While many view their dryer as nothing more than an appliance that gets their clothes dry after going through the washing machine, there is much more to it than that. Everyone knows you need to clean the lint trap to prevent a fire from starting, but what else do you really know about this appliance? There is a lot more to it than what you see right there in plain sight. Follow the tips below to make sure your dryer is up and running, without having to worry about it breaking down on you.

Vent Pipes

Vent pipes are often composed of an aluminum material. Years ago, a white vent was used. Today, those same vents don't adhere to the new building codes. If your dryer ended up igniting, you could wind up with a fire that envelopes your entire home in no time. Take the time to go through the dryer vent and look for any build-up inside once every year, if not more. If you use the dryer more frequently, you need to check the vent more often. Make sure you get the lint out of the vent. Don't shove it inside of the vent.

Cabinet Interior

When you think about all of the clothes tumbling around in the unit, it only makes sense that you are going to wind up with a lot of lint inside. While the lint filter will trap the majority of that lint inside of the unit, there is a good chance that some of it will end up making its way into the cabinet itself. Have a professional like Ross Appliance Services come out and check the cabinet for signs of lint inside at least once every year. If you use your unit a lot, you might need to have someone inspect it more often.

Lint Filter

After each load, make sure you clean the lint filter. If your filter has any rips or tears, get a new one. When the filter is clogged up with a bunch of dryer sheets and residue, you can easily clean it using a detergent and brush.

While these steps can help to prevent your unit from breaking down before its time, you need to bring someone out who can inspect your unit for any lint build-up and perform an inspection of your unit. Taking the precautionary measures now will save you a lot of time, hassles and headaches down the line.