A clogged dryer vent is one of the leading causes of house fires – and cleaning it takes about five minutes.
Most people clean the lint screen after each load (you should). Far fewer clean the vent line that runs from the dryer to the outside of the house.
- Pull the dryer away from the wall.
- Disconnect the flexible vent hose from the back of the dryer.
- Use a dryer vent cleaning brush (available at hardware stores) to clear lint from the hose and the wall duct.
- Vacuum any remaining lint from inside both ends.
- Reconnect securely and push the dryer back.
Do this at least once a year – more often if you do heavy laundry loads or have a long vent run. Signs you need it now: clothes taking longer than one cycle to dry, the dryer running hot, or a burning smell during operation.