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(Jupiter, FL - November 2004) It’s time
to air some of your home’s dirty laundry. Even the best-kept
house may have a dirty little secret. Lint. It’s more than
a matter of cleanliness, but actually a serious fire hazard
that may be lurking right under your roof. The lint build-up
from your dryer may actually be putting you, your family and
your home at serious risk.
Odds are that behind your dryer lives a snake-like coil of
ventilation tubing. What most people don’t give much thought
to is that the bends and crimps in this ductwork creates a
trap for all the lint that makes its way past your dryer’s
internal lint screen.
This lint accumulation reduces air flow from the dryer, causing
overheating of the exhaust system. Consider the fact that
this lint is highly combustible and you can see that these
conditions are ripe for fire.
While the first victim of this lint accumulation problem may
be your dryer (which may be become burnt out from the strain
and eventually fail), the more serious issue is that the accumulation
of lint will cause a smoldering fire in the exhaust line before
homeowners have even become aware of the hazard. More than
$65 million in property damages and 10 deaths each year can
be linked to dryer fires. This is a serious (and avoidable)
risk that consumers need to address. Through simple preventative
maintenance and an inexpensive new product now on the market,
homeowners can make their homes significantly safer for their
families. Bends in dryer ducts pose hidden fire danger.
HIDDEN DANGER
Clothes dryer is a leading cause of house fires, did you know?
- According to the National Fire Protection Agency
(NFPA), clothes dryers are the number three cause of house
fires after stoves and heaters.
- The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that lint
accumulated in dryer ventilation systems cause 15,500 fires
annually.
- The National Association of State Fire Marshals reports
that lint is highly combustible. It accumulates easily and
ignites quickly, causing fires that can spread from the
dryer to your home in seconds.
- The NFPA also reports that four out of seven home fires
occur between December and February.
DRYER SAFETY TIPS
- Check for lint clogs in the exhaust tubing and vacuum
behind your dryer regularly.
- Don’t allow lint to pile up on the lint screen — clean
after every load.
- If you realize your dryer is taking longer to dry your
clothes or if the exterior feels very hot, it could be a
sign that it is working too hard because of significant
lint build-up.
- Avoid running your dryer when you are sleeping or are
away from home in case a fire should start.
- Consider installing a Dryerbox recessed vent box to eliminate
lint-collecting bends in the exhaust tubing behind your
dryer .
The Dryerbox presents a simple, inexpensive solution. By reducing
the accumulation of combustible lint is key to avoiding dryer
fire hazards. One solution is a new building product called
The Dryerbox, developed by In-O-Vate Technologies Inc. This
recessed dryer vent box houses and collects the flex duct-work
inside the wall, eliminating the restrictive bends typically
found in the snake of ductwork behind the dryer. Increased efficiency
is achieved by removing this “bottleneck.” As an added benefit,
the dryer can be pushed back against the wall, allowing for
a more attractive appearance, more usable work space in the
laundry area and a more energy-efficient and faster dryer appliance.
Retail prices start at just $19 for new home construction and
$21 for retrofits in existing homes, plus the cost of professional
installation, if needed. |
