A recent dryer fire in Oakville caused over $40,000 worth of damage, whilst we hope the homeowner is OK and they are getting the house back to normal, dryer vent cleaning is something that is seriously overlooked in Canada! There are no reported statistics available for Dryer Fires and most reports after a fire state that an inquiry is underway. We have not been able to find any stats on Dryer fires in Ontario or Canada … until today!
Finally a useful statistic comes from the Fire Marshall’s office regarding Dryer Fires!
faulty or improperly maintained household appliances like dryers, washing machines, dishwashers and slow cookers are the cause of at least one fire per day in Ontario.
There really is really no maintenance required for a dishwasher, washing machine or slow cooker there is with the dryer!
The Oakville Fire department responds to many household appliance fires because regular maintenance is not being carried out. Almost all of these fires were preventable,” said Oakville Fire Chief Lee Grant.
almost all appliance fires are preventable and dryer fires which have a highly combustible product created every time the dryer is run LINT.Yes electrical faults may happen but they are genuine accidents. The only product that can be maintained is the Dryer Vent and most people do not give it a seconds thought!
Ontario Fire Marshal’s statistics reveal that improperly maintained household dryers cause one in every three residential dryer fires.
7 Tips That’s Can Help Prevent a Dryer Fire and Save You Money!
Many homeowners think that just because they clean the lint trap their dryer vent is OK. the fact is that lint trap captures less than 40% of the lint created each time your dryer is run. An efficient dryer will save you money as you are not running the dryer several times to dry each load.
- Are the clothes taking a long time to dry? This is not because the dryer is getting old it is because the vent is clogged and the damp air and lint is unable to escape outside
- Is the dryer hot to touch? Again the dryer is not able to drive that hot air outside hence the dryer vent needs cleaning
- Are you noticing huge spikes in the hydro bills? With the sensor dry intelligent dryers they just keep running until the dryer senses the load is dry. If you are not paying attention this can easily run for several hours.
- Excessive dust inside the house can be down to a clogged dryer vent as the lint is unable to escape but is circulating inside the dryer and escapes outside the dryer into the airspace.
- Do you have the wrong hose? Dryers have a warning label on the back specifying the correct hose to use. 90% of homes have the wrong hose – if an insurance company ever needed an excuse not to pay in the event of a dryer fire it is there in black and white on the back of the dryer.
- Ensure the Louvre’s on the vent cap are not clogged shut, they need to be opening fully when the dryer is running and fully shut when the dryer is stopped! This allows the lint to escape and keeps critters out. Ensure also that no screen is attached to the termination cap as this will restrict air flow and stop all lint escaping.
- Clean your dryer vent – this ensures the dryer is running at it’s best – read the dryer manual it says to get it done regularly we recommend every 2-3 years depending on the usage.
What Causes a Dryer Fire?
Dryer fires start in the dryer! And this is normally because lint has settled on and around the heating element which gets really hot and burns lint this can smoulder for a long time and we see it every day when we clean dryers and dryer vents. Also the newer dryers are designed with a flaw that makes no sense but they have all switched to having the heating element on the bottom of the dryer cabinet where the older ones the element is on the back of the dryer near the top. Now with new dryers lint settles on top of the element housing whereas older dryers the lint fell through. Moral is if you have an older dryer keep it!
If anyone needs advice we are a local company that specializes in Dryer vents and dryer cleaning we are more than happy to advise and rectify any problems you may have.