An overheated clothes dryer is a destructive fire waiting to ignite. It’s certainly not something that one should take lightly. Not only that, overheating is a sign that your dryer isn’t working as well as it should.
Because of this, overheating should be kept to a minimum. If you want to avoid a terrible fire and maximize the use of your dryer, follow this article as a guide. We’ve rounded up preventive measures to keep your clothes dryer from overheating.
4 Easy Things You Can Do
1. Make Sure The Lint Trap Or Filter Is Clear
Improper air circulation is one of the reasons why your dryer is overheating. This means that lint, fibers and dust are blocking the air’s pathways.
Not only that, these highly combustible materials are the first to ignite when your unit starts overheating. Make sure to check if your lint trap or filter is clear after every dryer load.
2. Take A Hard Pass When It Comes To Overloading
It may be tempting to overload the clothes dryer thinking that it saves up more energy than another load. However, the more clothes there are in a single load, the harder your dryer works.
This is because your poor dryer needs to generate more heat than usual. Overloading can also affect the dryer’s sensors making it difficult to sense increasing temperatures.
3. Check If The Vent Exhaust Is Clear
Take the time to head outside and inspect your the exhaust. This is essential to prevent the dryer from overheating.
You can tell if air is being blocked if the vent sounds muffled while drying. You should also regularly check for dirt, debris or dried leaves that can obstruct airflow.
4. Clean Behind The Dryer And Inside The Dryer Chassis
This may sound like such a chore but that’s because it is. Even so, it’s completely worth it to get this done. Clear out the lint build up around the inlet vents once in a while.
Use a duster with long handles for this hard to reach the area. You can also take the extra time to clean inside the dryer chassis.
Just make sure that you have the proper equipment to do the job. Another option is to call for regular dryer vent cleaning.
