Every year, firefighters across the country respond to around 14,630 home fires caused by clothes dryers, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
One-third of these fires is caused by an accumulation of lint, which means that not cleaning out your dryer vent can set you up for a dangerous situation that’s far more serious than the drop in performance caused by constricting a dryer’s duct work
1. Clean the Lint Filter
Not once a month, or even once a week. Clean the lint from the dryer’s lint screen before and after every load.
2. Clean the Dryer Duct Annually (at Least)
If you notice that your dryer takes longer to dry laundry than it used to, that’s a clue that there may be a blockage in the dryer vent system. When you’re drying a load, go outside and look at the vent. Do you see or feel exhaust air? If not, the vent or exhaust duct may be blocked with lint.
3. Handle Chemical Stains With Care
Clothes stained with gas, cooking oil, cleaning agents, or other flammable chemicals or substances need special care. Wash such stained clothing more than once to minimize volatile chemicals, then hang to dry. If you must use a dryer, use the lowest heat setting and a drying cycle that concludes with a cool-down period.
4. Never Run the Dryer When You Leave Home or Are Sleeping
We all have probably caved to convenience and thrown a load of clothes into the dryer before heading to work or running errands. However, if a fire starts while you are gone, you cannot stop it early. If you are asleep, it may be too late before you realize that your house has caught fire. For your own safety, consider running the dryer only when you are home and awake. It is also a good idea to keep a fire extinguisher in your laundry room, just in case something does go wrong.
In the event that a fire does start, keep the dryer door closed to limit its oxygen supply—a fire needs oxygen to keep it going.
sources: https://www.consumerreports.org/clothes-dryer/how-to-prevent-dryer-fires/ https://learn.compactappliance.com/preventing-dryer- fires/
