While the cause of a Sunday night fire that engulfed a house on Peter St. in Moncton and left four people homeless has not been determined, some new facts have been discovered.
“The origin of the fire was determined to be with in the laundry room, more specifically within the dryer itself,” said Charles Leblanc, Moncton’s chief fire investigator.
Leblanc wants to remind people on the proper use of their machines, after 13 fires in the Moncton area were linked to dryers last year.
Read More: Fire destroys New Maryland, N.B. home, damages two others
Tips and tricks
- Use metal dryer ducts to help prevent dryer fires. Consumer Reports says that flexible dryer ducts made of foil or plastic are the most problematic because they can sag and let lint build up at low points. Ridges can also trap lint. Metal ducts, either flexible or solid, are far safer because they don’t sag, so lint is less likely to build up. If a fire does start a metal duct is more likely to contain it.
- No matter which kind of duct you have make sure to clean it regularly. Remove the visible lint from the lint screen each time you use your dryer. This not only reduces the risk of a fire, but your clothes will dry faster and your dryer will use less energy. There is no harm in occasionally cleaning the lint filter with warm soapy water and a small brush.
- Clean inside, behind and underneath the dryer.
- Take special care drying clothes stained with volatile chemicals such as gasoline, cooking oils, cleaning agents, or finishing oils and stains. Wash the clothing more than once to minimize the amount of these chemicals on the clothing and hang to dry.
- Avoid using liquid fabric softener on all-cotton clothing made of fleece, terry cloth, or velour. If you want a softener, use dryer sheets instead.
- Buy dryers that use moisture sensors rather than ordinary thermostats to end the auto-dry cycle. Thermostats can allow the dryer to run longer than necessary.
Leblanc says it is also important to make sure there’s no obstruction to the vent leading outside. You’ll want to clean it from lint and other debris every couple of months.
“Your vent could possibly be blocked, if your dryer is suddenly taking a lot longer to dry your clothes, that’s something people need to look at,” he said.
Leblanc added that the type of piping on your dryer’s vents can also be a reason to be cautious.
“We don’t recommend people using plastic piping for their vents, we typically would want something that’s metallic,” said Leblanc.
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