Potential Fire Hazard

Potential Fire Hazard
Recently we had a heating unit that went out on my dryer. We purchased the dryer last year and to say that I was upset with an appliance that was going to give me problems when it was less than a year old is an understatement.

Because my unit was still under warranty I called the repairman and had set up an appointment. He came in on a Saturday and started to looked at the heating unit of my dryer. He replaced the heating coil but told me he wanted to show me something that would help in the future. He went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. I looked at him in wonderment because I always clean out the filter after I finish drying clothes and there was no lint there. He took the lint filter to the sink and ran hot water over it. The Filter is made of a mesh material, and I was surprised that the hot water did not sift through the holes in the filter, it pooled inside like the filter was a cup.

Okay now he had perked my interest. Why would the water not sift through the holes? Je went on to explain that the dryer sheets that I used, you know the ones that make your clothes smell fresh, well he went on to explain that the dryer sheet had formed a film over the mesh and that was what had caused the heating unit to die on me.

He explained to me that the dryer towels have a film that you cannot seem they matke your clothes feel soft and static freem well appraently this stuff builds up on the wire mesh and that caused the wesh to retain the film or waxy residue. He said that he had seen some cases where a person left the dryer on when they left their home only to come back to see that there was an actual fire started while they were away. Scared the daylights out of me, I never thought that there was a potential for a fire leaving the dryer on while I went to work, I had always done that, either leave the washer to do its thing, then put the clothes in when I got back from my errand or back home after work. I think that we all do that at one time or another.

He told me that I should take out the filer at least monthly and wash it with a clean soapy mixture to assure that the water runs through the holes. That way the heat will vent out appropriately. So I though of you guys and I wanted to pass on this tidbit of information. Always said an ounce of prevention is worth its weight in gold.