Today, the U.S. Fire Administration released its latest report on residential fires in the United States.
According to the report, “an estimated 2,900 clothes dryer fires in residential buildings are reported to U.S. fire departments each year and cause an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss.”
Most important info in the report? “Failure to clean (34 percent) was the leading factor contributing to the ignition of clothes dryer fires in residential buildings.”
People are often surprised to learn of the primary culprit of dryer fires is lint. Dryer venting can become clogged with lint, causing a dangerous buildup of heat and an instant fire that spreads fast. Dryer maintenance is critical to keeping your family safe.
“If you notice that it’s taking longer for your clothes to dry, it’s likely that lint is clogging the venting system,” explained Chris Hall, president of RepairClinic.com. “You should clean it out as soon as possible.”
How to prevent a fire:
A venting system should be cleaned out from inside of the dryer to the outside vent cap at least once per year. Professionals can be hired for this or homeowners can purchasea long brush and do it on their own. Also, vinyl venting should be replaced immediately with an aluminum equivalent. White vinyl no longer meets national fire code standards in the US. Dryer lint traps should be cleaned out after every load. For extra precaution, homeowners can use a bristled long brush to remove pieces of lint that collect there.
Here our favorite tools that we use in our homes to protect our families:
20-Foot Dryer Vent Cleaning Brush – #424663
This 20-foot cleaning brush enables you to easily remove lint buildup from your dryer vent system.
LintEater Rotary Dryer Vent Cleaning Kit – #1154681
This kit includes everything you need to clean out your dryer venting system, on your own. It includes four 3-foot long extension rods, a four-inch-diameter brush head, a shop-vacuum attachment, a dryer adapter, a narrow brush head, an outdoor gutter cleaning head, instructional booklet and instructional DVD.
Lint Alert Detector – #1603248
This bestselling device will monitor your gas dryer vent. If lint buildup poses a fire threat, Lint Alert will automatically stop your dryer and alert you about the fire danger so that you can take action before it’s too late. Easy to install. Includes instructions.
Does it work? Consumer Reports says yes.
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Check out RepairClinic.com’s advice on other potentially fatal appliance dangers here.