-An estimated 2,900 clothes dryer fires in residential buildings are reported to U.S. fire departments each year and cause an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss.
-Clothes dryer fire incidence in residential buildings was higher in the fall and winter months, peaking in January at 11 percent.
-Failure to clean (34 percent) was the leading factor contributing to the ignition of clothes dryer fires in residential buildings.
-Dust, fiber, and lint (28 percent) and clothing not on a person (27 percent) were, by far, the leading items first ignited in clothes dryer fires in residential buildings.
Dryer Vent Cleaning
Signs That a Dryer Vent Needs to be Cleaned
It is important to clean dryer vents before they get to the point where they could be a fire hazard. Some of the signs that a dryer vent needs to be cleaned include the following:
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Clothing comes out of the dryer much hotter than normal
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The drying cycle takes longer, or clothes are damp after a normal cycle
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The laundry room feels much hotter than normal
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The lint filter fills up quickly or appears unusual
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Utility bills rise without an explanation
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Clothes from the dryer take on a musty smell
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Dryer sheets smell odd or break down more than usual during the cycle
