Georgia Dryer Vent Safety: Lint, Outdoor Vents, and Overnight Loads

Why Georgia fire officials talk about dryers

In November 2023, Georgia's Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner reported that investigators determined the cause of a deadly Elbert County house fire to be a dryer that was operating overnight, and classified the fire as accidental. The office used the investigation to remind Georgians of two simple habits: turn off the dryer when leaving home or going to bed, and clean the lint trap before each load.

Source: Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner — Elbert County Home Fire Results in Three Fatalities (Nov. 14, 2023)

Everyday habits that reduce risk

The U.S. Fire Administration's dryer safety guidance lines up with Georgia's advice and adds a few more steps you can take yourself.

• Don't use the dryer without a lint filter, and clean the filter before and after each cycle.
• Clean the back of the dryer, where lint can build up.
• Turn the dryer off when you leave home or go to bed.
• Have the dryer installed and serviced by a professional.

Sources: U.S. Fire Administration — Clothes Dryer Fire Safety (flyer); Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner — Elbert County Home Fire Results in Three Fatalities (Nov. 14, 2023)

Check the outside end of the vent

UGA Cooperative Extension's home checklist asks homeowners to make sure the dryer vents to the outside of the house and that the outside vent isn't blocked or filled with debris. The U.S. Fire Administration adds that the outdoor vent covering should open when the dryer is running, and that the venting behind the dryer shouldn't be damaged, crushed, or restricted.

NOAA notes that the remnants of tropical systems can bring heavy rain and strong winds to Georgia, so a look at the outdoor hood after a storm is a sensible habit.

Sources: UGA Cooperative Extension — Mold and Moisture Home Inspection Checklist (Circular 1083); U.S. Fire Administration — Clothes Dryer Fire Safety (flyer); NOAA NCEI — State Climate Summaries 2022: Georgia

When professional vent cleaning makes sense

Lint that collects inside the vent run is harder to deal with than the lint screen. The U.S. Fire Administration reports that failure to clean was the leading factor contributing to ignition in home clothes dryer fires from 2018 to 2020, at 31 percent. Long, concealed, or roof-terminated vents are the hardest to check yourself.

A professional cleaning clears lint and debris from the vent path listed in the estimate. It addresses a known risk factor, but no cleaning can guarantee against every dryer fire, and dryer vent cleaning doesn't include gas line, electrical, or appliance repair — those need a qualified technician.

Source: U.S. Fire Administration — Appliance and Electrical Fire Safety