Dryer Maintenance

Every year, nearly 25,000 dryer fires cause millions of dollars in damage and hundreds of injuries, some fatal. Dryer fires start when built-up lint near the motor, gas burners or heating element catches on fire. This fire can then spread to ignite lint in the vent pipe.
The best precautions are to empty the lint trap after every load, vacuum behind the machine regularly, keep flammables away from the dryer, and annually clean lint from inside the dryer cabinet and vent duct.
Consult you manual for instructions on how to access the heating element, gas burners and cabinet interior.
The most important step in cleaning the dryer is to remove any lint buildup around the motor and gas burner or heating element. Then clean out the vent duct with a 4-in. dryer vent cleaning brush ( $20 to $40 at an appliance repair store, or via the internet at www.repairclinic.com).
If your dryer has a plastic vent ducting, replace it with a metal one. The plastic ducting itself can catch on fire and set the house a blaze.

1 UNPLUG the machine and turn off the gas valve. Pry the access panel loose with a big flat-blade screwdriver. Vacuum the inside of the cabinet, especially around the gas burner and motor. If you have a brush attachment for your vacuum, use it to loosen built-up lint.

2 DISCONNECT the vent from the dryer and push a vent cleaning brush through the exterior vent hood. Otherwise, disassemble the vent and clean it by hand.

CAUTION : UNPLUG THE DRYER AND SHUT OFF THE GAS VALVE BEFORE PULLING IT OUT TO CLEAN. IF YOU SMELL GAS AFTER TURNING THE GAS VALVE BACK ON, IMMEDIATELY TURN IT OFF AND CALL YOUR LOCAL GAS UTILITY.