Dryer Fire Prevention Tips

7/18/2017 (Permalink)

If you have experienced dryer fire in your home, SERVPRO is here to deal with the fire damage.

Each year in the United States homeowners suffer from the aftermath of clothes dryer fires. In fact, nearly 15,000 home clothes dryers catch fire each year which in turn cause about 100 injuries. While it may surprise some, neglecting to clean your dryer is the most common cause of a fire. As such, preventing dryer fires is actually easy if the homeowner is aware of the potential of fire damage and takes steps to avoid an accident from occurring in their home.

Keep in mind the following tips for dryer fire prevention:

1. Hire a professional to install your dryer, do not attempt to do this yourself
2. Make sure that your laundry room has no flammable items inside or near the dryer
3. Clean your linen filter both before and after every single load of laundry
4. Get your dryer serviced regularly
5. Be sure that your dryer’s vent pipe is free, blockage is one the top causes of dryer fires
6. Hire a professional to look at your gas lines
7. Never run your dryer when you are asleep or not home
8. Avoid overloading your dryer
9. Clean your dryer in any place where lint can build up
10. Use metal dryer ducts
11. Check the electrical outlet and plug to ensure it is connected correctly
12. Do not dry any items containing rubber, foam, or plastic
13. Do not dry clothes that have anything flammable on them such as gas, alcohol, or cooking oils
14. Leave ample room between your dryer and the wall behind it
15. Read your manufacturers’ instructions to go over particular safety tips for your dryer

From lack of maintenance to dirty dryers, almost every single dryer fire each year is caused by something that could have been avoided. If you have experienced dryer fire in your home, SERVPRO is here to deal with the fire damage. Call us today to learn more!