When it comes to dryer duct safety, I take it more seriously than most. Why? Because as a child our own family was put in jeopardy when our dryer caught on fire due to a clogged dryer duct. The solution of course was to be proactive and clean the vent regularly. But how often? Every year? Every month? Every week? Actually it all depends on how much the dryer is used, what types of clothes are being dried (lots of towels all the time?), and the length layout and construction of the duct. My recomendation has always been to clean it annually or more often. But people don’t always remember.
The lint alert helps solve that problem by monitoring the backflow pressure of the dryer duct and alerting the occupants when a clogged condition is likely occuring. Disguised as a working nightlight and pass-thru plug recepticle, this safety device has a lighted indicator that shows the progressive increase of back pressure as lint builds up inside. We have smoke detectors, CO detectors, and security monitoring- and now a way to monitor for unsafe lint conditions.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission from 2006 thru 2008 there were approximately 21,000 dryer related fires in the US resulting in 120 deaths, over 500 injuries, and over $210 million in property loss. Always clean the lint screen between uses. Never leave a dryer running when you are not present.