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The Components of a Dryer Fire


Sound Advice from the Fairfield Dryer Vent Cleaning Wizard:  Eliminate a fire hazard with effective dryer vent cleaning and dryer maintenance service

Many people are meticulous about having their heating system cleaned, unfortunately, very few consumers imagine clothes dryer in connection with fire deterrence. Great numbers of dryer fires happen each year, generating casualties, traumas, home damage and home loss. Apart from being a fire danger, unfit dryer venting also presents a carbon monoxide possibility. These circumstances can be warded off with properly installed and maintained dryer ducting.

A clothing dryer fire takes place when lint builds up hampering airflow which then brings on overheating. The heat and the kindling lint are the fundamental active ingredients for a dryer fire. Tumble dryers manufacture a good deal of lint and just cleaning the lint filter is not enough. The lint screen traps a lot of lint however some goes into the inside of the dryer cabinet, dangerously near the burner. The ideal approach to ensure your dryer venting device is trustworthy is to have it properly inspected and cleaned about once a year.

Another factor is the span of the vent line; the shorter, the more desirable. It used be that most clothes dryers were in the basement, on an external wall, with a comparatively short, straight vent to the outdoors. Presently quite a few newer houses tend to have their laundry area located away from an outside wall, with some located on the second floor. This means dryer ducts are much longer and contain some bends in which dust and lint can accumulate. They are also harder to reach thereby more difficult to keep cleaned. The optimal dryer vent system is short and straight. The pieces should also be properly joined to leave the inside smooth and devoid of screws or rivets that lint can easily snag on.

It is very important that the duct be composed of inflexible material, not the flexible, foil kind of hose that breaks easily, to minimize ventilation. Grant ample clearance between the dryer and the wall. One error people commonly make is pushing the dryer too close to the wall, crunching the ducting and producing a poor ventilation condition right off the bat.  Dryer vent repair or replacement is necessary if the duct is damaged.

Here's one final idea that not too many people know. The dryer vent filter should be rinsed well with hot soapy water every few months to clear away residue accumulation brought about by fabric softener sheets. It is actually conceivable for the lint filter to have so much accumulation on it that it will hold water! This definitely prohibits air flow and causes the dryer to take more than one cycle to successfully dry a load of clothing.


This article was posted by The Dryer Vent Wizard, who would like all people to be aware of how unsafe their apparently innocent clothes dryer could be. It is the Wizard’s desire to provide an essential home service while educating consumers about dryer fire prevention and energy savings through professional dryer vent installation and maintenance service.