I used to think a dryer vent was just a tube until I saw the lint buildup in a 1978 house in Spokane.

3 comments

3 Comments

That "lint buildup in a 1978 house" line really hits home. I always figured a vent was just a simple pipe that stayed clean on its own. Then I helped my uncle clean out his place from the 80s. We pulled out what looked like a whole extra blanket, just packed in there solid. It totally changed how I see those tubes now, they're more like a filter that needs emptying.

eric72325d ago

Ever wonder if my dryer vent is just a secret sock storage tube? I mean, after seeing that kind of buildup, I'm pretty sure mine is holding a whole sweater hostage by now. Guess I should go check before it turns into a science project.

simonh7425d ago

Honestly though, how much of a fire risk is it really? I've lived in older houses my whole life and never once cleaned a dryer vent. Never had a problem either. That lint is mostly just damp fluff, it's not like it's gasoline soaked rags in there. People get worked up over every little thing these days. Sure, maybe if you never clean it for 50 years it could be bad, but for most folks it's just not that big a deal.