Every human being has a heart with arteries which carry blood away from the heart to other tissues and organs. Arteries can build up plaque on the inner walls, and thus the blood flow becomes restricted and/or clogged. Clogged and restricted arteries greatly increase the potential for a heart attack or stroke. Too many people die every year as a result of this condition.
There is a pipe in your home that can be compared to an artery – the dryer vent! It has an inner wall that can become restricted if not properly maintained and can be an extreme hazard to your home and life.
According to the National Fire Prevention Association, in 2010, over 15,000 fires occurred in the U.S. from clothes dryer vents that resulted in 51 deaths, 380 injuries, and $236 million in property damage.
Is your dryer vent clean or dirty? Once a dryer is installed in place and connected to the dryer vent, in too many homes, the dryer vent is out of sight and is too often never inspected. If you haven’t inspected your dryer vent in a long time, it’s time to do that. That will be easier for some than for others.
Dryer vents are designed differently depending on the structure in which they are built. Some are short and straight. Some are long with bends in the pipes, and some even have a booster fan. Some vent pipes run horizontally, vertically, or both ways. Properly vented, some pipes vent through an exterior wall and others through the roof. The longer the vent pipe, the more likely the potential for an excessive lint buildup in the pipe.
As a home inspector, I see dirty dryer vent pipes, disconnected vent pipes, and/or improperly vented pipes all the time. I’ve seen some pretty creative (and incorrect) do-it-yourself solutions to dryer vents. This is too important of an item to not have installed and working correctly!
Do you know where your dryer vent pipe is located? How clean is the pipe and/or the cover? Is the cover broken or working? If your dryer vent pipe is venting into the attic, you’re creating a fire hazard and need to have it repaired to properly vent to the exterior.
How do you know when it’s time for your dryer vent to be cleaned or inspected? Glad you asked! Here are 5 signs that it’s time to get your dryer vent cleaned…
- Drying time for clothes takes longer than usual
- Clothing and the outside of the dryer are hotter than normal
- You notice a burning smell
- The dryer vent cover flap does not open properly
- It’s been more than a year since it was inspected
A short dryer vent is easy to clean, but a longer vent may take a professional with special equipment. The dryer vent in my home is 12 inches long, and the one I inspected yesterday was 4 feet of vertical pipe with a 90 degree turn and then 12 feet horizontal to the exterior wall. Many new homes being constructed today have dryer vent exhaust pipes that run vertically through the attic and vent out the roof. If you hire a professional to clean your vent, expect to pay approximately $75 – $150.
Part of a home inspection includes inspecting the dryer vent, as much as is accessible. Take a few moments to check your dryer vent, or call a professional to inspect it for you.
For a list of Dryer Safety tips, please go to www.nfpa.org for a free download sheet of helpful safety tips.
Keep your dryer vent pipe clean and stay safe my friends.
