Dryer Fire Update from the Dryer Vent Cleaning Wizard

Dryer vent cleaning continues to be your best defense against dryer fires. Failure to clean dryer vents is the leading cause of all dryer related fires according to a recent report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The report contains results of a survey where they asked consumers about their laundry habits. The good news is that 96 percent said they clean their lint filters often with the majority cleaning the lint screen after every load. About 71 percent said they check their exhaust exits regularly. 62 percent clean the area under the lint filter, 38 percent clean dryer ducts, and 20 percent clean inside the dryer cabinet. Only 20 percent of the participants perform every one of the maintenance activities mentioned here.

In spite of all the articles on the internet about the importance of dryer vent cleaning and proper dryer maintenance, more is needed to promote public awareness. Over 15,000 dryer fires are reported annually, resulting in property damage, deaths and injuries.



Dryer Vent Wizard services dryer vent systems, providing dryer vent cleaning, dryer vent repair, dryer vent installation and dryer vent inspections for homes and businesses in over 50 franchised locations in the US. DVW technicians educate consumers about dryer fire safety with valuable tips and information they can apply to maintain their dryer vent system between professional service calls.

Here are some links to recommended resources from the Wizard:

Consumer Survey Report: http://www.cpsc.gov/volstd/research/cof3dryer.pdf

Dryer Fire Prevention Report: http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/5022.html

Clothes Dryer Buying Advice: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/appliances/laundry-and-cleaning/clothes-dryers/clothes-dryer-buying-advice/index.htm

Seriously, is Dryer Vent Cleaning Necessary?

Dryer vent cleaning is necessary to remove lint build-up, starting in the dryer drum itself, leading to the exhaust ducts and the dryer vent attached to the outside of your home. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about dryer vent cleaning:

Q: Honestly, do I really need to concern myself with dryer vent cleaning?
A: Yes! One of the leading causes of house fires is the clothes dryer! Most dryer fires happen as the result of improper maintenance, mainly, failure to clean dryer vents and exhaust ducts.

Q: How often is dryer vent cleaning recommended?
A: Dryer vent cleaning is recommended at least once a year; more often if you have a large family or several pets as pet hair also builds up in the system.

Q: How can I tell if dryer vent cleaning is necessary?
A: The number one sign of dryer lint build-up is your dryer taking more than one cycle to properly dry your clothes.

Q: My home is a newer model with the laundry facilities upstairs near the bedrooms; does this mean my dryer vent system is more efficient; therefore requiring less need for maintenance?
A: No! Though there are advantages to newer systems being more energy efficient, your clothes dryer requires proper air-flow in order to perform its job. The location of your laundry room requires longer exhaust ducts; therefore, more places for lint to build up and create a problem. In fact, longer ducts means less air-flow and increased lint build-up.

Q: My old dryer does take longer to dry a load of laundry; could it be wearing out?
A: Not likely; this is a sure sign of lint build-up. If your dryer is heating up and clothes are not drying, it is because there is no air-flow. Lint has built up so heat and moisture cannot escape from the dryer drum. Even a brand new dryer will not work if the dryer ducts are blocked.

Most dryer vents are mounted about two feet above the ground on the wall outside of the laundry room. Some dryers are vented through the roof. Some dryer ducts are very short and straight; others are very long, especially if the laundry room is upstairs or in the basement. Some systems are quite easily cleaned by the average homeowner; others require special tools and equipment. A certified dryer vent professional will have the necessary tools to clean all dryer vents.

Dryer Vent Wizard is a nationwide company providing dryer vent cleaning, dryer vent repair, and dryer vent installation in many market areas including Boise, ID; Charlotte, NC; San Diego, CA; Leesburg, VA; Arlington, VA, Fairfax, VA; Connecticut; Raleigh, NC; Washington DC, VA; Livonia, MI; Denver, CO; Cleveland, OH; Boston, MA; Massachusetts, New Hampshire; Birmingham, MI; Bloomfield Hills, MI; Wausau, WI; Long Island, NY; Sacramento, CA; Temecula, CA; Baltimore, MD; Columbus, OH; Minneapolis, MN; St. Joseph, MO; Kansas City, MO; Boca Raton, FL; Atlanta, GA; York, PA; Lancaster, PA; Nashville, TN; Murfreesboro, TN; Seattle, WA; Chicago, IL; Santa Rosa, CA; Vallejo, CA; San Francisco, CA; Fresno, CA; Louisville, KY; Cincinnati, OH; Birmingham, AL; Baltimore, MD; Pittsburg, PA; Modesto, CA; Syracuse, NY

Dryer Vent Cleaning, Dryer Vent Repair, Fall Clean-up

Repair Dryer Vents – Reduce Energy Bills

Dryer vent cleaning and/or dryer vent repair are necessary tasks to add to your fall clean-up list. When you’re outside, raking leaves, trimming back the bushes and applying winterizer to the lawn, take a look at your dryer vent.

Dryer vent repair may be necessary if the hood is cracked, surrounded by mold and moss or the caulk around it is deteriorating. This allows cold air into your home. Repairing or replacing the dryer vent and properly sealing the opening can save you up to 10% on your utility bills.

Proper dryer vent installation and dryer vent cleaning are necessary to promote maximum air flow to save energy used by the clothes dryer. An inefficient dryer vent system can cost up to an extra $300 per year in energy costs.

Clean Dryer Vents – Reduce Fire Hazard

Over 15,000 clothes dryer related fires occur each year in the U.S., resulting in serious damage or loss of homes, injuries and death to residents and pets. Failure to clean dryer vents is the most common cause; other causes include storing flammable materials like card board boxes near the dryer, drying rags that were soaked in combustible chemicals, electrical problems and rarely, dryer malfunction.

The only way your clothes dryer is going to work efficiently is if there is proper air flow. The dryer forces hot air through tumbling laundry; the heat and moisture then escape the drum through the dryer ducts to the dryer vent outside.

Clean Dryer Vents – Get the Lint Out!

As laundry tumbles in the dryer, lint is created. With proper air flow, dryer lint is removed from your clothes. About 60% of the lint removed from the laundry ends up in the lint screen that should be cleaned after each load. The other 40% escapes into the back of the clothes dryer and the dryer ducts. Unfortunately, very little of the lint will actually go out through the dryer vent outside. The hot, moist lint sticks to the sides of the dryer ducts where it forms a hard paste. As the lint continues to accumulate, air flow is restricted. Lint inside the dryer hinders the operation of belts, pulleys and bearings. As the moving parts inside the dryer become worn, the dryer becomes more likely to throw a spark. Air flow sends the spark right into the dryer duct where it can cause the combustible lint to ignite.

Dryer Vent Cleaning – Get Rid of Mice, Birds, Bees Nests

Birds, Bees and small animals may be attracted to the nice warm hole in the side of your home. They set up housekeeping, build a nest and block air flow. They might even find their way into your home. This is another reason to check the dryer vent cover outside when you are performing your seasonal fall maintenance.

Clean Dryer Vents to Avoid Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

All gas powered appliances must be properly vented to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Most people pay close attention to furnace cleaning and maintenance for this reason; however, few think about the clothes dryer. Think about what venting is for; the purpose of venting is to move air or release air. An inferior dryer vent system can result in a carbon monoxide leak.

Proper dryer vent maintenance can go a long way in preventing fires and reducing energy. In addition, it eliminates the threat of carbon monoxide if you have a gas dryer. Dryer vent cleaning is recommended annually to remove the lint from the dryer ducts, the dryer vent, and inside the back of the dryer. A good dryer vent cleaning service will also do minor maintenance on your dryer by checking belts, pulleys and electrical connections.

Dryer Vent Wizard is a nationwide company providing dryer vent cleaning, dryer vent repair, and dryer vent installation in many market areas including Boise, ID; Charlotte, NC; San Diego, CA; Leesburg, VA; Arlington, VA, Fairfax, VA; Connecticut; Raleigh, NC; Washington DC, VA; Livonia, MI; Denver, CO; Cleveland, OH; Boston, MA; Massachusetts, New Hampshire; Birmingham, MI; Bloomfield Hills, MI; Wausau, WI; Long Island, NY; Sacramento, CA; Temecula, CA; Baltimore, MD; Columbus, OH; Minneapolis, MN; St. Joseph, MO; Kansas City, MO; Boca Raton, FL; Atlanta, GA; York, PA; Lancaster, PA; Nashville, TN; Murfreesboro, TN; Seattle, WA; Chicago, IL; Santa Rosa, CA; Vallejo, CA; San Francisco, CA; Fresno, CA; Louisville, KY; Cincinnati, OH; Birmingham, AL; Baltimore, MD; Pittsburg, PA; Modesto, CA; Syracuse, NY

Clean Dryer Vents are Green Dryer Vents - Clogged Dryer Vents are Energy Hogs and Fire Hazards!

Think about it…what are vents for? Anything with “vent” in its name must be related to air flow or ventilation for air quality. With this in mind, it would make sense to keep any vents clean.

Clean Dryer Vents to Save Energy

Dryer ducts and dryer vent systems are designed to remove heat and moisture from your clothes dryer drum as laundry is drying. Lint is also removed from laundry; however, only a small amount of this lint makes it to the dryer vent outside.

The dryer lint screen catches about 60 percent of the lint that comes from your laundry; the rest escapes into the back of the dryer and in the dryer ducts. The warm moisture, also traveling through the dryer ducts, causes the lint to stick to the sides of the dryer ducts. Eventually, the lint builds up and reduces the air flow; therefore, reducing the efficiency of your clothes dryer.

Clean all Vents

Anything that is vented for air-flow purposes, whether it be your dryer, furnace or stove hood, will cost significantly more money to operate if air flow is obstructed. This causes the appliance to labor, puts stress on the motor, and leads to malfunction. All vents need to be properly maintained for energy efficiency and to prolong the life of the appliance.

Clogged Dryer Vents cause Fires

When dryer vents and dryer ducts are clogged with lint this is a fire hazard. If clogged dryer vents are not cleaned soon, the combustible lint becomes fuel; add a spark from within the clothes dryer and you have the ingredients for a rapidly spreading dryer vent fire.

Annual dryer vent cleaning is recommended to keep clothes dryers operating safely and efficiently. Clean dryer vents to maximize air flow and avoid increased energy bills and appliance breakdown. Clean dryer vents are green dryer vents; the fee for professional dryer vent cleaning and/or dryer vent inspection will quickly pay for itself in energy savings and extended appliance life.

D. Benson of Dryer Vent Wizard reminds consumers that October is National Fire Prevention Month; why not show your support by having your dryer vents cleaned? Dryer Vent Wizard specializes in all dryer vent exhaust issues, providing dryer vent cleaning, dryer vent repair, dryer vent installation and dryer fire prevention tips for customers.

Dryer Vent Wizard is a nationwide company providing dryer vent cleaning, dryer vent repair, and dryer vent installation in many market areas including Boise, ID; Charlotte, NC; San Diego, CA; Leesburg, VA; Arlington, VA, Fairfax, VA; Connecticut; Raleigh, NC; Washington DC, VA; Livonia, MI; Denver, CO; Cleveland, OH; Boston, MA; Massachusetts, New Hampshire; Birmingham, MI; Bloomfield Hills, MI; Wausau, WI; Long Island, NY; Sacramento, CA; Temecula, CA; Baltimore, MD; Columbus, OH; Minneapolis, MN; St. Joseph, MO; Kansas City, MO; Boca Raton, FL; Atlanta, GA; York, PA; Lancaster, PA; Nashville, TN; Murfreesboro, TN; Seattle, WA; Chicago, IL; Santa Rosa, CA; Vallejo, CA; San Francisco, CA; Fresno, CA; Louisville, KY; Cincinnati, OH; Birmingham, AL; Baltimore, MD; Pittsburg, PA; Modesto, CA; Syracuse, NY

Dryer Vent Cleaning and Repair – Clogged Dryer Vents, Dryer Lint, Dryer Fires, Carbon Monoxide

Gas powered appliances are typically cheaper to operate than electric, but they do require maintenance to ensure they are working safely and efficiently. All gas appliances must be properly vented to eliminate the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. This includes gas clothes dryers!

As your wet laundry tumbles in your gas dryer, and the dryer burns gas fuel, the by-products, including carbon monoxide, must be safely vented from your home. The dryer vent system is responsible for removing heat, moisture and gas by-products by forcing it out through the dryer vent outside. By law, all gas dryers must be vented outside.

I’m sure you clean the lint screen after every load, as you should, but did you know that only 60 percent of the lint that is removed from your laundry ends up in the lint filter? The rest escapes to the inside of the dryer, around the motor, belts and pulleys, or into the dryer vent system. As the dryer lint sticks to the sides of the dryer ducts, it builds up and reduces the air flow your dryer desperately needs in order to work safely and efficiently.

When the dryer vent is clogged with lint, it makes it harder for the hot, moist air to escape. Lint build-up in dryer vent systems can cause dangerous levels of carbon monoxide to enter your home too. Carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless, difficult to detect, and it is deadly!

Some of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:

Dizziness
Headaches
Nausea
Eyes burning
Feeling faint and tired

Many people who experience these symptoms don’t realize it until it's too late. They attribute their symptoms to some other ailment. With carbon monoxide, you will not smell the fuel leak as it takes over your home.

What if you are feeling the symptoms?

Consider yourself very lucky if you experience the symptoms before you pass out and die! If you are having any of the above symptoms, even if you are not sure of the cause, turn off gas appliances and go outside for some fresh air. If you feel better within a few minutes, chances are likely that there is a carbon monoxide leak in your home.

Go back inside, just long enough to open windows and call your local gas company to report your concern; then, go to a safe place to wait for them to arrive. If you symptoms are very severe, you may need to have a neighbor watch for the gas company while you go to the hospital for treatment. They will have the necessary equipment to test for carbon monoxide and fix the problem. Chances are, you will need to have your appliance repaired or replaced.

The best way to deal with carbon monoxide poisoning is to prevent it in the first place. Like the furnace, which most people have serviced regularly, a clothes dryer should also have periodic professional inspection, cleaning and maintenance. A professional will clean everything out, be sure there is proper air flow and let you know if there are any parts that may soon become problems, so you can catch them before they occur.

Dryer vent cleaning and maintenance are recommended annually to prevent dryer fires, carbon monoxide poisoning and to ensure your dryer is operating efficiently to reduce energy bills. The cost of this service is very little compared to the loss of your home or your life.

D. Benson is the head of franchising for Dryer Vent Wizard, a company who provides dryer vent cleaning, dryer vent repair, dryer vent installation and dryer lint cleaning for consumers and businesses in over 50 major market areas in the US.


Dryer Vent Wizard is a nationwide company servicing many market areas including Boise, ID; Charlotte, NC; San Diego, CA; Leesburg, VA; Arlington, VA, Fairfax, VA; Connecticut; Raleigh, NC; Washington DC, VA; Livonia, MI; Denver, CO; Cleveland, OH; Boston, MA; Massachusetts, New Hampshire; Birmingham, MI; Bloomfield Hills, MI; Wausau, WI; Long Island, NY; Sacramento, CA; Temecula, CA; Baltimore, MD; Columbus, OH; Minneapolis, MN; St. Joseph, MO; Kansas City, MO; Boca Raton, FL; Atlanta, GA; York, PA; Lancaster, PA; Nashville, TN; Murfreesboro, TN; Seattle, WA; Chicago, IL; Santa Rosa, CA; Vallejo, CA; San Francisco, CA; Fresno, CA; Louisville, KY; Cincinnati, OH; Birmingham, AL; Baltimore, MD; Pittsburg, PA; Modesto, CA; Syracuse, NY