FIRST ALERT WEATHER: How to prevent dryer fires this winter

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) -Dryer fires tend to rise during the winter months as thicker clothing and blankets are washed and dried more frequently. Fire prevention starts with one simple habit: clean your lint screen every time you wash and dry clothes.

Jeffrey Styles, a field supervisor at Air Services Heating and Cooling and Springfield Homeowner, says he cleans his dryer hoses regularly at home and makes dryer maintenance a priority. “I do it at my home every year, sometimes twice a year, just because I like to be safe,” said Jeffrey Styles, field supervisor at Air Services Heating and Cooling.

The most common cause of dryer fires is lint buildup. Trapped lint creates a highly combustible environment because of the heat from the dryer’s element, and a fire can spread rapidly.

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