairs bedrooms, hallways, bathrooms, kitchens, and closets. These new sites generally require longer dryer vents in order to reach an outside wall. These routes contain sharp turns and bends that navigate through the structure of the home. When lint has to pass through an exhaust that is under a floor or through walls and is more than 6 feet long, it is almost impossible to propel all the lint out of the vent. As a result, lint can accumulate in pockets along the vent where they are harder to reach and clean. Thus, it is crucial for homeowners to also regularly inspect and clean out the dryer vent.

All manufacturers now state in their manuals not to use plastic flexible dryer ducts between the vent and the clothes dryer. The plastic itself can provide additional fuel for a fire.
If you notice heavy clothes such as blue jeans or towels taking a long time to dry, or clothes feel hotter than usual at the end of the cycle, then a clogged dryer vent exhaust is likely the problem.
Keep fire extinguishers and working smoke alarms near the clothes dryer.

If you do not feel comfortable cleaning or inspecting the dryer vent yourself, you can call a duct cleaning service. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), a nonprofit educational organization, also provides information on clothes dryer fires and can provide a list of CSIA-certified dryer exhaust duct technicians.

Exhaust should vent directly outside the house.

Source:
U.S. Department of Homeland Security • U.S. Fire Administration
National Fire Data Center
www.usfa.dhs.gov/statistics/reports/
Thanks for reading the October Fixie Chick blog series, “Green Your Weekend”. For more tips on how you can green your home, tune into Home&Yard Radio with the Fixie Chick, Saturdays at 10:00am on 950 am.

Have a great weekend!
-The Fixie Chick

Before buying an air filter, be sure to measure your vent, furnace or other filter location. It is important to measure your existing air filter exactly to the last centimeter in order to ensure you get the same size. For example, a filter that says its 16 by 25 may in reality be 15 5/8 by 24 5/8.

With this is mind, here is a breakdown of some of your best options for air filters:

The Absorber Filter

The absorber filter is directed at odor control and is primarily for homeowners who want to take advantage of filtered air and eliminate smells, especially if there are pets involved or if it’s a smoking home. If you have pets, this is probably the best kind of filter to get. It works by trapping airborne particles on the filters primary surface layer; this, combined with an active carbon filter, absorbs pet smells and other odors, like smoke.

Filter Fresh

A filter fresh is a smaller pad, usually six by six inches, that attaches to any AC or furnace filter. When you ruin your furnace or AC, the filter emits a subtle scent that lasts. There are many scent options to choose from, so take advantage of the wide variety.

Vent Filters

Vent filters use Electrostatic Register Filtration, a process that uses the vent filter’s electrostatic material to a act as a magnet for attracting dust. The vent traps cigarette smoke, odors, dust, dirt and pollen, allowing fresh air to flow through freely. It keeps microscopic particles from getting through, thus ensuring your air remains fresh. It is ideal for a home with allergies or odors and lasts as much as ninety days.

UV Eliminator Filter

The UV Eliminator Filter is a special advanced filter that traps larger particles like mold and pollen, and then uses UV light to sterilize the invading aggravators; it also eliminates surface particles. It is great for homes of all types and performs well in all environments.

Web Plus Filter

This filter is a permanent electrostatic filter that is permanently adjustable and super easy to use. It also requires little maintenance; just a wash and reinstall once a month. A solid filter, it will last a long time and create much fresher, cleaner air.

Learn more about the UV Eliminator Filter and take advantage of special introductory pricing.