Loss prevention tips for all your home matters provided by: Preferred Insurance Services, Inc.

Clothes Dryer Safety Tips The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that there are over 2,900 fires annually from clothes dryers. Unfortunately, these fires account for scores of personal injuries and cause millions in property damage each year. We know you don’t want to give up your dryer, so we’ve gathered some simple things you can do to protect your home and family from clothes dryer hazards.

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§ Clean the lint filter before and after each load of laundry.

Also, do not forget to clean the area behind the dryer

where lint can get trapped as well.

§ Hire a qualified service technician to clean the interior of

the dryer and venting system on a periodic basis. Should

you notice that it is taking your dryer longer to dry your

clothes, clean the vent system immediately to ensure that

air flows properly through the unit.

§ Replace plastic or vinyl exhaust hoses with metal venting.

§ Do not dry clothing or fabrics that contain flammable

solutions such as alcohol, cooking oils, gasoline, spot

removers and dry cleaning solvents. These substances

give off vapors that can ignite and explode. Instead, wash

the garments or fabrics first to remove the solutions and

then dry them.

§ Read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and follow

all of the safety instructions.

Call us today to learn more about all the ways we can help you to protect your home and its contents.

Lack of maintenance is the number one reason for dryer fires, according to Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a respected product testing organization. When consumers do not clean the lint traps or vent systems, they are running risk of fire. This is due, in part, to lint buildup in the screen or other areas around the dryer, which reduces airflow. This causes the dyer to work poorly, operate at higher temperatures and potentially overheat. Consumers are also at risk if they place items in dryers that are not meant to be dried, such as foam-backed rugs and athletic shoes.

The CPSC, UL and the Home Appliance Manufacturers work together to reduce the number of dryer fires. In recent years, the UL has changed its standards for electric dryers to recommend that consumers not only clean lint traps regularly, but also the lint from around the lint screen and routing wiring. For more information on dryer maintenance, visit www.ul.com.

Dryer Do’s and Don’ts

Causes of Fire

This flyer is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional advice. © 2008, 2013 Zywave, Inc.