Most people clean out their lint filters every time they finish drying their clothes. However, you should also add your dryer vent into this equation if you want to keep everyone safe. The dryer vent is the tube where moisture and hot air from your dryer travel outside your home. A clogged dryer vent can create a slew of problems in your household. Here are some reasons why you must empty your dryer vent regularly.
Fire Safety
The main reason to clean out your dryer vent is to prevent your house from catching fire. The lint in your clothes is highly flammable, so when the dryer brings in too much heat, it could cause this lint to ignite. Thankfully, you can easily prevent this from happening by collecting all the lint in your vents and tossing it in the garbage.
Your Electrical Bill
If you have a clogged dryer vent in your home, it will cause your machine to use excessive electricity to dry your clothes. This extra electrical usage can quickly add up and lead to higher utility bills. In addition, when too much lint is in the air, it can cause your HVAC system to overwork itself to get it out of the atmosphere, leading to further overuse of electricity. Saving money on your electrical bill highlights the importance of a clean furnace filter.
Mold
Since your dryer vent transports moisture out of your home, it can be a prime location for mold to grow. This occurs when the wet spots in your vent accumulate enough moisture for mold to begin forming. Mold can cause numerous health problems, which is why you want to avoid it at all costs.
Dryer Life Span
You can extend the working life of your dryer by cleaning out the vent on a routine basis. A clogged dryer vent will cause your machine to overwork itself and potentially break. However, you can decrease the chances of this happening by getting rid of all the lint that’s collecting in there.
Overall, your dryer is supposed to make life simpler, but if you don’t empty out your dryer vent, things can get way more complicated. So now that you know the reasons why you must empty your dryer vent, what’s stopping you from doing it today?