It’s time to talk about dryer vents. Yes, there are many other topics that are a lot more interesting than dryer vents. In fact, you’ve probably completely forgotten about your dryer vent. It’s tucked away behind your washer and dryer and then extends through the wall and eventually winds its way to the outside of your house. Because you never really see it, of course, it’s easy to forget.

However, overlooking your dryer vent could be dangerous. Thousands of dryer vent fires occur every year, and in almost all cases they could be prevented simply be keeping your vent cleaned. While most people don’t give their dryer vent a second thought, there are some signs that you should be aware of in order to reduce the risk of a fire.

If you’ve noticed that it continues to take more time for your clothes to get dry, that could be a sign that you have lint built up in your dryer vent. Additionally, if your clothes are hot to the touch, or the outside of your dryer is hot then it could be a sign of trouble. If you notice any kind of burning smell, this is a sign that lint in your dryer vent could already be smoking or on fire. Lastly, if you haven’t had it inspected in more than a year, then you should at least get it inspected and most likely cleaned.

Don’t be the victim of a senseless dryer vent fire. Know the signs and don’t ignore them if you see them. You can contact a professional to clean your dryer vent in the Portland/Vancouver area by clicking here.