Clothes Dryers and How to Prevent Fires

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Save more than your life

Save electricity and money taking care of your dryer

Out of all the chores you do around the house, cleaning the clothes dryer is the easiest.  Pull out the filter, remove the lint, put the filter back in, and you’re good to go.  Ten seconds of your time keeps the air flowing freely and helps the dryer work more efficiently.  Your electric bill will also be helped by using a low or medium setting to dry your clothes.  Never overheat.

But are you done?  Not yet.  Read on to learn what many Americans do not know.

In addition to using your electricity, clothes dryers can cause a fire if not properly cleaned http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/home_fire_prev/clothes_dryers.shtm.  Why?  The build-up of lint in the dryer venting and the lint trap is to blame.  It’s best to think of lint as a very flammable material that causes heat to build up; keeping your drier free of it lowers your risk of a house fire.

Some of the warning signs that lint is accumulating in your dryer include http://homerepair.about.com/od/heatingcoolingrepair/ss/dryervent_clean.htm#step-heading:

  • Clothes take longer to dry, or they don’t dry completely
  • Your dryer and clothes are hotter than usual
  • The exhaust vent flapper does not open as much
  • The laundry room is more humid, and there is a burnt smell

To prevent this from happening, you must go deep into the dryer and clean it out.  This should be done several times a year.  Lint hides in several places, including:

  • The lint trap housing cavity (the place where you pull out the lint trap)
  • The dryer ducts

The amount of dangerous lint that comes out is amazing, as you can see in this photo: http://homerepair.about.com/od/heatingcoolingrepair/ss/dryervent_clean_9.htm#step-heading.  For those do-it-yourselfers, check out this tutorial on YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnCSX1axtHQ, which goes step-by-step on cleaning out the dryer ducts.

No one wants to have a house fire.  Call Electricity Express now at 855 781 6970 for more advice on fire safety and how to protect your family and most valued possessions.  Electricity Express – we have you and your family covered.

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