When you clean carpets and ducts, you are helping people live in a healthy and pleasant environment, but there are some services that we offer that can help to prevent serious fires, and dryer vent cleaning is one of them. It may seem like a dryer fire is something that is very rare, but in fact, there are around 15,000 dryer fires in a typical year. Most of us just turn on the dryer and forget about it until our clothes are dry without considering the fact that it takes a lot of heat to do the job. It is important not to have any buildup of flammable substances in or around the dryer, and the lint that builds up in the dryer and vents is extremely flammable. This is a common danger that many of us overlook, so we would like to share five tips that can help you avoid a dryer fire.

1. Be careful when you are drying clothes that have have been exposed to flammable substances.

If you have some clothing that has absorbed potentially flammable chemicals, you need to be very certain that these garments have been thoroughly washed before you put them into the dryer. You might want to wash these items more than once, and if you aren’t sure whether or not they are completely safe to put in the dryer, you can always hang them out to air dry.

2. Make sure that the area around the dryer is clean and free of lint.

It is important to make sure that lint is not building up around the dryer, and this is especially true of the area between the back of the dryer and the wall. You may not think to clean back there, but if there is a buildup of lint behind your dryer and some sparks happen to fly, the result could be disastrous.

3. Use metal duct to avoid kinking.

When you use the plastic or foil ducting that is flexible it can kink and lint often builds up in the resultant “elbows,” gradually blocking the flow of air. If you do use these types of ducting, be aware that when you twist it or turn it at an angle you may be limiting the ability for air to flow through it smoothly. Use common sense and make sure that your ducts are facilitating an unobstructed air flow.

4. Remember to clean the lint screen every time you do a load of clothes.

It’s easy to forget about the lint filter, but it needs to be cleaned every time you dry a load of clothes. If you are wondering how important it is to get the lint out of a very hot machine, do you know that lint is commonly used as a fire starter?

5. Have your dryer vent and duct cleaned by a professional.

It is very difficult for the typical home owner to effectively clean their own dryer ducts and vents, and this is one of the reasons why many households are at risk. Atlanta Air Duct Cleaning specializes in dryer vent cleaning, and we would be more than glad to keep your dryer safe with a thorough cleaning of your exhaust system. A little bit or home fire prevention goes a long way.