Every now and then, you may check your dryer vent and find it’s full of lint. While this may not seem like an emergency, you may wonder what happens if you don’t clean it or why lint builds up there.
While you may be able to clean out the filter in your dryer, you won’t be able to clean out the vent on your own. Cleaning the filter now and again certainly helps, but lint can still build up in your dryer’s vent. If left for too long, you may encounter dangerous problems.
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What Happens When the Lint Builds up in My Dryer Vent?
If you let the lint build up in your dryer vent and never have it cleaned, here are just a few of the problems and dangers you may encounter.
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Dryer Fires
Dryer fires are the most dangerous risk of letting lint build up in your dryer vent. Lint clogs your vent and makes it difficult for hot air to pass through. This can lead to your dryer overheating much easier than before. Unfortunately, the accumulated lint makes for an easy fire starter, and it doesn’t take much for a dryer fire to start.
Dryer fires can quickly spiral out of control as the fire has an easy path through the vents and your house. The lint makes it easy for dryer fires to climb through your walls, and before you know it, you’ll have a house fire.
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Poor Air Quality
Normally, dryers will send dirty, moist air out of the house through the vents. However, if these vents are clogged with lint, the dirty air may be blocked and pushed back into the house. While it may not be noticeable at first, this dirty air will circulate through the house and lower the air quality indoors.
The trapped, moist air may also encourage mold growth and promote the growth of allergens. If anyone in your household suffers from asthma or allergies, the lower air quality will be noticeable.
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Shorter Dryer Lifespan
Lint buildup means your dryer has to work extra hard, which will result in a lower lifespan. Not only will your dryer burn out sooner and need to be replaced, but it will take longer for your clothes to dry. Although longer dry times aren’t the worst, it can be frustrating if you don’t know why your dryer is taking longer to dry your things or if you’re in a rush.
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Risk of Pests
Lint makes a comfortable home for many small pests. Mice, rats, snakes, and other pests will happily make a home in your lint-filled dryer vents, which is both dangerous and challenging to deal with.
Many pests are happy to build their home in your vents, making it more difficult for your dryer to function. Airflow will be even further limited, and pests may decide to move deeper into your home.
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Costly
While you may feel like cleaning your dryer vents is expensive, it’s even more expensive to let lint build up in your vents. The damage that occurs can cause you to replace your dryer much sooner. No matter how much it costs to clean your dryer vents, buying a whole new dryer will always be more expensive.
Even if your dryer doesn’t need to be replaced, extensive damage may be done to your vent system and require them to be replaced. This is another costly process that is easily avoided by arranging for your dryer vents to be cleaned.
Conclusion
You may be tempted to ignore the lint in your dryer vents, but the risks involved are too high to ignore. It’s crucial to remember to have your dryer vents cleaned so that lint doesn’t build up and lead to more expensive repairs or disastrous consequences. Call us today and let our professionals handle the job!