Clothes Dryer Fire Safety Tips

Over the last several months, MCFRS has responded to a number of clothes dryer related fires. A lack of maintenance, buildup of lint, placing inappropriate items in the dryer and inadequate venting are frequently cited as contributing factors. Please take a moment to review some very important tips below as part of our 101 Days of Summer Safety.

Did You Know?

• The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that 15,500 clothes dryer fires occur annually, causing an average of 10 deaths, 310 injuries and more than $84.4 million in property damage.
• Eighty-percent of American homes have clothes dryers.
• A full load of wet clothes placed in a dryer contains about one half gallon of water. As the clothes dry, lint forms and builds up, reducing airflow in the dryer's vent, potentially causing the dryer to work improperly or overheat.

Clothes Dryer DOs:

• DO clean the lint screen/filter before or after drying EACH load of clothes.
• DO clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct periodically. 
• DO have a certified service technician clean and inspect the dryer and venting system regularly.
• DO replace plastic or vinyl exhaust hoses with rigid or flexible metal venting, which provides maximum airflow.
• DO keep the area around the dryer clean and free from clutter.
• DO always use the appropriate electrical outlet for dryers and all major appliances.

Clothes Dryer DON'Ts:

• DON'T place clothing or fabric stained with a flammable substance, such as alcohol, cooking oils, gasoline, spot removers or motor oil, in the dryer. Flammable substances give off vapors that could ignite or explode. Instead, dry the materials outdoors.
• DON'T leave a dryer operating if you are not home.
• DON'T forget to read the manufacturer warnings in the user manual and on the inside of the dryer door
DON'T dry any item containing foam, rubber or plastic, such as bathroom and non-slip rugs and athletic shoes.
DON'T dry any item that contains glass fiber materials, such as a blouse or sweater with glass buttons or decorations.
DON'T overload the dryer with wet clothes.

Clothes Dryer Fire Safety Tips

Over the last several weeks, MCFRS has responded to a number of clothes dryer related fires. A lack of maintenance, buildup of lint, placing inappropriate items in the dryer and inadequate venting are frequently cited as contributing factors. Please take a moment to review some very important tips below.

Did You Know?

• The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that 15,500 clothes dryer fires occur annually, causing an average of 10 deaths, 310 injuries and more than $84.4 million in property damage.
• Eighty-percent of American homes have clothes dryers.
• A full load of wet clothes placed in a dryer contains about one half gallon of water. As the clothes dry, lint forms and builds up, reducing airflow in the dryer's vent, potentially causing the dryer to work improperly or overheat.

Clothes Dryer DOs:

• DO clean the lint screen/filter before or after drying EACH load of clothes.
• DO clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct periodically.
• DO have a certified service technician clean and inspect the dryer and venting system regularly.
• DO replace plastic or vinyl exhaust hoses with rigid or flexible metal venting, which provides maximum airflow.
• DO keep the area around the dryer clean and free from clutter.
• Always use the appropriate electrical outlet for dryers and all major appliances.

Clothes Dryer DON'Ts:

• DON'T place clothing or fabric stained with a flammable substance, such as alcohol, cooking oils, gasoline, spot removers or motor oil, in the dryer. Flammable substances give off vapors that could ignite or explode. Instead, dry the materials outdoors.
• DON'T leave a dryer operating if you are not home.
• DON'T forget to read the manufacturer warnings in the user manual and on the inside of the dryer door
DON'T dry any item containing foam, rubber or plastic, such as bathroom and non-slip rugs and athletic shoes.
• DON'T dry any item that contains glass fiber materials, such as a blouse or sweater with glass buttons or decorations.
• DON'T overload the dryer with wet clothes.

Clothes Dryer Cleaning Day – Preventing A Potential Fire In Your Home!

Recently, MCFRS personnel have responded to several fires involving clothes dryers.  One way to prevent these fires is to clean in and around your clothes dryer at least once a year.

Last year I cleaned my clothes dryer and, as you can see by the pictures below, there was a ton of lint build up in, on, and around my clothes dryer. These pictures show why it is very important you take time to clean both inside and outside the clothes dryer.

A couple of pictures show what happens to the inside of your pipe that runs in and just outside your dryer (Fig 1) that carries the hot air, and lint, out. The next photo (Fig 2) shows the inside of the flexible duct that connects to your dryer pipe and then connects to another pipe that usually runs to the outside of your house.

In the next photo (Fig 3) you can see the cleaning device I used to run up into the pipe and dryer and the large amount of lint I pulled out of the dryer. These photos clearly show the large amount of lint that builds up and can, when heated up by the hot air of the dryer, actually ignite and catch fire! The more the build up, the better chance for ignition and then – a fire in your home!

A couple of the photos (Fig 4 & 5) clearly show just how dusty and dirty the back of your dryer and the floor behind and underneath it can become. This also can create problems and hazards and you need to make sure you clean these spots as well!

For more tips please go here: Clothes Dryer Fire Safety Tips

As always Be Safe! 
   
Bill

 

Fig 1

 

Fig 2

 



Fig 3

Fig 4





Fig 5

Clothes Dryer Fire Safety Tips

While most home appliances are used without incident, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 15,500 fires associated with clothes dryers occur annually, causing an average of 10 deaths, 310 injuries and more than $84.4 million in property damage. A lack of maintenance, buildup of lint, placing inappropriate items in the dryer and inadequate venting are frequently cited as contributing factors.

Did You Know?

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that 15,500 clothes dryer fires occur annually, causing an average of 10 deaths, 310 injuries and more than $84.4 million in property damage.

Eighty-percent of American homes have clothes dryers.

A full load of wet clothes placed in a dryer contains about one half gallon of water. As the clothes dry, lint forms and builds up, reducing airflow in the dryer's vent, potentially causing the dryer to work improperly or overheat.

Clothes Dryer DOs:

DO clean the lint screen/filter before or after drying EACH load of clothes.

DO clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct periodically.

DO have a certified service technician clean and inspect the dryer and venting system regularly.

DO replace plastic or vinyl exhaust hoses with rigid or flexible metal venting, which provides maximum airflow.

DO keep the area around the dryer clean and free from clutter.

Always use the appropriate electrical outlet for dryers and all major appliances.

Clothes Dryer DON'Ts:

DON'T place clothing or fabric stained with a flammable substance, such as alcohol, cooking oils, gasoline, spot removers or motor oil, in the dryer. Flammable substances give off vapors that could ignite or explode. Instead, dry the materials outdoors.

DON'T leave a dryer operating if you are not home.

DON'T forget to read the manufacturer warnings in the user manual and on the inside of the dryer door

DON'T dry any item containing foam, rubber or plastic, such as bathroom and non-slip rugs and athletic shoes.

DON'T dry any item that contains glass fiber materials, such as a blouse or sweater with glass buttons or decorations.

DON'T overload the dryer with wet clothes.

Clothes Dryer Fire Safety Tips

Over the past couple of weeks, MCFRS has run several fires related to clothes dryers. A vast majority of these fires are not due to an electrical malfunction of some sort but by actions we take or FAIL to take. A lack of maintenance, buildup of lint, placing inappropriate items in the dryer and inadequate venting are frequently cited as contributing factors.

Preventing this type of fire from starting in your home is relatively simple. Please take a moment to go to our web site and learn some “Do’s” and “Don’ts” as it relates to dryers: Clothes Dryer Fire Safety Tips