Not many people know the importance of clothes dryer fire prevention. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are an estimated annual 15,500 fires, 10 deaths and 10 injuries due to clothes dryer fires. Several hundred people a year are also subjected to carbon monoxide poisoning from improper dryer vent setups. Fires can occur when lint builds up in the dryer or in the exhaust duct. Lint can block the flow of air, causing excessive heat build-up, and could result in a fire. It is important for everyone to be aware of this issue, and to clean their dryer filter screen after each load of laundry. Also remember to clean the outside vents twice a year and to occasionally vacuum the motor area of the dryer.

Other ways to help prevent dryer fires:

• Make sure the dryer duct is made of solid metallic material.
• Avoid kinking or crushing the dryer duct
• Clean and inspect the dryer duct on a regular basis
• Use a spin dryer. These uses an extremely fast spin speed to extract water from the clothes
• Never leave the house while your clothes are in the dryer

For more fire safety tips, view:
Stay Safe With the Earthwise Fire Safety Checklist.