Dryer Fires In OC Prompt Warning For Seal Beach Residents

SEAL BEACH, CA — Firefighters across the United States respond to over 15,000 home fires caused by dryers each year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency reported.

With this statistic in mind — and the fact that Orange County firefighters responded to two home fires caused by dryers over the weekend — fire officials want Seal Beach and Los Alamitos residents to take heed of these dryer safety tips to prevent an emergency from hitting their homes.

FEMA reports the primary cause of home dryer fires is a failure to clean them. Fires can spark in a dryer or its exhaust duct because of blocked airflow caused by lint build-up.

The best way to prevent this from happening is by frequently cleaning the dryer and following these other tips:

• Gas dryers should be professionally installed and inspected to ensure the gas line and its connections are intact and free of leaks.
• Keep dryer area clear of all combustibles.
• Replace coiled-wire foil or plastic venting with a rigid, non-ribbed metal duct. This allows for maximum airflow and reduces fire risk.
• Make sure that a dryer's air exhaust vent pipe is not restricted.

Residents should never use dryers that don't have lint filters and should remember to clean the filter before or after drying each load of laundry to prevent blocked airflow.

The Orange County Fire Authority additionally reminds residents that damp clothes at the end of a dryer cycle may be an indication of the lint filter or exhaust duct being blocked.

For the full list of tips and tricks posted by the Orange County Fire Authority, visit their Twitter account.