Sign Up | Login | Forgot Password

117 clothes dryer fires were reported in the state of Massachusettes alone in 2007. These fires could have been prevented with proper maintenance and cleaning.

Clean the Lint Filter After Every Load

The public should be reminded to clean the dryer filter screen after each load of laundry, to clean the outside vents twice a year and to occasionally vacuum the motor area of the dryer. If materials such as cooking oil, solvents and other combustible or flammable liquids were not removed completely during the laundry cycle, heat from the dryer may cause them to ignite.

This is the reason that mop heads should not be put into the dryer. An adult should be at home whenever the dryer is in use and the home should have working smoke alarms.

Dryer Fires Prevention Tips At-A-Glance

Clean the filter screen after each load to prevent lint buildup, which can cause fires.

Stay home when the dryer is in use.

Clean the vents to outside twice a year to clean out any accumulated dust and lint.

Vacuum the motor area. The dust and lint in the vent area can ignite if it gets hot. You may need to remove a panel in order to get to the motor area.

Commercial dryers should be cleaned out regularly because of their frequent use and shared venting system.

Don’t dry mop heads in the dryer! The dryer’s heat can ignite the chemical residue on mop heads.

Keep the surrounding area clean. The dryer’s heat may ignite anything left too close to the dryer.

 
News Channel 19: Could Your Dryer Catch on Fire?

Clothes dryer fires are one of the most common causes of house fires. Last year, more than 17,000 house fires were caused by a clothes dryer, costing homeowners more than $95,000,000 in damages. Last month, NewsChannel 19’s own Kym Richardson was one of those homeowners whose house caught fire because of a dryer.