Your dryer vent is one of those forgotten vents in your home that either runs to the roof or outside the side of an outer wall. What you may not realize is the potential hazard it may create if you do not clean it annually.

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that in 1998 clothes dryers were associated with 15,600 fires, resulting in 20 deaths and 370 injuries. Fires can occur when lint builds up in the dryer or in the exhaust duct. Lint can block the flow of air, cause excessive heat build-up, and result in a fire in some dryers. To help prevent fires, clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct periodically.