Spontaneous Combustion
Winter is well and truly here!
Now that the weather is colder and wetter, dryer usage is about to increase tenfold. But did you know the risks involved with using a dryer and how to limit them?
Laundry fires are one of the greatest risks in laundry, and this mainly occurs from spontaneous combustion. As it sounds, this is where a fire starts without an evident heat source. The intense heat from a dryer accumulates on linen and clothes faster than it can disperse, which can continue to grow until ignition point is reached.
Overstuffed dryers pose a larger risk of this happening as it does not allow for the hot air to flow between items and causes heat to generate quicker.
However, the number one cause of dryer fires occurs when items are left inside the dryer after the cycle has finished. A common scenario is when a load is put on prior to leaving/finishing a shift/going to bed with the intention of unloading the next morning or hours later. Once the dryer cycle has finished, linens and clothing retain the heat and moisture and as they are no longer being rotated, the heat cannot be distributed creating the perfect environment to combust.
Most dryers have a cool down cycle, where the drum will rotate with no added heat to allow items to cool down and residual heat to disperse. Often dryers are opened mid cycle to check if items are dry, preventing them from going through this last cycle and increasing the risk of spontaneous combustion.
Most dryers have a cool down cycle, where the drum will rotate with no added heat to allow items to cool down and residual heat to disperse. Often dryers are opened mid cycle to check if items are dry, preventing them from going through this last cycle and increasing the risk of spontaneous combustion.
Here are some simple tricks to maximize your safety and prevent laundry fires this winter:
- Do not overfill the dryer
- Allow the dryer to complete the full cycle - including the cool down.
- Never leave laundry loads in the dryer or heaped in a basket after the cycle has completed. Fold and sort items immediately.
- Regularly clean lint screens and drawers
- Don’t leave damp items in a warm dryer (from a previous load).
- Make sure oily and greasy items, such as rags, have been properly laundered using specific chemicals to break down the grease.
- Regularly service your machines to check they are in good working condition.