Each year, fire departments respond to numerous calls for household dryer fires.

Almost 1/3 of these incidents are due to lack of maintenance.

As a result, up to 15 injuries and a few million dollars in property damage occurs each year.

The Design and internal mechanism of most clothes dryers are similar. The majority of clothes dryers come in two sizes: full and compact. Heat for clothes dryers in provided by an electrical, natural gas, or propane source with electrical being the most common. At this time fire hazards do not appear to be associated with any particular brand of clothes dryer.

Major fire hazards associated with clothes dryers include:

      Lack of maintenance.

      Improper installation (venting).

      Accumulation of lint.

      Use of plastic ducts.

The lack of maintenance / care and improper installation (i.e. correct venting are the leading causes of fires in clothes dryers. Fires also occur when flammable materials are inadvertently put into these appliances. If a fire occurs, it is often within the drum of the dryer and will be fueled by the lint that has accumulated in the dryer cabinet. In the event that plastic ducting is used to vent the dryer instead of metal ducting the fire will not be contained to the dryer if the plastic ducting ignites or melts.