Not Cleaning the Clothes Dryer and Duct is the Major Cause of Dryer Fires!
Modern home appliances are safer today than they were just a decade ago, but the amount of fires has not decreased. Failure to clean the dryer and ducts accounts for more than 34 percent of the dryer fires in the United States. This is the leading cause of home clothes dryer fires. Other causes include manufacturing defects and poor installation. Foreign manufacturing and foreign component suppliers are another cause. Increasing quality issues are associated with the extremely rapid growth of fires connected with appliances. More home clothes dryer fires occur in the fall and winter months and peak in January.
You should check your dryers and appliances out for manufacturer defects and recalls at https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls .
What Type of Dryer is Your Home Designed for?
The dryer manufacturers set limits of the length and type of duct that can be used with their dryers. These limits are based on the type of equipment installed in the dryer. Damp lint requires a certain volume of air to move it through the ducts. Homeowners will often select a dryer and make it fit their house. Some dryers are designed with larger motors and fans to move the lint farther. Economy or inexpensive dryers often have the smallest motors and fans. All dryers are not created equal.
Duct Design Limits The Length and Orientation.
The type of duct material, vent hood, the number of turns the duct and orientation, horizontal or vertical affect the length of the duct. Below is the dryer manufacturers' requirement based on the model of dryer.
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| If your dryer is not listed consult your owners manual or look it up online. |
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| Ducts should have no mechanical fasteners. |
The type of material used for the duct is very important in venting lint and moisture. Each 90-degree turn decreases the length of the duct by 5 feet. The use of a flat hood decreases the length by half. Using flexible vent ducts also cuts the length by half. Rigid metal ducts are required to be taped at the joints and not fastened by screws. The screw shank protruding into the duct creates and place for lint to accumulate.
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| Flexible and vinyl ducts are not allowed
because they collect lint and are a fire hazard!
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Homeowners often choose flexible metal or vinyl duct for their ease of
installation. These types of ducts are not allowed for use on a dryer in
many areas due to the fire hazard. Flexible ducts have many areas for
lint to accumulate within the duct. Vinyl and PVC when heated create an
electrostatic charge that attracts lint, these are not allowed. Most
municipalities and building
codes require rigid metal ducts without mechanical fasteners. These
rigid ducts have fewer areas to collect lint and obstruct the airflow.
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| Clogged gooseneck dryer vent on the roof. |
Gooseneck dryer vent hoods are often clogged due to the location on the roof. The homeowners are either unaware of them or just forget about them until they become a problem. Most of these types of vents we inspect are clogged. Many of these types of vent hoods when clogged cause the duct to separate in the attic. Damaged ducts pump moisture and lint into the attic causing moisture damage, wood rot and mold growth. Gooseneck hoods because of their location on the roof should be scheduled for yearly inspection and cleaning by a professional.
Annual Dryer Duct Inspection and Cleaning
All dryer ducts should be inspected and cleaned yearly. Check with your Home Inspector when you buy your home. A dryer duct inspection may reveal improper installation or materials. If you have a larger family and use the dryer daily or more often, your ducts may require semi-annual cleaning. Less frequent use may only require biennial cleaning. Protect your family and sleep soundly at night. Have your ducts inspected and cleaned in the fall when you change your smoke detector batteries.
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| Frank Carr, Florida Licensed Home Inspector |
Frank Carr is the Owner / Inspector at First Choice Home
Inspections in Deltona, FL serving Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Lake
Counties. Formerly in the building trades, Frank’s focus is a safe home
in the Orlando Metro and Daytona Beach areas of Central Florida and building FCHI. We believe that consumers have the right to expect
the highest standards of thoroughness, fairness and effectiveness from
their home inspector and that is exactly what we provide.
First Choice Home Inspections
Residential Home Inspections in Central Florida
(386) 624-3893
Website: http://1homeinspector.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/1stChoiceHomeIn
