Rid Your Laundry Room of Risk

According to the National Fire Protection Association, the leading cause of at-home clothes dryer fires is failure to clean the dryer. Lint buildup can reduce airflow and may cause the dryer to overheat.

Drying foam-backed rugs or athletic shoes in dryers can also produce fires. Nests built by small birds or animals can clog exhaust vents and also cause the dryer to overheat.

To help protect your laundry room, as well as your home and family, Underwriters Laboratories and the National Fire Protection Association recommend that you:

• Always use a dryer with a lint filter.
• Clean the filter before and after each load.
• Caulk cracks and holes near pipes in outer walls and the foundation to protect them from cold air.
• Clean the back of the dryer and around the drum, where lint can get trapped.
• Turn the dryer off when you leave the house or go to bed.
• Have the interior of the dryer and venting system maintained by qualified service personnel.
• Replace plastic or vinyl exhaust hoses with rigid or flexible metal venting to keep the air flowing.
• Inspect the exhaust vent to ensure it is clear, and check that the outdoor vent flap opens when the dryer is in use.
• Keep clothes or fabrics that have come in contact with flammable substances, such as alcohol, cooking oils, gasoline, spot removers or dry-cleaning solvents, out of the dryer. Vapors from these products could ignite or explode.
• Follow the manufacturer’s operating and maintenance instructions.

Compliments of www.usaa.com