According to the National Fire Protection Association, approximately 14,630 household fires occur every year due to clothes dryers. This accounts for 9 deaths, 420 injuries, and $222 million in property damage. What’s more—a quarter of these fires are caused by built-up lint inside the dryers!
In other words, the clothes dryer in your home is a significant fire hazard. However, your risk of a dryer-related fire goes way down when you take certain precautions on a regular basis. In fact, it’s actually quite easy to prevent a clothes dryer fire in your home, as long as you do the following:
- Keep your lint trap clean. Remove all accumulated lint from the screen after every load of laundry you dry.
- Ditch the accordion-style duct. These are known to sag and trap lint in their folds. Replace it with a metal duct and use the shortest length possible to minimize sagging.
- Keep your exhaust vent and ducts clear. Periodically check for blockages by making sure air is coming out of the exhaust vent. Occasionally use a vacuum attachment to clean it out. Also, during the winter, make sure snow is never blocking your vent outside.
- Take extra care with fabrics soiled by flammable substances. Whenever you wash items that have been soiled by cooking oil, paint thinner, gasoline, cleaning agents, or similar substances, wash them more than once before putting them in the dryer. Doing this will minimize the amount of flammable substance remaining in the fabric before you put it in the dryer. Then, when you do dry the fabric, use the lowest heat setting possible—or better yet, hang it to dry.
By keeping these dryer safety tips in mind, you can significantly decrease your household fire risk!
Any questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out to the experts at All Brands Appliance Repair. We’re here to help homeowners in the Wilmington area with all your appliance needs!
