Homes across the UK could be playing host to tumble dryers full of fire-risk lint, as figures reveal millions of us never clean the lint filter of our tumble dryers.
A survey of more than 4,500 adults across the UK found 1 in 20 (5%) admit to never cleaning the lint filter on their tumble dryer, the equivalent of more than 2 million people across the UK.
Brits are being urged to add their tumble dryer to their spring-cleaning list and clean their lint, after new financial figures also reveal the costly impact a tumble dryer fire can have.
New figures supplied from Admiral Home Insurance found that the average insurance claim for a tumble dryer fire over the last three years was an eyewatering £25,000.
Tumble dryers account for a large number of appliance fires across the country. In the last five years, fire services across England have attended over 3,200 tumble dryer fires – almost two a day.
“One of the easiest ways to reduce the risk of a tumble dryer fire is to clean your lint filter after every use,” says Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First. “Forgetting to clean your lint filter isn’t just potentially costly, it could put you and your home at risk. Lint is very flammable, and an excessive build-up could cause a fire that not only causes severe damage to your home but also puts you and your family’s life at risk.”
Research commissioned by the charity found that tumble dryer owners are increasing their risk of fire in several ways from not cleaning their lint filters to using extension leads to power their tumble dryers.
Whilst many Brits admit to never cleaning their tumble dryer filter 1 in 12 (8%) only do this fire reducing task once a year or less leaving them at risk of a build-up of lint, which can ignite and start a devastating fire when heated up during a cycle.
Powering tumble dryers by extension leads proved popular, as almost 40% of UK tumble dryer owners admitted to using them. Extension leads can be overloaded if too many high-power appliances, such as tumble dryers, are connected, begin to overheat, and result in a fire. Electrical Safety First is urging households to plug their tumble dryers directly into a wall socket.
One-in-seven (14%) of respondents admitted to using their dryers overnight whilst they slept, meaning their response time in the event a fire occurs could be greatly reduced. Worryingly, almost one-in-ten (10%) admitted to not having working smoke alarms in their properties, leaving them without an early warning system should a fire take place – especially at night.
Giuseppe Capanna added: “Get into the habit of cleaning your lint filter after every use to prevent a build-up of lint and fluff, avoid powering them by extension leads which can be overloaded and, where practically possible, avoid leaving it on whilst out of the house, especially overnight.”
The charity also urged households to ensure they have working smoke alarms on every floor in the home.
Claire Charlton, Head of Household Claims at Admiral, said: “A fire that starts in a tumble dryer can be devastating. If the fire spreads, it can result in thousands of pounds of damage. Nobody wants to see their home ruined by a fire, so taking some time to ensure you clean your lint filter regularly can prevent heartbreak further down the line.”
