10 Safety Tips to Prevent a Dryer Fire

3/13/2022 (Permalink)

Consider running the dryer only when you are home and awake for your own safety.

We usually wash and dry our clothes on a daily or weekly basis. However, it is critical to keep your clothes dryer in good working order in order to keep your home and family safe. Avoiding these specific bad habits can help you avoid a potentially disastrous house fire.

1. Installation by a Professional

Professional technicians can ensure that your dryer is installed correctly and carefully. These professionals should be knowledgeable about a wide range of units, including gas and electric dryers, as well as washer/dryer combos. Most manufacturer recommendations, such as proper vent pipe installation, are familiar to these technicians.

A technician would explain how minimizing bends in the pipe is important because it creates fewer opportunities for lint to accumulate. They can install a dryer vent fan for you if the distance between the vent and your dryer is significant. This is an automatic electric device that increases airflow through the duct whenever the dryer is turned on. Having a professional install and service your dryer unit can help ensure that any potential hazards are handled correctly.

2. Ongoing Maintenance

According to experts, the primary cause of clothes dryer fires is a failure to clean and maintain them. Check behind the dryer, where lint tends to accumulate. You should clean your dryer once a year and inspect the hose and vent for blockages twice a year.

It is a good idea to have a qualified service person clean the interior of the dryer chassis once a year. This will reduce the amount of lint that accumulates while also providing you with a professional opinion on the safety of your unit. In addition, a professional can inspect the venting and exhaust system. Employ only certified dryer exhaust technicians to ensure that this procedure is carried out correctly.

3. Keep Flammables to a Minimum in the Surrounding Area

Dryer lint is not the only flammable that should be considered and kept away from the dryer unit's heat. Anything flammable should be swept up and disposed of before it accumulates and creates a fire hazard. Cleaning up dust and lint is time-consuming, but it is far less difficult than dealing with the aftermath of a fire.

On the same note, do not store cleaning products, boxes, or clothing baskets near the dryer because they may start a fire that spreads quickly. While this is an extreme case, keeping the area clutter-free is an important step toward fire prevention.

4. Remove and clean the lint filter before and after each load of laundry.

Household dust and lint are the most common sources of ignition in dryer fires. They congregate within the dryer cavity, which is located near the heating elements. Temperatures can reach 550° here, which is hot enough to start a fire. It is never a good idea to forget to clean out your lint filter.

Cleaning the lint screen before and after each drying cycle is a good habit to get into during your laundry routine. This is an obvious first line of defense in the prevention of dryer fires. Wiping down the interior of the dryer will also remove excess lint buildup that the screen does not catch. This is a less obvious step that many people overlook, but it is nonetheless critical.

It is also critical that you never use a dryer without a lint filter, as this removes the dryer's built-in defense against hazardous lint buildup. This may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised how frequently it occurs.

5. Only use metal venting material that is rigid or flexible

Most clothes dryer manufacturers recommend using flexible or rigid metal venting material to maintain proper drying time and airflow. Lint can accumulate in accordion-style ductwork, causing clogs and increasing blockages. Any dryer venting made of plastic or coiled wire foil should be replaced immediately with rigid non-ribbed metal ducts. Purchasing from a reputable vendor is critical to ensuring that your unit meets the necessary safety standards.

It is always a good idea to do your research on any major appliance before purchasing it. Looking at the unit's website to ensure it is from a reliable source, as well as researching customer reviews, can help you make an informed decision.

6. Ensure that the air exhaust vent pipe is not obstructed

One of the leading causes of dryer fires is clogged dryer vents. When the vents are clogged, it is difficult to tell. Some people are completely unaware that the vents must be cleaned on a regular basis. However, it is critical to understand that lint accumulates on a large scale within the hoses and, when combined, can cause a serious problem. The accumulation restricts airflow, which can lead to overheating and fire.

In between professional inspections, clean the outside exhaust vent regularly. It is best to check this when your dryer is running by making sure that the exhaust air is escaping properly. If you cannot feel any air, it is likely that there is a lint accumulation clogging the vent outlet. This might require you to disconnect the exhaust vent from the dryer to remove the clog. Remember to reconnect the ducting to the outside vent and dryer before you use the dryer again. If you are unsure of how to do this, it is always recommended that you contact the manufacturer for help or hire a professional.

8. Avoid Overloading

Laundry is easy to put off, especially if you have a busy schedule. However, this can lead to you saving all of your dirty laundry to be cleaned on the same day, and it's easy to use this as an excuse to overload your dryer, which can be dangerous.

A heavy load is too much for the dryer and is the most common reason for it to break down. Aside from downtime and repair costs, an overloaded dryer can cause the drum belt, spindle bearings, and pulleys to work overtime, resulting in higher-than-normal temperatures. When this occurs, the friction can ignite a spark, resulting in a fire.

This may be the most straightforward cause of dryer fires and malfunctions to avoid. Maintain organization by limiting your laundry loads to a few times per week. If your schedule makes this difficult or unreasonable, it may be better to simply split your laundry load into two or three loads instead, and take a slightly longer (albeit safer) time to complete this necessary chore.

7. Examine Gas Lines

Qualified professionals should inspect the gas line and connection to ensure that they are leak-free and in good working order. Aside from a dryer fire, gas leaks are extremely dangerous and can cause a variety of problems. If you notice a burning odor when using your dryer, stop using it immediately and contact the manufacturer as soon as possible. At all times, stay away from the suspected gas leak area.

9. Use the Proper Plug and Outlet

Dryer grounding is critical to their proper operation. Check that you are using the correct electrical plug and outlet as specified by the manufacturer. A licensed professional installing your dryer unit is a good way to ensure that you are doing this.

Check all connections on a regular basis and keep an eye out for any changes. If anything appears to be wrong, loose, or discolored, stop using it right away. Overloaded electrical sockets frequently cause tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses, which can result in a house fire.

10. Never use the dryer when you are leaving the house or sleeping.

We've all succumbed to convenience and thrown a load of laundry in the dryer before heading to work or running errands. However, if a fire starts while you are away, you will be unable to put it out. Furthermore, if you are sleeping, it may be too late for you to realize that your house has caught fire.

Consider running the dryer only when you are home and awake for your own safety. It's also a good idea to keep a fire extinguisher in your laundry room in case anything goes wrong.