Preventing House Fires... One Dryer Duct At A Time with Vermont Dryer Duct!

80% of U.S. households own a clothes dryer. Between 2010 and 2014 fire departments responded to an estimated 15,970 home structure fires involving clothes dryers. 26% of these fires were caused by dust, fiber, or lint.

This week we are featuring Part One of a two part series featuring Clint Calderwood, owner and operator of Vermont Dryer Duct out of Milton, VT. Clint is in expert in dryer cleaning services and is helping us educate our current and future clients on his services and what you can do to help prevent a structure fire in your home.

  1. It’s very important that you hire a professional to install your dryer and service it.
  2. Never use a dryer without a lint filter. While cleaning the filter before and after dryer uses helps prevent blockages lint can still bypass the filter, get stuck in the duct work or outlet and then obstruct flow which can create a fire hazard
  3. Be sure to check the back side of the dryer for any lint build up
  4. Keep outdoor vent coverings open and unobstructed
  5. While we recommend that you should have your dryer cleaned at least once a year, if you are doing multiple loads of laundry each day, we recommend cleaning it every six months to be on the safer side.

From 2010-2014 the number of house fires involving dryers did decrease by approximately 9,000, the number is still quite significant. Below we have shared a few signs that you should be aware of that help indicate that your dryer may be at risk for a fire:

  • Your dryer is taking longer than usual to dry a normal load of laundry
  • You have to run a second drying cycle on a regular basis
  • Your clothing is getting so hot that it is uncomfortable for you to handle them
  • You notice a “hot” smell or a strong odor of freshly dried clothing

These indications may just mean that you need to check the lint trap, however we recommend that you hire a professional to come in and inspect your dryer and perform a full cleaning. Clint stressed to us that while there is still build up when he returns to homes he has previously clean, it is significantly less than those never cleaned. Not only does cleaning your dryer prevent house fires but this can also increase the efficiency of your dryer. It will use less energy to dry your clothes which will reduce your electric or gas bill.

In Part Two Clint will be discussing what types of structures he works in, the process in which he uses to clean the vents and the things he comes across during these cleanings. Stay tuned and check out Vermont Dryer Duct for your cleaning services!