As reported by ABC Action News last month, a homeowner in Pinellas County, Florida lost her home to a fire, caused by clogged dryer vent.
This event is not an isolated one. Dryer vent fires are much more common than most homeowners realize. The cause? Lint buildup.
Lint Is Combustible
Regardless of whether you’re using a gas-powered dryer or an electric one, you will have lint buildup. While your lint trap catches most of this, it can also get inside the dryer vent and ductwork. This reduces airflow and drying efficiency, first off.
In severe situations, however, the lint buildup occurs around your dryer’s heating element, causing it to overheat and potentially catch fire. A fire can also start from a small spark in the machine igniting the lent buildup.
What You Can Do to Prevent This
There are a few methods to prevent dryer fires. These include:
- Ensuring the dryer duct installed with your dryer is made from a metallic material rather than vinyl or foil.
- Venting the dryer duct to the exterior of your home, and never to an attic or crawlspace.
- Avoiding kinks or bends in the dryer ducts and further restricting airflow.
- Minimizing the length of the exhaust duct.
- And last, but absolutely not least, investing in dryer vent cleaning.
From now through March 31st, 2019, Covenant Heating and Cooling is offering $50.00 off of our residential dryer vent cleaning service. Contact us today to learn more!