Cleaning out dryer ducts could prevent big problems

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Story Published: Mar 25, 2008 at 8:21 AM PDT

Story Updated: Mar 25, 2008 at 1:30 PM PDT

By Herb Weisbaum

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Here's something to put on your spring cleaning list: your dryer. You want to get rid of the lint buildup in the ducts and vent that can make your dryer work harder -- that wastes energy -- or that could lead to a fire.

Dryer fires are a serious problem.

Consumer Reports says on average, more than 13,000 fires start in laundry rooms each year in the country. They cause nearly $100 million in damage and result in at least 10 deaths.

Make sure you have the proper type of venting. If not, change it.

"Solid metal ducts are best for dryer venting, though semi-rigid metal is okay," says Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman, a senior editor at Consumer Reports.

"The ones you really want to avoid are the coiled wire foil or plastic ones because those can sag and lint can build up in them and the lint buildup is the concern for the fires."

According to the safety experts at Underwriters Labs, people aren't cleaning lint traps as often as they should and they're not checking and cleaning vent systems on a periodic basis.

For More Information:

Prevent a dryer fire at your home

Watch: Dryer Fire Caution

UL: Clean those lint traps

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