The Dangers of Lint

December 27, 2018

Of all the appliances in your home, you might not believe that your clothes dryer can be one of the most dangerous. Yet that is the case. A poorly maintained clothes dryer leads to over 20,000 U.S. house fires each year that cause millions of dollars in damage. Here are the facts you need to know to prevent yourself from being the next victim.

Regardless of whether you use an electric or gas dryer, lint build-up is inevitable. Lint is the fuzzy, fluffy substance that gets caught in your slide-out lint trap each time you use your appliance. Cleaning that receptacle is essential, but doing so will not be sufficient in and of itself. Over time, lint also accumulates in the dryer hose and vent. As a result, drying efficiency and air flow are reduced. Humidity increases, elevating the risk for the growth of mildew and mold. Worst of all, the lint can catch fire.

Therefore, regular maintenance of your dryer is essential. Clean your lint trap; use a lint brush to get into places you can’t reach with your hands. At least once a year, disconnect the hose from the dryer and use a brush or a shop vac to get as much lint as possible out of the vent.

Although you may work very hard to keep dust out of your clothes dryer, your efforts are probably not adequate. Your best bet is to enlist the services of a professional home cleaning service. They can thoroughly “de-lint” all of the components of your dryer and vent system, ensuring that there is absolutely no dust build-up that could cause a disastrous fire. The truth is that this might well be the best investment you ever make in your home and your family’s safety.