Prevent Dryer Fires in Residential Buildings

If you thought clothes dryers are safe and don’t pose any fire hazard then you are in for a surprise. According to the US Fire Administration findings clothes dryer fires account for 15 deaths and 400 injuries in 15,600 structure fires annually. Eighty percent of these fires occur in residential buildings. Here are a few exaqmples of clothes dryer fires in residential buildings and the damages caused by them. On December 13, 2005 in Hialeah, Florida, a clothes dryer fire left a family homeless. The family reported that the fire was caused by lint in the duct. In another incident on January 26, 2006 in Suffolk, Virginia, a blaze was caused by an obstructed clothes dryer vent hose. In yet another incident a woman sufferred severe burns on December 12, 2005 when her clothes dryer exploded in her residence in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Many such incidents take place every year causing damage to life and property mostly because people are not fully aware of the fire hazards posed by clothes dryers.

For many households across the country clothes dryers are an indispensable necessity. However if these dryers are not properly installed and maintained they can cause serious fire incidents. Between 2002 and 2004 the average yearly national fire loss due to clothes dryer fires is estimated at $99 million. Residential clothes dryer fires constitute 80% of all the clothes dryer fires. Considering the huge personal and national losses due to clothes dryer fires, it is imperative that the members of households who use a clothes dryer must be fully educated about their potential fire hazards.

People use clothes dryers throughout the year but studies show that January is the peak month for the fires. More such fires occur during the cooler months fro November to end of April probably due the type and quantity of clothes used during this period. Most clothes dryer fires are attributed to improper and irregular maintenance. Lint in the traps, vents and the area surrounding the dryer is the main cause of these fires. So the proper maintenance involves removing the lint fron the traps, vents and surrounding areas regularly. Failure to clean accounts for 70% of the fires attributable to operational deficiencies.

The other major factors responsible for clothes dryer fires are mechanical failures, electrical failures and misuse of the dryers. When clothes dryers are not cleaned regularly it has to work harder to remove the lint and the mmoisture and this can overload certain components causing sparks or flames. Overheating can rpoduce enough heat to ignite the lint or combustible items nearby. As a safety measure items like clothing, cardboard boxes and other combustible items should not be kept near a clothes dryers. As synthetic materials are more combustible than natural materials plastic, rubber or foam items should not be kept in the drum for drying.

For best results the exhaust from a lothes dryer should vent directly outside the building. However there is an increasing trend to place clothes dryers inside the buildings far away from the outside walls. This needs longer vents having sharp bends. This makes it difficult for all the lint to be propelled out of the vent. This is the case when vents are longer than 6 feet and have 90 degree bends. The lint gets accumulated in pockets along the vent where it is difficult to clean. Hence it is important for homeowners to clean the vents carefully and throughly.

Although all manufactures now-a-days warn in their manuals against the use of flexible plastic ducts between the dryer and the vent many households continue to do so and this adds to the fire hazard as the flexible plastic ducts are highly combustible. Flexible vents can also sag caussing the lint to accumulate there. In many homes the vents exhust into an attic, chimneys, crawl places or inner walls causing mold buildup and obstruction. If the vents are open small birds and animals can nest there causing obstruction and accumulation of lint. The accumulated lint can catch fire if it gets heated up sufficiently.

Most of the fire incidents can be avoided by following a few operation and maintenance tips. If there is drop in system performance components should be examined for clogging and overheating. If the heavier clothes take more time than usual to dry then dryer ducts and vents should be dismantled and cleaned. As such these should be cleaned routinely every couple of years preferrably by professionals. Longer and complex ducts should be cleaned more frequently. Dampers should be used outside the vent to prevent birds and small animals from nesting and not wire screens or cloth which may cause lint accumulation. The lint filters should be inspected regularly for rips and removed immediately if they are ripped. UL approved rigid aluminium or steel duct or spiral wound aluminium flexible hose should be used as per the reccomendations of The American Household Appliance Manufacturers Association (AHAM). Clothes dryers should not be left running when you are out of the house or sleeping.

A little care and adherence to the installation, operation and maintenance guidelines of the manufacturers can prevent clothes dryer fires in most cases. You should keep fire extinguishers and install fire alarms near clothes dryers. A little care will go a long way towards having a safe home. Awareness is the first step towards safety. Where fire safety is concerned it is better to be careful than sorry.