For most homeowners, it's second nature to make sure a dryer's lint screen is cleared off before adding a load of wet laundry. This is an important step for keeping your home safe, but it might give you a false sense of security if you think it's the only part of your dryer that needs to be cleaned.

Lint can build up in other areas of the dryer as well, including the cavity for the lint screen and the pipe that ventilates the dryer to the outside. Not only will the dryer be less efficient if you don't clean these areas, but it can also turn into a major hazard.

The National Fire Protection Association says one out of every 22 house fires in the United States between 2006 and 2010 was caused by a dryer or washing machine, and dryers accounted for 92 percent of these fires. Failure to clean the appliance led to about one-third of the fires.

In addition to the fire risk, a pipe blocked by lint can prevent the dryer from properly ventilating. Angie's List says this problem can cause toxic gases to back up into the home.

The dryer vent should be cleaned at least once a year to prevent the buildup of lint from becoming a problem. If you are using the appliance frequently, you'll want to clean the vent more frequently.

If excess lint is becoming a problem, you'll notice a few warning signs. Clothes may not be fully dried after a cycle, or they may be very hot to the touch. A clogged vent may cause the dryer itself to become very hot, and it can also lead to a musty odor. You should also clean the vent if lint is noticeable around the vent or other parts of the dryer.

Anne Reagan, writing for the home improvement site Porch.com, says homeowners can get their dryer vent cleaned if they are getting their washer and dryer inspected. You can also call in a professional HVAC service once a year to do the job, which is fairly inexpensive.

It is also possible to clean the dryer vent on your own, but you'll want to make sure you do a thorough job. You'll also want to make sure that you correctly reassemble the dryer's components after the cleaning to prevent any mishaps.

While you can remove some lint with a regular vacuum, it is worth the investment to buy the specialized tools to better clean out the vents. Bob Formisano, writing for About, says dryer vent cleaning kits include extendable brushes which are essential for scraping the lint away from the sides of the vent.

After you remove the lint trap, use the brush to sweep out the resulting space. You may be surprised to find out how much lint manages to sneak past this trap to accumulate at the bottom of this cavity.

Before you disconnect the ductwork for the dryer vent, make sure the dryer is unplugged or the gas valve is shut off. You'll get the most thorough cleaning if you not only disconnect the duct from the dryer, but also uncouple all sections of the ductwork.

Slowly sweep out these ducts to remove the largest clumps of lint. Once the duct is relatively clean, you can sweep more vigorously to remove any residual debris.

You may want to consider upgrading the ductwork before you reassemble it. Angie's List says plastic and vinyl ducts can catch fire if the lint ignites. Replacing them with semi-rigid metallic vents will cut down on the risk of a fire.

Formisano says a specialized elbow joint with a 90-degree angle is the best choice for the duct that leads directly out of the dryer. Semi-rigid ducts can kink at this point, obstructing air flow and creating a place for lint to build up.

In addition to this work, you'll want to make sure that the exterior vent for your dryer is free of any debris. This vent should not be obstructed by bushes or other landscaping, and you'll want to make sure it hasn't been clogged by leaves, birds' nests, or other obstructions.

Angie's List says a few steps will help you reduce the lint production of each laundry load. Since dryer sheets can produce residue which will clog the vent or leave flammable deposits on some fabrics, you should limit their use. Dryer loads should be limited to 30 to 40 minutes to allow more air circulation to take place. You can also limit lint buildup by air drying large items such as blankets and heavy clothing.