Dryer Lint Fires

Clothes that take more than one cycle to dry; a hot dryer or hot laundry room; a lint filter you only empty now and then; a white or foil accordion vent hose behind the dryer; boxes or baskets stacked around it.

NFPA's advice: clean the lint filter before or after every load and remove lint from around the drum; never run the dryer without a filter; if clothes are still damp after a normal cycle, the filter or exhaust duct may be blocked. Check that the outdoor vent flap opens while the dryer runs, and clean lint out of the vent pipe at least once a year. Use rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct, since plastic or foil accordion duct traps lint and kinks. Keep the area around the dryer clear of boxes, clothing and cleaning supplies, have the dryer installed and serviced by a professional (gas dryers: have the gas line checked for leaks), don't overload it, and turn it off when you leave the house or go to bed. The risk is about equal for gas and electric dryers.