Laundry Dryer Fire Safety: A Guide to Protecting Your Home

Every year, thousands of fires are sparked by laundry dryers, causing significant property damage and even loss of life. The good news is that most of these fires are preventable with proper dryer maintenance and safety practices. This article will provide you with essential tips to ensure your home remains safe from dryer fires.

**Understanding the Risks**

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that firefighters respond to approximately 13,820 home fires caused by clothes dryers annually¹. Lint accumulation is a leading cause of these fires, accounting for about 27% of incidents¹. It's crucial to recognize the signs of a clogged dryer vent, such as longer drying times and a lack of exhaust air outside when the dryer is running¹.

**Preventative Measures**

1. **Regular Cleaning**: Clean the lint filter before and after every load. This simple step not only prevents fires but also improves dryer efficiency¹.

2. **Proper Ductwork**: Replace plastic or foil accordion-style ducts with rigid metal ducts. Their smooth walls allow better airflow and reduce lint buildup¹.

3. **Annual Inspections**: At least once a year, inspect and clean the dryer duct and venting system. If you're not comfortable doing this yourself, hire a professional¹.

**Safety Tips**

- **Installation and Service**: Always have your dryer installed and serviced by a professional².

- **Lint Filter**: Use the dryer with a lint filter and clean it regularly².

- **Venting System**: Check the venting system behind the dryer to ensure it's not damaged or restricted².

- **Outdoor Vent**: Make sure the outdoor vent covering opens when the dryer is operating².

**In Case of Fire**

If a fire does start in your dryer, don't attempt to extinguish it yourself. Evacuate immediately and call 911. Trying to handle the situation on your own can be dangerous.

Dryer fire safety is a critical aspect of home maintenance that should not be overlooked. By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the risk of a fire and keep your home and family safe. Remember, prevention is always better than cure when it comes to fire safety.

For more detailed information and resources on dryer fire safety, you can visit the websites of Consumer Reports and the U.S. Fire Administration¹².

Source: Conversation with Bing, 4/13/2024

(1) How to Prevent Dryer Fires - Consumer Reports. https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/clothes-dryers/how-to-prevent-dryer-fires-a6837216286/.

(2) Clothes Dryer Fire Safety - U.S. Fire Administration. https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/clothes_dryer_fire_safety_flyer.pdf.

(3) How to avoid a dryer fire at home - Consumer Reports. https://www.consumerreports.org/video/view/appliances/laundry/1432781626/how-to-avoid-a-dryer-fire-at-home/.

(4) Fire Prevention 52: Dryer Fires - U.S. National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/articles/p52-dryer-fires.htm

Five Common Insurance Risks, and How They Can Be Prevented

#1. Cooking With Oil / Frying Foods

Everyone loves fried foods; even when someone claims they don’t, we generally assume that their reasons are health related. The rise in popularity of fried foods has lead to more and more people adding fry-cooking appliances to their homes for when the mood strikes them to eat something cooked in oil. Many fry-cooking appliances available to the general public are electronic, and for good reason; oil and grease, when exposed to an open flame, tend to ignite. Indeed, cooking is the #1 cause of house fires in the US and many of these cooking-related fires are specifically grease fires. Water will not put out grease fires, but instead cause them to spread – making minor cooking mishaps into potentially catastrophic house fires. It is extremely important to first attempt smothering these kinds of fires, followed by dousing them with dry chemical fire extinguishers if the initial smothering is ineffective. Again, NEVER attempt to put out a grease/oil fire with water.

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#2. Chaining Power Strips / Overloading Electrical Outlets

Here in the 21st century, there are so many electronic products and appliances available to us that it can be easy to run out of available power outlets. This has lead to many people purchasing power strips so that they may increase the amount of electronics that can be powered through a single outlet. While this in itself is not dangerous, it can become a significant hazard when individuals choose to link multiple power strips together – potentially resulting in overloading the outlet. Normally, this results in a circuit breaker severing the connection to that area and cutting off power, but in the short time before the breaker is switched, overloaded outlets can produce excess heat and sparks that can easily start fires around the area of chained outlets.

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#3. Oily Rags Left Near Heat Sources

Doing your own oil changes and auto-maintenance at home is a great way to save some money for those who are qualified to do so, but there is no avoiding the mess. Motor oil is bound to spill or splash, and when this happens, that oil needs to be cleaned up and either recycled or disposed of as hazardous waste. Not only is this due to general environmental concerns (and the law), but also due to the immediate danger this causes in your workspace. Oftentimes in home garages, there is poor ventilation and many more potential heat sources within close proximity than are found in professional shops. Even something as seemingly minor as an oily rag on a power adaptor can quickly ignite and catch fire – which is why it is essential to always be mindful of potential heat sources and their proximity to your workspace and materials.

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#4. Placement of External Power Adaptors / Lack of Cooling

Many consumer devices require significantly less power than any given outlet will produce; this is why many devices such as cell phones and laptops come with external power adaptors. By regulating the voltage and amplitude of the power coursing through them, these power adaptors allow us to use wall outlets to charge or power our devices without overloading the circuits. As a result of this process, the adaptors themselves tend to produce heat and rely on external cooling to maintain safe operation. Ambient external temperatures and internal heat sinks generally take care of the issue, but when these devices are covered up and further insulated, they can produce significant levels of heat – hot enough to ignite a large number of fabrics and synthetic materials. Maintaining open airflow for your adaptors not only helps cool them, but also helps to keep them from becoming potential fire hazards.

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#5. Fireplace Proximity to Flammable Materials / Lack of Fireplace Barrier

Fireplaces are wonderful tools for heating our homes and helping us relax after a long day. The entire concept of the fireplace revolves around containing a fire, and an essential part of this is the fireplace barrier (also referred to as a fireplace screen, guard, or fence). This is a barrier that is meant to fit in front of your fireplace to prevent embers from escaping, but some people do not like to use them as them must be moved each time a log is added or poked. Neglecting to use an adequate fireplace barrier has been a centuries-old cause of house fires that unfortunately, continues to this day.

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Everyday, people are exposed to risks that they may not immediately be aware of. In order to gain peace of mind and be assured that their insurance claim is being properly handled by professionals who protect the policyholder's interests, many residential and business property owners will hire a Public Adjusting firm to prove the extent of loss incurred at their respective properties instead of dealing directly with their carriers - as Public Adjusters are the ONLY type of adjusters who are licensed to exclusively represent the interests of the insured. With that in mind, it makes sense that savvy policyholders are hiring Public Adjusting Firms each day to represent their claims instead of deferring to the company adjusters assigned to them who are paid directly by the insurance company to protect the carrier’s interests.

Are you, or is someone you know, currently dealing with an insurance claim? Contact us today to see how BenchMark Public Adjusting Group can manage you claim and maximize the indemnification you receive for damages incurred!