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SERVPROSERVPRO of Western Dutchess County
Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration™
(845) 831-3600

Dutchess County Homeowners! How to Prevent Dryer Fires

10/23/2018 (Permalink)

An image of a man looking into a debris-filled dryer vent. An accumulation of lint can lead to a dangerous situation.

According to Consumer Reports (2018), every year firefighters across the country respond to around 14,630 home fires caused by clothes dryers, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

One-third of these fires is caused by an accumulation of lint, which means that not cleaning out your dryer vent can set you up for a dangerous situation that's far more serious than the drop in performance caused by constricting a dryer's duct work.

Take a look at these 4 simple best practices to ensure safety in the laundry room:

  1. CLEAN THE LINT FILTER AFTER EVERY LOAD- not only will this help prevent a fire, but your clothes will dry faster!
  2. REPLACE ACCORDION-STYLE DUCTS-If you see a plastic or foil accordion-style duct connecting your appliance to the vent, it’s a good idea to replace it with a rigid metal duct that won't sag and collect lint.
  3. CLEAN THE DRYER DUCT ANNUALLY- (at least)-Disconnect the duct from the dryer, and vacuum both the dryer and the duct—as much as you can access, then reassemble, return dryer to original spot and reconnect power.
  4. HANDLE CHEMICAL STAINS WITH CARE-Clothes stained with gas, cooking oil, cleaning agents, or other flammable chemicals or substances need special care. It's recommended to  wash such stained clothing more than once to minimize volatile chemicals, then hang to dry. If you must use a dryer, use the lowest heat setting and a drying cycle that concludes with a cool-down period.

IMPORTANT: In the event that a fire does start, keep the dryer door closed to limit its oxygen supply—a fire needs oxygen to keep it going.

If your family has experienced a fire of any kind and needs help restoring your home, SERVPRO® of Western Dutchess County can help 24/7! Give us call at 845-831-3600 to learn about our fire restoration services. "Like it never even happened."

Reference: Consumer Reports- How to Prevent Dryer Fires: https://www.consumerreports.org/clothes-dryer/how-to-prevent-dryer-fires/

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