Clothes Dryers as Fire Hazards

10/26/2021 (Permalink)

Dryer fires can happen to any Deerfield Beach homeowner if you don't clean your vents.

Fire Risks from Clothes Dryers

The clothes dryer is one of the greatest home appliances ever invented. You throw in wet clothes, turn some knobs, wait a while and soon your clothes are dry. The only maintenance you need to perform is to clean the lint trap after the cycle is complete. This last step helps keep your dryer running efficiently; however, this alone does not eliminate the risk of a lint fire.

All About Lint

The mystery of the missing socks and where the dryer puts them is still with us. For lint, however, there is no mystery. The trap captures most of the lint. What the trap misses accumulates inside the body of the dryer and the vent hose that leads outdoors. It is this accumulation that sets the stage for a dryer fire.

The Right Time To Clean Your Dryer Vents

If you sense that your clothes are taking longer to dry, it is time. Even if the drying time seems OK, it is still a good idea to clean the vent hose periodically. Heavily used dryers should be cleaned more often, while lightly used dryers need cleaning less often. The task may seem a bit intimidating but it is certainly easier than dealing with the effects of a lint fire.

Steps for Cleaning a Dryer Vent

• Pull the dryer away from the wall.
• Remove the vent hose from the dryer.
• Clean both the dryer exhaust and vent hose where they come together.
• Scrub the entire length of the vent hose with a tool specifically designed for this purpose. It is basically a brush and a long flexible handle.
• Reattach the vent hose and push the dryer back into position.

After a Dryer Fire

A lint fire can occur even if you are careful. Before picking out that shiny new dryer, you need to deal with the fire damage. For this you can call on the services of restoration specialists in Deerfield Beach, FL, to get your life back to normal as quickly as possible.