Dryers cause house fires when lint ignites, and nearly all of the risk comes from restricted airflow. The good news is that the warning signs are visible, and most of the prevention takes five minutes.
Warning signs
- Clothes come out hot while still wet.
- The outside of the dryer is unusually warm.
- A burning or hot lint smell in the laundry room.
- The vent hood outside does not open, or lint collects around it.
- The dryer shuts off mid-cycle and restarts after cooling.
What to do if you see them
- Stop using the dryer.
- Clean the lint screen and the trap slot.
- Look at the duct behind the dryer for crushed or sagging sections.
- Clean the outside vent hood and check that the flap moves.
Habits that lower risk
- Do not run the dryer when you leave the house or go to bed.
- Keep flammable items, such as cleaning sprays and rags soaked in oil or cooking fat, away from the dryer. Clothes with oil, gasoline or solvent residue can ignite inside the drum.
- Replace plastic or foil duct with metal.
- Keep clutter away from the dryer.
Safety devices
The dryer has thermal safety parts that cut the heat when it gets too hot. If one trips repeatedly, the cause is almost always the airflow, and replacing the part without clearing the vent will not hold. We check airflow first, and then the safety devices and the heating parts.
If you see smoke or flame, close the door, turn the dryer off if you can, and call 911.
If you recognize two or more of these signs, book a dryer inspection on the dryer repair page. We serve the Houston counties in three-hour windows, hand you a written quote before the repair, and back the work for 30 days.