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Clothes dryer fires
Posted by: John J. Lentini, CFEI (IP Logged)
Date: October 18, 2006 08:11AM
Many of the clothes dryer fires that I have examined involve blockage of the lint screen. I received the following post from my daughter about an apparently "invisible" blockage, and wonder whether list members have any thoughts about its validity. There is a big difference in the surface tension of water and air, so it might not mean much that water won't penetrate a screen. Just wondering if anyone has any thought on this subject.
INFO ABOUT CLOTHES DRYERS!
Our heating unit went out on our clothes dryer so we called to get some
one out to fix it. The repair man came and went to the dryer and pulled
out the lint filter.
It was clean. We always clean the lint from the Filter after every load
of clothes. He told us that he wanted to show us something. He took the
filter over to the sink, ran hot water over it. Now, the lint filter is
made of a mesh material - I'm sure you know what your dryer's lint
filter looks like.
WELL.....the hot water just sat on top of the mesh!!! It didn't go
through it at all!!!
He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over the mesh, that's what
burns out the heating unit. You can't SEE the film, but it is there.
This is also what causes dryer units to catch fire potentially burn your
house down with it!
He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time &
to keep your electric bills lower is to take that filter out & wash it
with hot soapy water & an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every
six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as
long!
How about that???!!!! Learn something new everyday!
I certainly didn't know dryer sheets would do that. So, I thought I'd
share!
NOTE: I went to my dryer & tested my screen by running water on it.
The water ran thru a little bit but mostly collected all the water in
the mesh screen. I washed it with warm soapy water & a nylon brush & I
had it done in 30 seconds. Then when I rinsed it the water ran right
thru the screen! There wasn't any puddle of water at all! That
repairman knew what he was talking about!
John Lentini, CFI, D-ABC
Fire Investigation Consultant
Florida Keys
[www.firescientist.com]
INFO ABOUT CLOTHES DRYERS!
Our heating unit went out on our clothes dryer so we called to get some
one out to fix it. The repair man came and went to the dryer and pulled
out the lint filter.
It was clean. We always clean the lint from the Filter after every load
of clothes. He told us that he wanted to show us something. He took the
filter over to the sink, ran hot water over it. Now, the lint filter is
made of a mesh material - I'm sure you know what your dryer's lint
filter looks like.
WELL.....the hot water just sat on top of the mesh!!! It didn't go
through it at all!!!
He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over the mesh, that's what
burns out the heating unit. You can't SEE the film, but it is there.
This is also what causes dryer units to catch fire potentially burn your
house down with it!
He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time &
to keep your electric bills lower is to take that filter out & wash it
with hot soapy water & an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every
six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as
long!
How about that???!!!! Learn something new everyday!
I certainly didn't know dryer sheets would do that. So, I thought I'd
share!
NOTE: I went to my dryer & tested my screen by running water on it.
The water ran thru a little bit but mostly collected all the water in
the mesh screen. I washed it with warm soapy water & a nylon brush & I
had it done in 30 seconds. Then when I rinsed it the water ran right
thru the screen! There wasn't any puddle of water at all! That
repairman knew what he was talking about!
John Lentini, CFI, D-ABC
Fire Investigation Consultant
Florida Keys
[www.firescientist.com]
| Subject | Views | Written By | Posted |
|---|---|---|---|
 Clothes dryer fires |
1599 | John J. Lentini, CFEI | 10/18/2006 08:11AM |
|
Re: Clothes dryer fires
|
1045 | john ford | 10/18/2006 10:08AM |
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