It’s not a good idea to leave your home with your clothes dryer running. Leaving it on for a quick run to the store could result in tragedy. The U.S. Consumer Product Commission estimates that an annual 15,500 fires happen because of faulty clothes dryers. Eighty per cent of those fires are in residential settings.
Information that you should know regarding clothes dryers fires:
- Reduced airflow and lint accumulation combine to be the major cause of dryer fires.
- Lint should be removed from the dryer before or after each load of clothes.
- Vent material should be made of metal, not vinyl or foil, which are combustible. Also, the spiral type of venting material collects lint, causing a build up.
- Outside dryer vent should be checked while the dryer is operating to see if airflow is working properly.
- When installing dryer, adequate space should be left between dryer and wall.
- Use special care when clothes that have been soiled with volatile chemicals are being dried. Wash clothes twice if possible to reduce the amount of chemicals left in them.
- A dryer that works harder to evacuate lint and moisture can trigger enough heat to cause overheating, which can set off a fire.
- Never go to sleep with the dryer running.
- If you are moving or building a new home, plan for the dryer to be near an outside wall.
CPSC
USFA.DHS.GOV
