08/26/2026
When was the last time you cleaned out your dryer vent? If you're like most homeowners, the answer is probably "I can't remember."
Here's why it matters: nearly 2,900 home dryer fires are reported in the U.S. every year, and the leading cause is not a faulty appliance. It's lint.
The U.S. Fire Administration and the NFPA report that failure to clean is the contributing factor in 34% of dryer fires, accounting for roughly $35 million in annual property loss, along with documented injuries and deaths. The risk is real, the source is named, and the fix is routine maintenance most homeowners never schedule.
Dryer vent cleaning sits in the same unregulated corner of the trades as air duct cleaning. Anyone with a shop vac and a website can offer the service, and the results vary widely. A proper cleaning requires the right equipment to move enough air through the full vent run, from the dryer connection to the exterior termination, so lint is actually removed instead of packed further down the line.
That's why the Qualified Air Duct Cleaners Affiliation (QUADCA) exists. Our members are vetted against defined standards for equipment, training, and customer care, so when you hire help for your dryer vent or HVAC system, you have a clear way to verify who you're letting into your home.
Find a qualified member in your area:
https://quadca.com