PSA: Near dryer fire last night

[Pea-n-Me]

I'd thrown a load of towels in my dryer and left to go shopping, but my mother was here and I told her the dryer was on, as I always do. She heard our smoke detector sound just once, and went to investigate. There was a faint smell of burning coming from the laundry room. Nothing else seemed amiss, but she wasn't sure about it so she shut the dryer off (she contemplated calling the fire dept but there was no smoke or any evidence of fire). When we got home we smelled a burnt smell and in opening the dryer bottom, found a thick layer of lint that had a scorched, burnt top.

Please clean out the lint from your dryer and don't leave it running if you're sleeping or nobody's home.

 

[mommasita]

Glad to hear everything as Ok..

Great reminder, I have heard so many stories on this.

 

[Southern4sure]

This happened to my sister except the dryer actually caught fire and burned half of her house. The entire house had to be gutted. I try and clean the dryer vents regularly but often let longer periods of time pass.

 

[Philagoofy]

They sell kits now, I just bought one but haven't used it yet so I don't know if it's worth the $20.00. I vacuum the vent from outside but I hate taking the tube off that goes rom the dryer to the vent, I have such a hard time getting it back on & staying. The lint is building up just below the lint trap & it's so thin I can't get to it so hopefully this kit will get all that.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

I'd thrown a load of towels in my dryer and left to go shopping, but my mother was here and I told her the dryer was on, as I always do. She heard our smoke detector sound just once, and went to investigate. There was a faint smell of burning coming from the laundry room. Nothing else seemed amiss, but she wasn't sure about it so she shut the dryer off (she contemplated calling the fire dept but there was no smoke or any evidence of fire). When we got home we smelled a burnt smell and in opening the dryer bottom, found a thick layer of lint that had a scorched, burnt top.

Please clean out the lint from your dryer and don't leave it running if you're sleeping or nobody's home.

Wow! I'm glad everything turned out OK. What do you mean by the dryer bottom?? I'm wondering if I need to inspect my dryer! I clean the lint filter everytime I use it but I'm wondering what else to clean. I cleaned the vent about a year ago but I don't know how often I should do that.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

You've got it - the problem wasn't in the vents. It was the lint that was sitting on the very bottom of the dryer. Accessible by taking the bottom part of dryer off. Sitting right on the metal bottom.

 

[lovemygoofy]

I've always wondered about that but our washer and dryer are stacked and in a tiny cubby hole in the bathroom. There is no way to move it to clean out the back dryer area.

 

[NewJersey]

A house burned down in my town a few months ago due to a dryer fire - the people hadn't cleaned out their lint traps in about 3 months.

I'm glad everything is okay.

 

[ZachnElli]

I'm glad it turned out ok for you! This happened to my mom too while I was visiting. In other words, I was the one keeping an eye on the dryer. It caught fire on the inside on some lint, but put itself out. She did have to replace the dryer, but it's a scary reminder.

 

[tinatark]

My friends 14 year old daughter died in a house fire caused by dryer lint 2 years ago.

Carissa

 

[Disney-Kim]

you guys are all talking about vacuuming the area where the tube thing is on the back and UNDER the dryer?

I always clean the regular lint trap EVERY time I dry...so what else should I be doing? thanks

 

[2princesscuties]

I just had Sears come out and do my dryer vents,he said it should be done once a year.Also clean out your lint trap after every load.I had never had my dryer vents done in the 6 years we have been here.The lint he pulled out filled 1/2 of a 12 pack soda box.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

you guys are all talking about vacuuming the area where the tube thing is on the back and UNDER the dryer?

I always clean the regular lint trap EVERY time I dry...so what else should I be doing? thanks

Inside the vents and inside the bottom of the dryer. I guess it wouldn't hurt to do under the dryer too.

 

[LisaR]

We bought the Lint-B-Gone: http://www.asseenontv.com/prod-pages/lint_b_gone.html

It is excellent! I use it for the dryer and under the 'fridge. My DH cleaned the dryer vent from the attic all the way to where it hooks up to the dryer. It is amazing how much lint is in there. Really cool and cheap!

Lisa

 

[RLccweems]

I'd thrown a load of towels in my dryer and left to go shopping, but my mother was here and I told her the dryer was on, as I always do. She heard our smoke detector sound just once, and went to investigate. There was a faint smell of burning coming from the laundry room. Nothing else seemed amiss, but she wasn't sure about it so she shut the dryer off (she contemplated calling the fire dept but there was no smoke or any evidence of fire). When we got home we smelled a burnt smell and in opening the dryer bottom, found a thick layer of lint that had a scorched, burnt top.

Please clean out the lint from your dryer and don't leave it running if you're sleeping or nobody's home.

Scary stuff....glad to hear that your alll okay. I'll be sure to take your advice on this.

lettie

 

[Pea-n-Me]

We bought the Lint-B-Gone: http://www.asseenontv.com/prod-pages/lint_b_gone.html

It is excellent! I use it for the dryer and under the 'fridge. My DH cleaned the dryer vent from the attic all the way to where it hooks up to the dryer. It is amazing how much lint is in there. Really cool and cheap!

Lisa

Lisa, although that guy's voice scared the crap out of me when I first opened the link, this seems like a great product! I think I'll order one too!

 

[IwasatWDWforamonth]

we had a mouse or squirrel making a nest in the vent hose, it was full of leaves.

I guess he walked past the window one winter day and said hmmm its warm in there.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Being married to whom I'm married to, I've had this drilled into my head. I never, NEVER leave my house with the dryer going. EVER. It's not so much my personal items that worry me, but my dog who's left behind in the house.

I clean my lint filter after every single use, but even that isn't enough. Lint can also accumulate inside of the vent lines, which in some cases terminate out of a roof vent. Those also need to be blown out occasionally.

 

[C.Ann]

I never leave any kind of appliance on when I leave the house - not even the window a/c unit or my wall-mounted electric heat here at the lake.. I have a terrible, terrible fear of fire so I'm probably overly cautious..

 

[IwasatWDWforamonth]

Im one of those people too, I make sure EVERYTHING is off before leaving the house even if only for a few minutes.sometimes even go back to check.

After years of warning my mom not to sleep with a heating pad on, she is now banned from using a heating pad after burning a hole in the couch.

I was in my room and woke up to a terrible smell not just smoke but a strong chemical odor(probably the teflon burning off the couch) my mom woke up when I yelled and told me the heating pad got a little hot and to go back to bed.

when I got up I noticed pillows covering the couch, I moved them and noticed the couch had burnt.