In the event your dryer catches fire, the safest course of action is to evacuate your family from the premises, run to safety, and call the fire department. If you notice the fire early while it is still in a manageable condition, a fire extinguisher might be able to kill the fire before it gets out of hand but in most cases, the fire spreads too quickly and flares up into a dangerous blaze. If you are not careful and try to control it without much thought and due to inexperience, you can easily harm yourself by touching the hot door handle or inhaling toxic smoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, the best course of action is to prevent dryer fires in the first place and seek professional help when it\u2019s too late. Here are few ways to prevent dryer fires:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Clean the lint screen after each drying session <\/strong>– The best way to prevent dryer fires is to properly clean the lint filter after every laundry drying session. It\u2019s not that difficult to open the lint trap and clean it if you follow the instructions written in the owner\u2019s manual. Do not become lazy and miss even a single session of cleaning since the stray pieces of clothes can create a tinder bundle that is perfect for starting a fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Clean the duct and vents <\/strong>– Over time, tiny amounts of lint and dirt that occasionally passes through the lint filter can accumulate between the dryer and the exterior air vent. A clogged-up air vent often results in incomplete drying of clothes or a longer drying time. It can also cause the outside of the dryer to become too hot and cause a burning smell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you notice such symptoms, it\u2019s best to stop using the dryer and clean the air vent before using it again. Ideally, you would want to remove and clean the duct every three months or more often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Replace the ducts when necessary <\/strong>– If your clothes dryer has a plastic, foil ribbed duct, it can become flammable once it accumulates enough lint and dust between the folds. So, it\u2019s better to replace it with UL 2158A ducts that meet the specific requirements of Underwriters Laboratories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Use the dryer correctly <\/strong>– Always pay attention to the washing instructions and product labels of the clothes that you put into your dryer. Incompatible items and fabrics can get ruined when put inside a dryer and in the worst-case scenario, cause a fire. Typically, you would want to avoid putting foam, rubber, and plastic items inside clothes dryers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Have your dryer periodically inspected by a professional <\/strong>-Whether you have an electric dryer or a gas dryer, it\u2019s important to get the dryer inspected by a professional in order to check for leaks, improper fittings, and other issues that can suddenly spell danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that you have learned about the dangers of a clogged lint filter, be sure to clean it regularly and keep your clothes dryer in top form. However, if your clothes dryer has aged a few years, it is recommended that you do proper servicing of the appliance by hiring a professional dryer repairman. Simply search \u201cdryer repair near me\u201d on Google to find local dryer repair technicians.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Introduction Many people that own a clothes dryer are not aware of the fact that poorly maintained clothes dryers can become a massive safety hazard. Without regular maintenance, the lint filter of your clothes dryer can accumulate too much lint and it can result in a household fire. You can notice the effects of a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1373,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n