How to Prevent a Dryer Fire in Your Home
Tips and Best Practices to Keep Your Home Safe
Every year from 2014 to 2018, nearly 14,000 homes on average caught fire in the United States because of dryer-related issues. Those fires led to many deaths and injuries, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage each year.
And what was the leading cause of all those fires? A failure to keep the dryers clean—meaning so many of those tragedies could’ve been easily prevented.
When debris builds up in your dryer vent, hot, moist air struggles to escape the dryer. This can make the machine overheat. Combine that overheating with an excess of highly flammable lint, and you’ve got a dangerous fire hazard in your home.
But between Oxi Fresh’s dryer vent cleaning services and some common-sense best practices, you can minimize those hazards and help your family and property stay safe and sound.
Below, we’ll share our best tips for minimizing your risk of dryer-related fires in your home.
Regular DIY Cleaning
To the best of your ability, keep your dryer and surrounding areas clean and free of lint and other debris.
Clean your lint trap after every single load of laundry, and never use your dryer without that lint filter in place. Most of the time, you should be able to clean the filter with just your hands. But for more serious build-ups, scrub it down with a brush and warm water when necessary.
Inspect the inside of your dryer’s drum from time to time as well, and vacuum or wipe up any lint you find.
Keep an eye out for lint building up around your dryer vent too. That includes the exterior vent exhaust on the outside of your house. And try to clean up those areas to the best of your ability.
Lastly, clean up any dust, lint, or other flammable debris from all around the outside of the dryer itself.
Professional Dryer Vent Cleaning and Inspection
DIY cleaning has its place—and is a crucial element of your fire safety plan. But nothing can beat the comprehensive thoroughness of a professional dryer vent cleaning service from a trusted provider like Oxi Fresh.
We use advanced tools and techniques to deep-clean your dryer vent, eradicating all that flammable lint and debris from even the hardest-to-reach places. This restores proper airflow, boosting your dryer’s performance and efficiency and significantly reducing your fire risk.
Plus, we’ll also inspect your dryer vent to make sure there aren’t any other issues or concerns you should be worried about. For most typical homes, an annual dryer vent cleaning is a must-have.
Don’t Overload the Dryer
According to the National Fire Protection Association, almost 400 dryer fires start every year because people overfill their dryers with too many clothes at once. Small loads dry more efficiently, and excessively large loads can cause your dryer to overheat.
So make sure you don’t overload your dryer. If you need to, simply run an extra load to help reduce your risk of fire.
Make Sure Your Outdoor Vent Exhaust Is Working Correctly
When your dryer’s running, the outdoor vent flaps at the end of your vent’s exhaust should be opening as air flows through the flaps.
Check those vent flaps from time to time to make sure they’re working properly. If they’re not, it’s likely because your vents are dirty and air flow is restricted—suggesting it’s time for a cleaning.
Install the Right Equipment
Having the right equipment and having it installed properly is also really important. Your dryer vent should be UL-listed, which means it’s been tested for safety and approved by Underwriters Laboratories.
It’s also best to choose a rigid or flexible metal venting material, rather than using plastic or foil accordion-style ducts. Keep the vent as short as you can and avoid letting it sag wherever possible.
Also, make sure the flex hose doesn’t extend behind any walls. From the moment it enters a wall until it reaches the exhaust vent, it needs to be hard-piped.
If your vent system doesn’t meet these standards, you should seriously consider replacing it.
To really maximize your peace of mind, you could also consider installing a LintAlert device on your dryer. This device will let you know whenever your airflow is starting to get restricted because of build-ups in your vent. That way, you’ll always be able to get your dryer vent clean and clear before the problem becomes too big.
It’s also a good idea to double-check that you’re using the right plug and outlet combo for your dryer, since using the wrong combination could potentially trigger a fire.
Lastly, make sure your laundry room has a smoke detector, a carbon monoxide detector, and a fire extinguisher. That way you’ll be better prepared to handle a fire if one does arise.
Be Mindful of When You Run Your Dryer
Don’t start your dryer and then head out of the house or take a nap. If your dryer’s running, you should stay home—and awake!—so you’re there if things do take a turn for the worse.
Clear the Space Around Your Dryer
Along with cleaning up any dust, lint, or other gunk from around your dryer, keep the whole area clear of any other potentially flammable items as well. Having combustibles too close to a dryer is responsible for about 6% of dryer fires—or roughly 770 each year—according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Don’t Dry Clothes Soaked in Flammable Liquids
If you spill gasoline, paint thinner, or other flammable solvents on your clothing, don’t just throw the clothes in the dryer.
Gas Dryer? Get It Inspected
Does your dryer run on gas? Then have it professionally inspected on a routine basis to ensure it’s functioning properly, has no leaks, and maintains solid connections throughout.
Educate Your Family
If other people in your home use the dryer too, make sure they’re familiar with these tips and best practices as well. That way, you can rest assured everyone in the house will be doing their part to protect your home from the serious risks of a dryer fire.
Book a Dryer Vent Cleaning
Now that you’ve read our advice, it might be the perfect time to book your next dryer vent cleaning with Oxi Fresh. As you know, a quick and efficient cleaning can significantly reduce your risk of fire.
Just visit our Online Scheduler or call our team at 1-877-694-3737 to get in our calendar today!
