Washers and Dryers: Common Causes of Insurance Losses
Dryer Fires
FEMA reports that there are 12,700 clothes dryer fires in residential buildings
every year. This leads to an average 15 deaths and 300 injuries and averages
over $9,000 in damages. The number one cause of the fires? Failure to clean.
Most everyone knows to clean the lint trap in their lint filter each time
you use your dryer, but when was the last time you cleaned/inspected the
exhaust pipe? Poor ventilation caused by a build up in the Save &
Approve makes the dryer run hotter longer. This can cause the lint to ignite.
Tips to Prevent Dryer Fires:
-
Replace plastic flexible ducts with metal ones.
- Flexible plastic vents not only tend to sag and collect more lint, but can provide additional fuel in the event of a fire.
- Replace any lint filter with rips immediately.
- Limit the number of bends and distance of any exhaust pipe.
- Keeping the exhaust clean not only lowers the risk of fire, but reduces wear & tear on your machine and improves drying times.
More Information Available: https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/tfrs/v7i1.pdf
Burst Hose on Washer
One of the most common causes of loss for the typical homeowner is also one of the easiest to prevent. Washing machine hoses remain pressurized at around 70 pounds. It is not a matter of if the hose is going to break, but when is it going to break.
A broken hose can discharge up to 650 gallons of water per hour into your
house. This causes millions of dollars of damage a year. We recommend
replacing your washing machine inlet hoses with
"no-burst" stainless steel mesh hoses. You can purchase these at the local hardware store. These hoses will
reduce the chance of a loss in the future. You can also turn off the water
after each use to further reduce your risk.
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