You probably do laundry every day. Next time you put clothes in the dryer, ask yourself when the last time was you cleaned your dryer. Poorly maintained clothes dryers account for 2,900 home fires each year and the leading cause of home clothes dryer fires is failure to clean them.
To prevent clothes dryer fires, follow these simple safety tips via franklintn.gov:
- Dryers should be properly grounded.
- Check the outdoor vent flap to make sure it is not covered
- Keep the area around your dryer clear of things that can burn, like boxes,
cleaning supplies and clothing, etc. - Clothes that have come in contact with flammable substances, like gasoline, paint thinner, or similar solvents should be laid outside to dry, then can be washed and dried as usual.
- Have your dryer installed and serviced by a professional.
- Do not use the dryer without a lint filter.
- Make sure you clean the lint filter before or after each load of laundry. Remove lint that has collected around the drum.
Rigid or flexible metal venting material should be used to sustain proper air flow and drying time.- Make sure the air exhaust vent pipe is not restricted and the outdoor vent flap will open when the dryer is operating.
- Once a year, or more often if you notice that it is taking longer than normal for your
clothes to dry, clean lint out of the vent pipe or have a dryer lint removal service do it for you. - Keep dryers in good working order. Gas dryers should be inspected by a professional to make sure that the gas line and connection are intact and free
of leaks. - Make sure the right plug and outlet are used and that the machine is connected properly.
- Follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions and don’t overload your dryer.
- Turn the dryer off if you leave home or when you go to bed.
This information is brought to you by local State Farm Agent, Ed Underwood. Click here to get a quote or call 615-771-0700 to get information on home insurance. Like Ed Underwood on Facebook!
