The laundry room can be one of the biggest danger zones in your home. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that over 10,000 home fires originate in the laundry room each year causing around $294 million in property damage. While this statistic is alarming, the laundry still needs to get done. With the following safety tips you can help prevent accidents and mishaps from happening in your laundry room.
Clean the lint vents.
The NFPA estimates that failure to clean out lint traps is the leading cause of dryer fires. If the air in the dryer isn’t able to circulate properly, the dryer will keep rising in temperature and the lint trapped inside the duct becomes flammable. The lint trap should be cleaned out before or after every dryer cycle. But don’t stop there! The entire vent duct to the outside needs to be checked regularly and lint should be removed at least once a year. Also, it’s important to make sure the exterior vent flap is in working order and will open when the dryer is in use.
Check your water hoses.
Don’t forget about the washing machine! Older washing machines may use rubber hoses, which over time are prone to cracking and bursting which can cause a potential flooding hazard. The Consumer Products Safety Commission recommends replacing rubber hoses with reinforced braided ones to prevent any potential problems from arising.
Have your machines checked by a professional if they appear to be faulty.
If you have any suspicions that your washer or dryer is not functioning properly, have a professional check it out to be on the safe side. If clothing is coming out of the wash still soapy or isn’t drying in the dryer, that could be a sign of a mechanical problem and should be checked out as soon as possible.
Keep all detergents and cleaning products sealed and stored away.
With little ones in the house, everything can look like an enticing toy. That unfortunately includes the detergent packs that look like candy. The American Association of Poison Control reports that more than 3,000 kids are exposed to these laundry detergent pods and that more than 700 children have been seriously sickened by ingesting them over the past 2 years. Please keep all detergents sealed and out of reach of little hands.
The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. Hausch & Company is committed to providing the most accurate data but we do not warrant the reliability of the data, and we assume no liability in connection with any of the information included.