Avoid home fires by remembering to clean your clothes dryer

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), fire departments responded to an estimated 15,970 home fires involving clothes dryers or washing machines from the years 2010-2014. Estimated annual losses due to fires because of failure to clean alone resulted in:

• 4,390 fires 
• 4 civilian deaths 
• 139 civilian injuries 
• $57 million in direct property damage 

Dust, fiber, or lint were the leading items (27%) that caused clothes dryers to catch on fire, and after that was clothing (26%). The majority of the home fires involved clothes dryers (92%), while the leading factor contributing to the ignition of home fires was failure to clean (33%). Fires involving clothes dryers usually began when something was being dried or from a byproduct such as lint. 

Dryer safety tips 

To help keep you and your family free from harm, follow these tips: 

• Clean your dryer’s lint filter before and after each use. (Read here how you can reuse that dryer lint). Use a dryer cleaning brush and vacuum nozzle to clean the inside where the lint trap sits. 
• While the dryer is operating, periodically check to make sure that the air exhaust vent pipe is not restricted and that the outdoor vent flap opens correctly. Clean out your vent pipe once a year. 
• Detach the exhaust duct from the dryer to clean and remove any blockage. Remember to reconnect the duct again before starting the dryer. 
• Use rigid or flexible metal venting material, not flexible plastic or foil-type ducts. 
• Ensure that the outlet your dryer is plugged into is suitable for its electrical needs. 
• Keep the dryer area clear of items that may catch on fire such as boxes and clothing. 
• Never leave a dryer running if no one is home, as there will be no one there to help in case the machine malfunctions. 
• Always have an appliance professional install and service your dryer. 
• Take extra precautions when drying clothes that may contain volatile chemicals such as gasoline, cooking oils, cleaning agents, finishing oils, and stains. 
• To avoid maintenance and part failures, keep dryers in good working condition.
• If you have any doubts about whether your dryer is working correctly, have a professional check for you.  
• If a fire does happen to occur inside of your dryer, never open the door to try and put the fire out. 

A house fire is one of the most devastating things a family can go through, especially when many of the fires could have been prevented by simply keeping up with some easy home maintenance. 

If it’s time to add or replace a clothes dryer in your house or apartment, contact Appliance Warehouse today. We provide rental appliances at a low monthly rate including free service and maintenance for the duration of your lease!