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Alex
S. Cohilas, Fire Chief |
Jeff Hood, Assistant Fire Chief James Maloy, Assistant Fire Chief |
Clothes
Dryer Safety
Clothes
dryers accounted
for the largest share of appliance and tool fires between 1994-1998.
Statistics
From NFPA's U.S. Home Product Report: Appliances and Equipment Involved in Fires, January 2002.
- Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that 15,000 clothes dryer fires occur annually. These fires account for an average of 10 deaths, 310 injuries, and more than $84.4 million in property damage.
- There were 14,300 clothes dryer fires in the U.S. in 1998, resulting in 19 deaths, 312 injuries and $67.7 million in direct property loss according to NFPA.
- The leading cause of home clothes dryer fires was lack of maintenance (30%), followed by unidentified or unknown-type mechanical failure (11%) and part failure, leak or break (10%).
- Clothing
(not on a person) was the most common source of ignition in home clothes
dryer fires, followed by dust, fiber or lint.
"Lint
accumulates very quickly and is extremely combustible,
it is the leading
reason
dryer fires are so destructive"
Safety Measures You Can Take To Prevent A Dryer Fire
- Turn the Dryer off when leaving home;
- Do not operate the dryer without a lint filter;
- Clean lint filters before or after each use and remove accumulated lint from around the drum;
- Make sure that the dryer is plugged into an outlet suitable for its electrical needs as overloaded electrical outlets can result in blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers;
- Keep the dryer area clear of combustibles (i.e., boxes or clothing).
- Dryers should be installed and serviced by a professional.
- Have gas-powered dryers inspected by a professional regularly to ensure that the gas line and connection are intact;
- Inspect your lint filter for rips each time you pull it out, if you see any replace it immediately;
- Never put synthetic materials ... such as rubber, foam, or plastic in the dryer.
- The American Household Appliance Manufacturers Association (AHAM) recommends the use of UL approved rigid aluminum or steel duct or spiral-wound aluminum flex hose, NOT white vinyl hose;
- Clean the lint out of the exhaust pipe once a year;
- Inspect & clean rear of the dryer annually;
- The exhaust pipe should be as short as possible & have limited bends to allow adequate airflow.
Find out more on safety issues by visiting the NFPA Web site.