A clothes dryer works by pushing hot air through a spinning drum. Wet clothes placed in the drum are then dried by swirling hot air. Unbelievable as it may seem, a full load of wet clothes may contain as much as 1 ½ gallons of water. Lint, which consists primarily of small fibers from the clothes and debris in or on the clothes, is created from the clothes as the clothes that tumble in the drum. While much of the lint is trapped by the dryer’s filter, lint is also carried through the vent system along with moist air. Since lint is a highly combustible material that can accumulate both in the dryer and in the dryer vent, it’s accumulative affect is what causes reduced airflow poses a significant fire hazard threat.
In addition to the accumulation of lint, blockages in dryer exhaust vents also can occur from several things, mostly small animals building nests.
A compromised vent will not exhaust properly to the outside. Thus, overheating occurs and a fire may ignite.
The average number of injuries per 1,000 clothes dryer fires was slightly higher than the same loss measure for all other residential building fires. The average number of fatalities per 1,000 clothes dryer fires and average dollar loss per clothes dryer fire, however, were notably less than the same loss measures for all other residential building fires.
Loss Measures for Clothes Dryer Fires in Residential Buildings (3-year average, 2008–2010)
[table td1=”Measure” td2=”Clothes Dryer Fires inResidential Buildings” td3=”Residential Building Fires
(Excluding Clothes Dryer Fires)”] [td1]Average Loss:[/td1][td2][/td2][td3][/td3]
[td1]Fatalities/1,000 fires[/td1][td2]1.8[/td2][td3]5.5[/td3]
[td1]Injuries/1,000 fires[/td1][td2]30.5[/td2][td3]28.8[/td3]
[td1]Dollar loss/fire[/td1][td2]$9,610[/td2][td3]$15,940[/td3]
[/table]
Source: National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) fires reported from 2008-2010.
About ABC Cleaning, Inc. of Orlando, FL
Serving Central Florida since 1992, ABC Cleaning, Inc. has been the acknowledged leader in air duct cleaning, chimney cleaning and dryer vent cleaning. We’re NADCA certified, we consistently invest in and have the most modern equipment and utilize the latest technology available with the best-trained service technicians in all of Orlando. If you need help deciding whether to replace or repair faulty ducts, please contact us at ABC. We provide quality HVAC service throughout Orlando and the surrounding communities. Give us a call today at 407-477-4302. We are here to help!
