Here’s What Can Happen if You Don’t Clean Your Dryer Vent

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t think about the cleanliness of your dryer vent all that often. After all, dryer vents tend to be tucked away out of sight, and when something like a dryer vent is out of sight, that usually means it’s out of mind, too.

Although it might not seem like that big of a deal to have a dirty dryer vent, that’s an assumption you really shouldn’t make. Failing to clean and maintain that vent can put both your dryer and your home at risk, and may even put you in danger too.

What can happen when you don’t tend to routine dryer vent cleaning? Read on to find out. 

Carbon Monoxide Exposure

If you own a gas dryer, you must be especially diligent about dryer vent cleaning. That’s because gas-powered dryers produce carbon monoxide (CO), a colorless, odorless gas that’s lethal in high concentrations. When large amounts of lint accumulate inside the vent of a gas-powered dryer, all of that debris can prevent carbon monoxide from exiting the vent as it should.

The carbon monoxide then builds up inside the vent, and since it has nowhere else to go, it’ll eventually begin accumulating inside of whatever room your dryer lives in. If you want to significantly reduce your likelihood of being exposed to high concentrations of dryer-generated CO, the solution is simple: Have a professional perform a thorough dryer vent cleaning once a year.

Dryer Fires

How often do you pull a thick blanket of lint out of your dryer’s lint trap after you finish a load of laundry? Every time? Did you know that only a fraction of the lint produced by each load of laundry ends up in the lint trap? That’s right — plenty of highly flammable lint gets past that trap, and guess where it ends up? In your dryer vent.

If you don’t want your house to be one of the 2,900 homes that suffer a devastating dryer fire each year, regular dryer vent cleaning is absolutely essential.

Declining Dryer Efficiency

Not all of the potential consequences of dirty dryer vents are dangerous. Some, like a serious decrease in your dryer’s efficiency, are just expensive, but that’s not exactly desirable either. Why does failing to clean your dryer vent end up costing you more money in the long run?

Because a vent that’s packed full of lint and other debris cannot funnel hot air away from the dryer drum as it should. And when that hot, moist air can’t exit the drum efficiently, where does it stay? Yep, inside the dryer.

When you toss your clothing and linens in the dryer, they’ll end up drying much more slowly since they’re surrounded by the moisture that should be exiting through the vent. The dryer must then operate longer than normal to get your things dry, which will drive up your energy bills. Ultimately, a clogged, inefficient dryer will burn out long before it should, which will add one more unneeded expense to your plate.

Schedule Dryer Vent Cleaning With Dust Doctors

Has it been a while since your dryer vents were last cleaned? If so, don’t wait to get it done! Schedule an appointment with our team at Dust Doctors in Little Canada, MN, and we’ll ensure your dryer vent is completely clean so your appliance functions the way it should. To get started, request a free service quote or give us a call today at 651-319-9777.