Home saved after dryer catches fire; prevention tips

A fire in a clothes dryer at a Logan County residence last week caused a scare when the resident return home to see smoke coming from the washer and dryer room. It has really emphasized the importance of ensuring all of your appliances are well maintained and inspected on a regular basis. People often fall into the bad habit of not checking their appliances and that’s what leads to situations like this. You should always check your dryer, washing machine, fridge, oven, etc. to see if you need to get an appliance repair Orland Park company to come and fix an issue. Small 5-minute checks could potentially save your house burning down – like this one almost did.

Luckily, as fire crews were on their way, a water hose used from the residence kept the fire from spreading throughout the home. Firefighters from the Guthrie Fire Department took over to make sure the fire was completely contained and removed the dryer from the home as smoke continued to exit.

Jason Reece with Reece’s Appliance Repair says the leading cause of dryer fires is a lack of maintenance.

“Clean out the lint trap prior to using the dryer and never turn on the dryer before you leave the house,” Reece said.

Reece says not only to clean out the lint trap in the dryer before each load, but to clean out the dryer vents that are often found outside the home at least once or twice a year.

“Of the 100 calls I receive, 98 of them often are result of air flow, or the lack of.”

Over time, lint accumulates throughout the dryer and the duct system, reducing airflow, which causes the dryer to operate at elevated temperatures, thereby increasing the chance of something malfunctioning and/or the lint catching on fire. Dryer fires usually start beneath or inside the appliance.

Reece says there are a few warning signs to look out for, including clothes taking more than 48 minutes to dry and clothes are hotter than usual at the end of the cycle.