Clothes Dryer Lint Explained by The Lint King Dryer Vent Cleaning Experts
Most people change their cars’ oil regularly to ensure reliability and efficiency. So, what do you do in the Laundry room? Did most homeowners know the hidden dangers behind their walls and ceilings?
Your clothes dryer is the second most likely appliance to start a fire in your home. According to the NFPA, home fires involving clothes dryers are about 14,692 yearly. To prevent the ignition of dust, fiber, or lint, with proper annual clothes dryer vent maintenance.
Clothes Dryer Fire
A clothes dryer can generate up to a 25 MPH airflow through the airways from the internal blower fan — the hot, moist air and lint from the laundry then exits the building to the outdoors.
What is in your clothes dryer’s Vent?
Most lint traps filter out only 75% of the lint, hair, fur, and paper that flows through them to the appliances’ ductwork to the outside louvered vent. So, where did the remainder of the debris go? It gets caught in the turns and rough services in the dryer venting system.
Why do clothes dryer fires occur?
The lint nearly always collects in 90-degree turns and long straight runs, resulting in restricted airflow. Check out the TLK blog about appliance overheating. https://thelintking.com/blog/clothes-dryer-vent-safety-schaumburg/
I was amazed when I first set lint on fire and noticed how quickly the fire spread. Because clothes lint is so combustible, the Boy Scotts use it as a fire starter!
The perfect dryer vent system is short and straight out of an outside wall, with about two feet of ductwork. We’ve seen run lengths over 60 feet with five turns. Shorter is always more beneficial!
It’s True Location Matters!
Today’s modern home architects have their laundry room in a convenient location. This results in harder-to-reach ductwork and exceeding challenges to keeping clean.
It’s essential that the venting be made of SOLID Metal Material, not of flexible, foil hose or semi-ridged tubing. The Lint king sees that they crush easily, restricting airflow and leakage into the laundry room. Learn about a Better Clothes Dryer Transition Hose.
Dryer Vent Cleaning, Repair, and Installation
Paul Meyers owns The Lint King Dryer Vent Cleaning and Repair Experts. Our team’s mission is to educate the homeowner on dryer vent cleaning and maintenance. Regular maintenance will help prevent fires and save energy. Visit https://thelintking.com/dryer-vent-cleaning-appointments/ to schedule a dryer vent safety inspection.
Learn about Home Fire Safety at the NFPA.