Preventing Fires In Tarpon Springs

8/10/2021 (Permalink)

An accumulation of lint can lead to a dangerous situation.

According to the National Fire Protection Agency, NFPA, U.S fire departments responded to nearly 16,000 home fires involving clothes dryers or washing machines over a four-year period. These fires resulted in $238 million in property damage. The majority of these fires come from home clothes dryers.

One-third of clothes dryers related fires are caused by an accumulation of lint, which means that not cleaning out your dryer vent can set you up for a dangerous situation.

Here are 4 simple tips that and ensure safety in the laundry room.

CLEAN THE LINT FILTER AFTER EVERY LOAD- not only will this help prevent a fire, but your clothes will dry faster.

REPLACE ACCORDION-STYLE DUCTS-If you see a plastic or foil accordion-style duct connecting your appliance to the vent, it’s a good idea to replace it with a rigid metal duct that won't sag and collect lint.

CLEAN THE DRYER DUCT ANNUALLY- (at least)-Disconnect the duct from the dryer, and vacuum both the dryer and the duct—as much as you can access, then reassemble, return dryer to original spot and reconnect power.

HANDLE CHEMICAL STAINS WITH CARE-Clothes stained with gas, cooking oil, cleaning agents, or other flammable chemicals or substances need special care. It's recommended to wash such stained clothing more than once to minimize volatile chemicals, then hang to dry. If you must use a dryer, use the lowest heat setting and a drying cycle that concludes with a cool-down period.

IMPORTANT: In the event that a fire does start, keep the dryer door closed to limit its oxygen supply—a fire needs oxygen to keep it going.
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