# Electric dryer fire prevention



## Know It ALL (Nov 13, 2010)

Working with our volunteer fire dept. I have been to 3 calls of "fire behind the dryer". All 3 calls were from the overheated 220 volt plugs. 
What I suggest. After using your electric dryer for an hour check the rect. and plug for excess heat. An infrared temp gun might make things a little easier. As you know a dryer uses a ton (3500 or more watts) of power. The plugs and/or rect. wear out over the years of use. While you are back there feeling around remove any lint and clothing articles. 
With a little lint and an sock all that is needed is a spark from the worn rect and the fire dept. is in route. 
I will never own an electric dryer.


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## bubbler (Oct 18, 2010)

_I will never own an electric dryer._

You don't say, but I assume you would own a NG/LP dryer? Or did you mean you only do line drying? Because the non-electric dryers can be just as dangerous if not more.

I think the moral here is that an appliance like this is not truly maintenance free--the ducts need to be cleaned & checked periodically, the element space checked, the electric cord and plug should be checked (perhaps replaced every 5-10 years as a precaution? We're talking $15-20 here).

It's amazing how many people will have a coiled snake for an exhaust line, a blocked up outlet outside, or who will replace their dryer when the old one fails without even bothering to clean out or replace the exhaust (or try to re-use the old cord!)

My brother in law and I replaced his exhaust line and outside vent a few weeks ago, he was amazed to see that the line was closed up to about 1/2-diameter of original... and was impressed with how quickly the dryer was working once the line was cleaned out.


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## Know It ALL (Nov 13, 2010)

Thanks for the reply bubbler, I'm 100% propane here. Only one 220 volt breaker in my home. 
I'm on my 3rd gas dryer. X got the first one, Son got the second one. All 3 still drying clothes.
My second one had an igniter fail. Like to have drove me crazy trouble shooting it. It would glow almost white hot. Propane supplier told me that a broke igniter would still glow. The computer has to have a predetermined amount of current before it opens the main gas valve. The broke igniter was not producing enough current to start the gas flow. I think the gas dryers have a few more safety features than their electric cousins. Plus no melting cords and best of all I'm not throwing 4000 watts outside.


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