Preventing Fire Damage With Dryer Vent Cleaning

8/21/2019 (Permalink)

Startling Dryer Fire Statistics

Statistics show that clothes dryer fires are more common than most people may believe. In fact, improper cleaning of dryers is estimated to cost over $100 million each year. There are other surprising statistics:

• There are approximately 15,500 fires attributed to clothes dryer blazes each year.
• More than a dozen deaths result from dryer fires yearly.
• Clogged dry vents can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, which injures more than 200 people annually.

With the additional number of injuries caused by lint fire issues, it is easy to understand why dryer safety is important and considered a seriously neglected home maintenance routine.

When your dryer blows hot air on the tumbling clothes inside the barrel, the residual hot, humid blast is generally expelled through a hose attached to the back of the drying unit itself. The hose is then attached to a dryer vent that allows the hot breeze and fabric lint to move away from the clothes and out of your home. If the dryer lint accumulates in the vent and reduces the airflow needed for efficient use of the dryer, the heating element can overheat. Since lint is a highly combustible material, a lint fire can then easily start.

Proper maintenance and repairs can prevent future fire damages.

Simple Signs of Clogged Dryer Vents

If you are worried that your dryer vent has become clogged, or if you haven’t cleaned the tube in over a year, there could be a problem with overheating. If the clothes feel overly hot at the end of their drying cycle, the vent could be blocked. Also, if you notice a burning smell while the dryer is running, the vent is probably full of lint. Moreover, when you see lint lying on the ground near the outside vent, the dryer air removal system may need cleaning.

Advantages of Proper Repair and Maintenance

If you do have a lint fire in your home, you can call in our team of fire damage specialists to get your home restored quickly. The SERVPRO of Cape May & Cumberland Counties Franchise Professionals are Here To Help and make it, "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO of Cape May & Cumberland Counties serves Ocean City, Wildwood and surrounding communities in Cape May County. We also serve Vineland, Millville and surround communities in Cumberland County. Call 609-624-0202.