Did you know that many homes have been destroyed because of a fire that started in the dryer? Fire safety is extremely important so in this blog, we’re going to briefly consider a big cause of dryer fires and also look at ways to prevent them.
Tumble dryers are designed to allow hot air to blow through clothing while they are rotating in the drum which gently dries them. As water evaporates from the clothes it creates water vapor. This water vapor must find a means of escape and does this through the attached dryer vent. Lint is another product that is formed as the clothes are drying and it too must escape through the dryer vent. If the vent is not attached, what can happen? If water vapor cannot vent out of the machine this can cause it too to overheat which will place it at risk of bursting into flames. Lint is also highly flammable so if this starts to accumulate inside the dryer it presents a huge fire risk.
What are some ways you can prevent fires from starting in or around a tumble dryer? The washer and dryer are usually kept in a small space which makes it difficult to know if the vent has detached from the machine. Also, because dryer vents are often made of bendable plastic or metal duct, they can develop kinks or become crushed in places which would restrict the flow of air. It’s good to perform a regular check of the tumble dryer vent to make sure none of these things have happened. You should also make sure the lint collector is emptied after each use.
