Appliance maintenance is important to understand and implement. Dryers are in the majority of all homes. The U.S. Fire Administration (division of FEMA) stated these facts about clothes dryer fire safety:
- 2,900 home clothes dryer fires are reported each year and cause an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries and $35 million in property loss.
- Failure to clean the dryer (34 percent) is the leading cause of home clothes dryer fires.
- More home clothes dryer fires occur in the fall and winter months, peaking in January.
4 Reasons to Clean Lint Filter
- It can actually be a fire hazard.
- Helps to keep your dryer have a greater efficiency. When the lint filter is not cleaned, it can cause the dryer to heat to a higher temperature. That will make the dryer work harder which can cause low efficiency. The motor must run longer and harder, like an overheated car engine.
- Since the motor is working slower, it takes longer to dry your clothes.
- Since the dryer must run longer, you are using up more energy. This translates into a more expensive electric or gas bill. Cut your bill by cleaning the lint filter each time you use your dryer.
Clean Lint Filter
Since the leading cause of home clothes dryer fires is failure to clean the dryer, let’s look at how to clean your dryer lint filter.
After Each Use
Make it a practice to clean out the dryer filter after each use.
Test Lint Filter
Test your dryer filter by clearing it of lint, then pouring a small amount of water onto the filter screen. If the water pools up instead of flowing through then you should wash it.
Wash Lint Filter
Roll lint off the screen with your fingers.
Wash the screen in warm, soapy water using a brush.
Rinse, retest and repeat until the water flows through.
Repair or Service
If your appliance is not working at peak performance, a repair might be required or at least a service check. Make sure to call an experienced quality appliance and repair specialist who will restore it to top condition.
Contact Us
Gulf Coast Appliance Repair is the local appliance repair company that you can count on. For 10+ years, our family owned business has been serving customers in Pinellas County. We specialize in repairing appliances including refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, stoves, dishwashers and much more. Call our appliance and repair service at 727-510-3524 email us to get the job done or to schedule your appointment.