Firefighters responded to a dryer fire at Cal Poly Monday night. The fire was out by the time crews arrived and no one was hurt, and while dryer fires are not uncommon, firefighters say it’s a good reminder to watch out for lint buildup in your dryer.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, dryers and washing machines cause an average of 15,970 fires each year and an average of $200 million in property damage.
Professional vent cleaners recommend having your vents cleaned each year, especially if you have children or more than one person in the home.
Vent cleaners perform pressure tests to determine the amount of pressure that is pushing through your vents. The higher the number, the dirtier the vent.
Extreme pressure levels range between .8-1.02, meaning the vent is almost completely plugged.
While vents need to be cleaned annually, it’s the dryer itself where the fire starts.
“The lint leaks around the drum from inside the drum to down where the burner is,” explained Gary Kibbe, owner of SLO Dryer Vent Cleaning. “Over time, that can accumulate to almost an inch thick. When the flame comes on, then you likely could get a fire.”
Another way to keep your home safe should a dryer fire break out is to have a fire extinguisher nearby. If there is a door to the laundry room, leave it shut to provide some time before the flames reach other areas of the home.
“Know where your shutoffs are,” said Toni Davis, CAL FIRE Public Information Officer. “If you have an electric dryer know where your electrical power is and which breaker you need to shut off along with your gas line if it's natural gas. If it’s propane, know where your propane shutoff valve is.”
The fire department also recommends that you never leave your dryer running when you're asleep or when you leave the house. Davis says you should also avoid running the dryer during the hotter parts of the day.
