How to Prevent a Clothes Dryer Fire

9/9/2020 (Permalink)

Follow these 5 Tips on how to avoid a dryer fire

Avoid the dangers of clothes dryer fires with these five tips and call an expert fire damage repair company to restore your home if your dryer does catch on fire.

1. Clean Lint Filters After Each Load

It cannot be stressed enough that you should always clean the lint filter before tossing in a new load of laundry. If a lint filter isn’t cleaned after each load, it can cause a build-up of lint that could potentially become a fire hazard. Even if there’s only a small amount of fluff on the filter, you should clean it anyway to keep up with the habit.

Not only does cleaning your dryer’s lint filter help prevent a fire, but it can also optimize your dryer’s performance and help your laundry dry faster.

2. Clean Dryer Ducts Once a Year

At least once a year, it’s a smart move to take a look at your clothes dryer’s ducts. You can often find blockages of lint in or around your dryer’s ducts. Take the time once a year to disconnect the power from your dryer, and if you have a gas dryer, also shut the valve, then inspect and clean the back of your machine.

Use a cloth rag and a broom to sweep up the lint resting inside and out of the ducts. Lint will find any nook and cranny to build up in.

3. Use Care When Handling Chemical Stains

It’s easy to throw a stained garment into the dryer without considering how the stain could react to intense heat, but you can never be too safe when it comes to preventing a clothes dryer fire in your home. Clothes get all kinds of stains on them – including gas, cooking oil, cleaning agents, or other flammable chemicals.

4. Keep the Area Around Your Dryer Clean

The last thing you want to do is feed a dryer fire with flammable items. Wherever you keep your dryer in your home, be sure to keep the area around it clutter-free. Your laundry space may seem like an excellent place to use as storage, but it’s not when you consider the risks. Avoid storing cleaning products, boxes, and other highly flammable items near your dryer.

5. Don’t Overload Your Dryer

It’s easy to let dirty laundry pile up and then overload your clothes dryer in an attempt to catch up on it. Even if it feels like a good idea, you could be putting yourself and your home at a higher risk. Split your loads up, so your dryer doesn’t go into overdrive. The more clothes that are in the dryer, the longer it takes to dry and the hotter it gets. Overheating could potentially lead to a fire sparking inside your home.