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Consumer Product Safety Commission
Overheated Clothes Dryers Can Cause Fires
CPSC Document # 5022
Updated June 2003
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that in 1998, clothes
dryers were associated with 15,600 fires, which resulted in 20 deaths and 370
injuries. Fires can occur when lint builds up in the dryer or in the exhaust
duct. Lint can block the flow of air, cause excessive heat build-up, and result
in a fire in some dryers.
To help prevent fires:
- Clean the lint screen/filter before or after drying each load
of clothes. If clothing is still damp at the end of a typical
drying cycle or drying requires longer times than normal, this may
be a sign that the lint screen or the exhaust duct is blocked.
- Clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct periodically. Check
the outside dryer vent while the dryer is operating to make sure
exhaust air is escaping. If it is not, the vent or the exhaust duct
may be blocked. To remove a blockage in the exhaust path, it may be
necessary to disconnect the exhaust duct from the dryer. Remember to
reconnect the ducting to the dryer and outside vent before using the
dryer again.
- Clean behind the dryer, where lint can build up. Have a
qualified service person clean the interior of the dryer chassis
periodically to minimize the amount of lint accumulation. Keep the
area around the dryer clean and free of clutter.
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- Replace plastic or foil, accordion-type ducting material with
rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct. Most manufacturers
specify the use of a rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct,
which provides maximum airflow. The flexible plastic or foil type
duct can more easily trap lint and is more susceptible to kinks or
crushing, which can greatly reduce the airflow.
- Take special care when drying clothes that have been soiled
with volatile chemicals such as gasoline, cooking oils, cleaning
agents, or finishing oils and stains. If possible, wash the clothing
more than once to minimize the amount of volatile chemicals on the
clothes and, preferably, hang the clothes to dry. If using a dryer,
use the lowest heat setting and a drying cycle that has a cool-down
period at the end of the cycle. To prevent clothes from igniting
after drying, do not leave the dried clothes in the dryer or piled
in a laundry basket.
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