When your dryer is running, what you’re probably most concerned about is whether to fold or hang your clothing. Your last thought is that a home’s dryer could cause a potential home fire, but unfortunately, it’s far too common for us to ignore.
While we don’t think you should live in fear of a dryer fire at any moment, these tips are intended to a) help raise awareness of a disaster many people know nothing about, and b) give you the tools to prevent dryer fires in your own home. Tell a neighbor about home dryer fires, and help save a life!
1. Thousands of Dryer Fires Occur in the US Each Year
In this country alone, nearly 3,000 home dryer fires can occur in a year. And, unfortunately, a few of those can result in death, and hundreds more in injuries. There’s also the risk of property damage, as even a small fire can damage the structure of a home.
2. Failure to Clean Causes Most Dryer Fires
Of course, we don’t mean you have to scrub your dryer inside and out. We mean these two tasks, essential in fighting off a potential dryer-related fire.
- Cleaning the lint trap. Lint fibers are highly flammable and can move into the dryer vents and ignite more easily than you think. Clean the lint trap before each load of laundry, and after (just in case).
- Dryer vent cleaning. The dryer vent that leads out of your home will build up some amount of lint no matter how much you clean the lint trap. We recommend cleaning out the dryer vent leading out of the house every couple of years or so.
3. Some Dryers Have a Greater Risk Than Others
It used to be that home clothes dryers were always installed near an exterior wall of a building. Modern building codes, however, allow for dryers to be almost anywhere in the house, meaning a more extensive vent system. In that case, it’s always best to have professionals to carry out the cleaning.
For more information or to schedule dryer vent cleaning in Minneapolis, MN, call 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc.