How You Can Prevent Dryer Fires

According to the U.S. Fire Administration's statistics as of January 2007, clothes dryer fires account for more than 15,000 fires, 15 deaths and 400 injuries every year - with 80% of those fires occurring in residential structures. Read on for information that will keep you from becoming a statistic.

"Failure to clean" is sited as the most common reason for dryer fires. Cleaning the lint trap with every load is a help, but it doesn't end there. Quite a bit of lint is trapped by the dryer's filter, but some lint still travels up the vent with the moist air, a portion of it sticking to the sides of the vent along the way. The build-up of this lint cuts the air flow. If not cleaned out regularly, can become a flammable source. Your dryer exhaust vent can also become blocked by crimping of the exhaust tubing and small nests from birds or animals.

A fire can occur when the blocked exhaust vent causes overheating up to the point that lint or combustible items inside the dryer, or items nearby ignite.

There are other contributing factors besides "failure to clean" which include electrical failure, mechanical failure and misuse of material or product. For dryers not located adjacent to an exterior wall where exhaust is vented directly outside, venting systems can become a contributing factor - especially those with flexible ducts.

How can you prevent dryer fires?

We all take our appliances for granted, until something goes wrong. Waiting to do simple

maintenance until it is too late, shortens the life of the device wastes energy and endangers lives.

Proper dryer maintenance is the key to preventing fires. You should disconnect, inspect and clean your dryer's duct and vents on a yearly basis. This is especially important for older dryers that do not have safety features such as temperature limit controls or moisture sensors.

Here are a few more items to add to your dryer safety checklist:

Check to be sure that the exhaust tube is as short as possible and is not impeding air flow.

Clean your lint filter before or after each use. If the screen is torn, replace it immediately.

Clean out the exhaust tube at the rear of the dryer on a regular basis.

Never put items that have been in contact with combustible substances in the dryer, even if they have been washed - line dry instead. Items like mops, cleaning rags, or soiled clothing.

Do not place synthetic materials - rubber, plastic, foam - in the dryer. This includes things like pillows, bath mats, sneakers and athletic gear.

Never leave the house when the dryer is operating.

Don't go to bed with the dryer running.

If you have a gas dryer, have it inspected yearly by a professional.

Keep the area around your dryer free of flammable materials, such as paper, boxes and cleaning fluids.

Wash the lint filter every other month to remove residue left behind from fabric softeners and dryer sheets.

If you notice that your clothes are taking longer to dry than usual, this may be a sign that there is a problem with blockage. In order to prevent fires and save energy costs, you should address the problem immediately.

There are tools available at home improvement stores that can make the job easier, but if you are uncomfortable with trying it yourself, there are professional dryer vent cleaning companies available to help.

For more laundry tips, please visit Laundrygoddess.com, a great resource for solving your laundry problems.

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