If you read Flylady‘s emails like I do, then you’ve been bashed over the head with how dangerous it is to have lint clogging your dryer. It’s a fire hazard, of course, and it could be costing you extra money because your dryer can’t run at peak efficiency and therefore has to run longer, using up more electricity and increasing the cost of your energy bill.
I’ve never personally used a kit because our dryer isn’t set up like most people’s – it vents directly in the garage, which makes for annoying pieces of fluff in the garage, but prevents big buildups in the venting tube. We thought about changing this when we first moved in but now I appreciate safety aspect of this set up and am content to let it be.
Another thing to watch out for is your lint trap filter – if you put some water on it and the water doesn’t fall through the mesh, it’s probably coated with a film buildup that can be easily removed with a little soap and warm water. Be sure to remove the lint trapped after every load.
For more tips on preventing dryer fires, read the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Safety Alert.