It isn’t often that a clogged dryer vent line is the cause of a home fire. However, it does happen. The safety hazards of a clothes dryer vent are often over-looked by homeowners. Most dryers vent through an outside wall after a very short run from the dryer. To avoid this hazard there a few things you can do. To avoid this fire hazard you should inspect and clean the dryer vent line twice a year. A good time is when you set your clocks for daylight and standard time.

Dried lint can be very combustible. Regular cleaning can prevent the potential of a possible fire. Doing the laundry creates a lot of lint in the lint filter. The dryer lint filter does not catch all of the lint. Some of the lint collets in the dryer vent line.

Electric dryers have a flexible vent line that runs from the dryer through the outside wall. Gas dryer vent lines are different. They are made rigid, made of metal piping. Building codes have virtually made it mandatory in all states that dryer vent lines are made of metal rigid vent piping.

Townhomes and quad-plex homes are often designed where the dryer vent line can be difficult to install an outside wall. As a result many have to be routed into the attic and out to the soffit or between the floors to an outside vent. Most building codes don’t allow builders to exceed more than a 20 foot run to the outside wall.

If for some reason you have a concern about how far to install a dryer vent pipe, check with your local code office for requirements in you town.

If you are a DIY homeowner you can clean your own dryer vent. For a standard vent line, simply remove it from the dryer and fish out the lint. For longer vent lines, use a plumbers snake similar to a roto-rooter. Attach a small towel or large rag to the end of it and pass it through the line several times until all the lint is removed from the vent line walls.

It may be necessary to remove the outside dryer vent cap cover to facilitate cleaning. The cap should be inspected to insure it is free of lint. Once this cleaning process is completed you restore the vent line to the dryer.

The safety hazards of a clothes dryer vent should not be under estimated. They can cause fires. You can eliminate the hazard by cleaning the vent line at least twice a year.

See related DIY Home Improvement articles:

Bathroom Safety Tips

Childproofing Your Bathroom

Common DIY Home Safety Tips

DIY Home Safety Tips

Electric Safety