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MrsM84
LIF Adult
Member since 2/13 2352 total posts
Name:
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PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
A good friend of mine unfortunately had a fire in the lower level of her home today caused by built up lint in her dryer vent. Thankfully no one was harmed, but there was quite a bit of property damage that was done before the fire was able to be put out.
Being paranoid, as soon as I heard this, I watched a YouTube video and figured out how to do it myself. The amount of lint that was in there shocked me (enough to fill a gallon sized Ziploc). If you can't do it on your own/don't want to, there are companies you can call that will do it for you. Please make it a point to do this ASAP. Thinking of doing this 2x a year from now on on Daylights Savings Time so its easy to remember/keep track of!
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Posted 8/4/17 8:55 PM  |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15657 total posts
Name:
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PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
How did you clean it?
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| Posted 8/4/17 8:59 PM |
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MrsM84
LIF Adult
Member since 2/13 2352 total posts
Name:
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Re: PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
Posted by BargainMama
How did you clean it?
My dryer is up against an outside wall so it was a bit easier than it is for people in which that isn't the case. I pulled out the dryer and disconnected the vent hose which goes from the back of the machine to the vent outside where all the warm air blows out. I then just did a very thorough vacuum inside with our shop vac using all the attachments to get in the nooks and crannies. If your dryer isn't on an outside wall, the vent hose will be pretty long -- they sell these long brushes that are the size of the vent hose with real long bendable handles. If you have 2nd floor laundry, your vent obviously isn't on ground level so that could make things tricky. If that were the case, I'd likely call a company to do it.
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| Posted 8/4/17 9:04 PM |
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RainyDay
LIF Adult
Member since 6/15 3990 total posts
Name:
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PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
Thank you foe the reminder. Last year a coworker's house caught on fire from the same thing. I will definitely be cleaning out mine.
Message edited 8/4/2017 9:12:12 PM.
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| Posted 8/4/17 9:11 PM |
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gina409
TWINS!
Member since 12/09 27635 total posts
Name:
g
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Re: PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
This is a huge fear of mine. We schedule a cleaniit yearly.
Company comes and takes it all out for 80 bucks!
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| Posted 8/5/17 12:48 AM |
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jaysee00
LIF Adult
Member since 3/06 1647 total posts
Name:
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Re: PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
Thank you for this. This is one of those things I'm always meaning to do that I never do! Does anyone have a recommendation for a company to use? I am in the brookhaven area.
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| Posted 8/5/17 9:10 AM |
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Rosie0613
LIF Adolescent
Member since 8/10 875 total posts
Name:
Rosie
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Re: PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
Yes I totally agree! I do it at least once a year and I try to clean the lint trap with my vacuum at least once a month.
I use Sears for the vent cleaning. They are very good and I think I pay about $90.
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| Posted 8/6/17 12:31 AM |
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Mrs&MrsK
i need sleep ;-)
Member since 2/14 2008 total posts
Name:
L
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Re: PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
following for recc's in brookhaven
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| Posted 8/7/17 3:17 PM |
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drpepper318
MIR MIR MIR!
Member since 6/07 8274 total posts
Name:
me
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Re: PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
This is one of my biggest fears regarding my house!!
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| Posted 8/7/17 3:24 PM |
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2BadSoSad
LIF Adult
Member since 8/12 6791 total posts
Name:
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Re: PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
My sister had a house fire bc of this, although she had hers cleaned and there was still some trapped that they didnt get and it caught fire. She lost her entire basement and its contents, basically. Luckily, minimal damage to the rest of her home bc my parents were there and called the fire dept immediately before it had a chance to spread.
Also, dont ever start the dryer and leave. EVER. Had my parents not stopped by her house would have burned to the ground.
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| Posted 8/8/17 2:23 PM |
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PennyCat
Just call me mommy :)
Member since 7/08 19084 total posts
Name:
Jib
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Re: PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
Thanks for the reminder! Mine gets filled up quickly because of cat hair!
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| Posted 8/9/17 12:39 AM |
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mnmsoinlove
Mommy to 2 sweet girls!
Member since 3/09 8585 total posts
Name:
Melissa
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Re: PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
I just put in a request with sears to schedule a cleaning. Thanks for the reminder.
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| Posted 8/9/17 8:27 AM |
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MC09
arrrghhh!!!!
Member since 2/09 5674 total posts
Name:
Me speaks pirate!
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Re: PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
Posted by 2BadSoSad
Also, dont ever start the dryer and leave. EVER. Had my parents not stopped by her house would have burned to the ground.
Yes this! And never run the dryer and go to bed. Thankfully your parents were there to stop the fire in time! How awful that your sister had the vent cleaned but it still happened anyway because of the company's negligence. 
This thread makes me want to use a clothes line.
Message edited 8/9/2017 9:55:15 AM.
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| Posted 8/9/17 9:52 AM |
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NervousNell
Just another chapter in life..
Member since 11/09 54921 total posts
Name:
..being a mommy and being a wife!
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Re: PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
I have to look into this for sure!
Question though- how does the lint catch on fire? Does something cause a spark in the vent?
Or does is spontaneously combust from the heat?
I was always confused as to what would spark the lint to catch fire.
Does anyone know?
Message edited 8/9/2017 10:19:53 AM.
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| Posted 8/9/17 10:19 AM |
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jaysee00
LIF Adult
Member since 3/06 1647 total posts
Name:
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Re: PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
Thanks to this thread I just scheduled an appt with sears for a few weeks from now. The guy said they were running a special for $169! I thought that seemed pricey but I scheduled it anyway. With tax, it's gonna be $183! I am willing to pay it but I wanted to check here to see if anyone had it done by someone else cheaper.
Thanks in advance to anyone that has info!
Message edited 8/9/2017 1:17:43 PM.
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| Posted 8/9/17 1:17 PM |
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2boys1girl
and one more girl on the way!
Member since 5/10 2954 total posts
Name:
D
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PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
That's a crazy price.
I run an apartment complex with laundry rooms and use "Come Clean" to do them and for 24 machines I don;t even pay that.
866-955-8080
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| Posted 8/9/17 1:37 PM |
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ave1024
I Took The Wrong Road
Member since 12/07 6153 total posts
Name:
That Led To The Wrong Tendencies
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Re: PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
The company that does my chimney sweeps does the dryer vents as well. Schedule them during the same visit.
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| Posted 8/9/17 4:05 PM |
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jaysee00
LIF Adult
Member since 3/06 1647 total posts
Name:
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Re: PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
Posted by 2boys1girl
That's a crazy price.
I run an apartment complex with laundry rooms and use "Come Clean" to do them and for 24 machines I don;t even pay that.
866-955-8080
Thank you for this. I will give them a call. I also spoke with another company that quoted me about the same price. Then he asked me about my duct which kind of looks like coiled aluminum tin foil, for lack of better words. And he told me that this duct is not even up to code and very flammable. Then one of my friends said her husband says most people have these as ducts.
Does anyone here have the kind of duct I just mentioned?
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| Posted 8/9/17 5:01 PM |
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mnmsoinlove
Mommy to 2 sweet girls!
Member since 3/09 8585 total posts
Name:
Melissa
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Re: PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
I have Sears coming to do ours today. Its $187 with tax which I'm sure is expensive but I called yesterday and they could do it today so I'm paying for it. I'm just glad to have it done and have peace of mind.
Message edited 8/10/2017 8:53:19 AM.
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| Posted 8/10/17 8:52 AM |
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Diane
Hope is Contagious....catch it
Member since 5/05 30683 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: PSA: Clean your dryer vent!
Posted by drpepper318
This is one of my biggest fears regarding my house!!
me too...which is why I will never leave the house with the dryer going.
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| Posted 8/11/17 2:51 PM |
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