Clothes Dryer Fire Safety Outreach Material

9/3/2019 (Permalink)

Growing up comes with responsibility, doing your own laundry is one of them. Did your parents ever tell you to clean the lint filter before every use? Well if they did, here is why. 2,900 home clothes dryer fires are reported each year and in some cases are fatal. Failure to clean the dryer is the leading cause of dryer fires and they mostly occur in the fall and winter months. Here are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to clothes dryers.

Do’s

• Have your clothes dryer installed by a professional.
• Clean the lint out of the vent pipe every three months.
• Put a cover on the outside wall dampers to keep out snow, dirt, and rain.
• Make sure the outdoor vent covering opens when the dryer is on.
• Keep the area around the dryer free of items that can burn.

Don’ts

• Do not use a clothes dryer without a lint filter.
• Do not put too many clothes in the dryer at once.
• Do not dry anything containing foam, rubber or plastic.
• Do not dry items that have come into contact with anything flammable.
• Do not leave a clothes dryer running if you leave the house.