Know When You're At Risk of a Dryer Fire

8/8/2022 (Permalink)

Dryer Safety Tips

Clothes dryer fires are the leading cause of both Residential and Commercial fires. Dryer fires can happen when lint from your laundry builds up in the dryer or in the exhaust duct itself. When lint accumulates enough to block air flow, it causes heat to increase which results in a fire. According to The Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 15,500 fires occur annually from clothes dryers. The U.S. Fire Administration reports the leading cause of these fires, is failure to clean the dryer vent. 

How do you know when you're at risk of a dryer fire? Here is a list of warning signs..

• Outside of your dryer is very hot to the touch
• Your load of clothes are unusually hot
• You find the lint trapper filled with more lint than normal
• The laundry room is very hot and humid
• The exterior dryer vent has no air flowing out while the dryer is on
• The exterior vent has an accumulation of lint around it
• Drying time is taking longer than normal
• The vent hood flap doesn't open properly
• You notice a burning smell
• It's been longer than a year since you've had your dryer duct inspected

Things you can do between inspections to prevent a clogged dryer vent..

• Clean the lint screen after each cycle
• Vacuum the lint trap housing cavity once a month
• Clean behind and under the dryer
• Only run the dryer when you are home
• Inspect and fix and improper dryer ducting
• Do not dry clothes containing Volatile Organic Compounds. Some examples of VOC's are cooking oils, gasoline, cleaning agents, stains, etc.
• Have your dryer exhaust vents inspected and cleaned once a year 

Call SERVPRO of Upper East Side to schedule your dryer vent inspection and cleaning today. (917) 924-2260