Extending the Life of your Clothes Dryer - Tips on Dryer Maintenance

It is important that your dryer vent be made of aluminum. Years ago, the vents were made of flammable materials and if by chance if you do not have an aluminum dryer vent - get one!

Check the entire length of the vent pipe for lint build-up at least once a year--or more often if the dryer gets a lot of use. Most companies that clean air ducts, will clean out your dryer vent also.

Dryer Lint filter
Check and clean the dryer lint filter after every drying cycle. If the lint filter has any rips or tears, replace it. If the filter gets clogged by fabric softener residue or any other residue, you can easily clean it with a soft-bristle brush and a little detergent.

If your clothes dryer is drying your clothes more and more slowly each cycle, chances are lint is stuck somewhere in the vent. Not only is this an inconvenience, it can be a fire hazard.

• Dryer vents clogged with lint cost $18-24 more per month.
• There are 15,500 fires every year caused by dryer vents.
• Dryer manufacturers recommend you clean your dryer vent every year.
• Regular dryer vent maintenance prolongs the life of your dryer.

The easiest way to prevent or get rid of lint clog is to hire a professional, but if you can't do that ... get the old vacuum out, unplug the dryer and start vacuuming all parts of the dryer.

Did you know?
90% of the population has a dryer vent clog and are unaware of it.

Labels: Clothes Dryer Parts