The Hows and Whys of a Dryer Fire

 A clothes dryer works by forcing hot air through a turning drum. Wet clothes placed in the drum are then dried by the moving hot air. It is possible for a full load of wet clothes to contain as much as one and a half gallons of water.    

Lint is created from the clothes as the water is removed and the clothes dry. While much of the lint is trapped by the dryer’s filter, lint also is carried through the venting system, together with moist air. The accumulation of lint, both in the dryer and in the dryer vent, reduces the airflow and creates a highly flammable fuel source. 

In addition to the accumulation of lint, blockage in dryer exhaust vents also can occur from the nests of small birds and animals or from bends in the venting system itself. A compromised vent will not exhaust properly to the outside. Overheating may result. If enough heat is produced to ignite the lint itself or nearby combustible items, such as the clothes in the dryer or combustibles left nearby, the engineered safety mechanisms are compromised and fire ensues. www.usa.fema.gov

 Findings:

ü  Clothes dryer fires account for about 15,600 structure fires, 15 deaths, and 400 injuries annually.

ü  Eighty percent of clothes dryer fires in structures occur in residential buildings.

ü  Annually, 12,700 clothes dryer fires occur in residential buildings resulting in 15 deaths and 300 injuries.

ü  “Failure to clean” is the leading factor contributing to clothes dryer fires in residential buildings.

ü  New home construction trends place clothes dryers and washing machines in more hazardous locations away from outside walls such as bedrooms, second-floor hallways, bathrooms, and kitchens.

www.usa.fema.gov

Let The Appliance Guys work with you to help ensure that your family is protected from an easily preventable tragedy.  The Appliance Guys will schedule an appointment convenient for you to evaluate the suitability and safety of your dryer venting system.