The most common cause of house fires is clogged clothes dryer vents; not smoking in bed, not cooking, not frayed electrical wires or Christmas trees, as people might guess. Over 15,000 house fires a year are caused by clogged clothes dryer vents. A family's dreams and memories destroyed in minutes.
Here is how it happens - pretty simple when you think about it. Lint builds up in the clothes dryer vent ducts. If you don’t believe it happens, just look in back of your dryer and you will see lint on the floor and floating around the vent pipe.
Lint Builds Up In The Dryer Vent Pipe
The Lint Causes Reduced Airflow Through The Partially Clogged Pipe
Hot Air Gets Trapped In The Pipe
The Trapped Lint Begins Baking
Then It Ignites
All it takes for a fire is extreme heat, some oxygen, and easily flammable fuel (lint). And the sad thing is, it is so preventable. Firefighters recommend cleaning your clothes dryer vents once a year. Normally, it takes about an hour, and costs a little over $100. Well worth it for peace of mind.