There is no doubt that we always have to be vigilant as to potential security and personal harm risks that can be occurring around our home. Now that spring seems to have arrived many people cease using their dryer for their laundry tasks. Now is a good time to inspect this home appliance and make sure that it is in safe operating condition for the occasional use even during the warm weather, and especially for next fall.

We all just assume that if our dryer has been hooked up safely that this is all we need to be concerned about. It is one of those trusty home appliances that we heavily rely on but give very little thought to any potential hazards it could create.

You probably are astute at cleaning the visible lint screen because you know this is a necessity, and because it is so easily seen you remember to do this. What you may not have done on a regular basis is cleaned out your dryer vent hose. This is also an easy area for lint to accumulate and can create a potential fire hazard. If there is nobody in the home that can do this for you there are plenty of small home handymen or small appliance repair shops that offer this as a service. Hopefully you have a security company such as Pre-lock that you rely on for your security needs, and they can provide you with some tips on how to handle this task.

Something else that you may not be aware of especially if your dryer is an older model is that you must replace your old white plastic vent hose with a metal one. In many areas this has become a new law especially when it comes to insurance responsibilities.

Chances are you are going to be making use of the wonderful spring/summer weather and do your clothes drying outside. On occasion though, such as a rainy day you may still rely on your dryer. Don’t forget to apply the proper safety rules when doing this.

One potential problem is folding clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer at which time they can be quite hot. Metal objects on the clothes can really hold the heat. Make sure these have cooled down appropriately before storing these clothing items away.

Finally make sure that you keep the area around the dryer clear from debris just as you would with any other type of heat source.

Staying on top of the additional potential fire starting problems that can occur in your home will help to keep you safe and secure.