Topical Fire Research Series Volume 7, Issue 1 / January 2007

continued on next page

Clothes Dryer Fires 

in Residential Buildings

Findings:

Clothes dryer fires account for about 15,600 structure fires, 15 deaths, and 400 injuries annually.

Eighty percent of clothes dryer fires in structures occur in residential buildings.

Annually, 12,700 clothes dryer fires occur in residential buildings resulting in 15 deaths and 300 injuries.

“Failure to clean” is the leading factor contributing to clothes dryer fires in residential buildings.

New home construction trends place clothes dryers and washing machines in more hazardous locations 

away from outside walls such as bedrooms, second-floor hallways, bathrooms, and kitchens.

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For many households and other establishments, the 

clothes dryer is an indispensable convenience and necessity. However, if clothes dryers are not properly installed or 

maintained, critical fires can occur. Using the latest 3 years 

of data, from 2002 to 2004, the yearly national fire loss for 

clothes dryer fires in structures is estimated at $99 million. 

Each year, these losses result from an estimated 15,600 fires 

that required a fire department response. These clothes dryer 

fires cause an annual average of approximately 400 injuries 

and 15 fatalities.1,2,3

Fire Rates Attributed to Clothes Dryers

Dryer fires in nonresidential buildings are far more injurious than those in their residential counterparts. The injury 

rates resulting from nonresidential building dryer fires is 

78% higher than the injury rate for dryer fires in residential 

buildings. Dollar loss per fire, however, is higher (by 23%) 

for residential building dryer fires (Table 1). Nonresidential 

buildings generally can include large occupancy-type buildings such as hospitals, schools, institutions, service areas, or 

stores, where the incidence of even a small fire could affect 

more people. The only deaths reported to the National Fire 

Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), however, occurred in 

residential buildings.

NFIRS data show that 80% of clothes dryer fires in structures occur in residential buildings and resulted in approximately 12,700 fires, 15 deaths, 300 injuries, and $88 

million in property loss each year.4,5 As the residential 

portion of these fires predominates, the primary focus of 

Table 1. Loss Measures for Clothes Dryer 

Fires in Buildings

[All fires, 3-year average (2002-2004)]

Measure All 

Buildings

Nonresidential 

Buildings 

Residential 

Buildings

Loss per fire $8,891 $7,462 $9,176

Injuries per 1000 fires 37.2 58.9 33.0

Deaths per 1000 fires 1.0 0.0 1.2

Source:	 NFIRS 5.0 data only; Loss per fire is computed for only those fires where loss

information was provided.

this analysis will involve fires in residential buildings, which 

include single or multifamily dwellings, mobile homes, 

hotels and motels, dormitory-type residences, barracks, and 

other such occupancies.

The Hows and Whys of a Dryer Fire

A clothes dryer works by forcing hot air through a turning 

drum. Wet clothes placed in the drum are then dried by the 

moving hot air. It is possible for a full load of wet clothes 

to contain as much as one and a half gallons of water.6

 Lint 

is created from the clothes as the water is removed and 

the clothes dry. While much of the lint is trapped by the 

dryer’s filter, lint also is carried through the venting system, 

together with moist air.7 The accumulation of lint, both in 

the dryer and in the dryer vent, reduces the airflow and creates a highly flammable fuel source.8

U.S. Department of Homeland Security • U.S. Fire Administration

National Fire Data Center • Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727

 www.usfa.dhs.gov/statistics/reports/ 
TFRS Volume 7, Issue 1/ Clothes Dryer Fires in Residential Buildings Page 2

In addition to the accumulation of lint, blockage in dryer 

exhaust vents also can occur from the nests of small birds 

and animals or from bends in the venting system itself. A 

compromised vent will not exhaust properly to the outside. 

Overheating may result. If enough heat is produced to ignite 

the lint itself or nearby combustible items, such as the 

clothes in the dryer or combustibles left nearby, the engineered safety mechanisms are compromised and fire ensues.

Where Residential Clothes Dryer Fires Occur

One- and two-family residences account for 81% of residential building dryer fires. Only 13% of dryer fires occur 

in multifamily homes, and even fewer dryer fires occur in 

hotels and motels (4%). The remaining 2% of residential 

properties include boarding and rooming homes, sororities and fraternities, dormitories, barracks, and other 

residences.

According to the NFIRS data, 83% of clothes dryer fires 

occur in a “laundry area.” However, a precise location for the laundry area within the residence is not 

provided. Traditionally, laundry areas were adjacent to 

utility areas, often in a basement or garage. In current 

housing, however, laundry areas can be in the bedroom 

area, kitchen and family room areas, hallways, closets, 

and other areas of convenience for the homeowner. 

Based on the standard NFIRS data, further investigation 

of the actual location in the home of residential building 

dryer fires, therefore, cannot be pursued.

When Residential Clothes Dryer Fires Occur

People typically do laundry at all times of the day and all 

year long. Clothes dryer fires increase in frequency beginning in the early morning and occur fairly regularly between 

the hours of 8 a.m. and midnight. There is a constant peak 

between noon and 5 p.m. and again after the dinner hour 

(Figure 1). Interestingly, as shown in Figure 2, the peak 

month for clothes dryer fires is January. Notably, clothes dryer 

fires show a slight increase during the winter and spring 

months from November until the end of April. The quantity and type of clothing worn in cooler months may be the 

defining factor in the monthly occurrence of dryer fires.

Leading Factors Contributing to 

Residential Building Dryer Fires

Proper maintenance for clothes dryers involves removing 

the lint from the traps, vents, and surrounding areas of 

the dryer. Not unexpectedly, the leading factor contributing to ignition for dryer fires is operation deficiencies 

(Figure 3)—specifically “failure to clean.” Failure to 

clean accounts for 70% of dryer fire operational deficiency contributing factors.

Figure 1. Time of Alarm

Residential Building Clothes Dryer Fires 2002-2004

Source: NFIRS 5.0 data

continued on next page
TFRS Volume 7, Issue 1/ Clothes Dryer Fires in Residential Buildings Page 3

Figure 2. Month of Occurrence

Residential Building Clothes Dryer Fires 2002-2004

Source: NFIRS 5.0 data

Other leading factors contributing to dryer fires include 

“mechanical failure,” “electrical failure,” and “misuse of 

material or product.” A clothes dryer that has to work 

harder to evacuate lint and moisture can trigger enough 

heat to cause some dryer components to malfunction and 

can sometimes produce sparks or even flames. The overheating can sometimes produce enough heat to ignite lint or 

other nearby combustibles.9,10,11

As a good fire safety practice, combustibles such as clothing, 

boxes, and other items should not be placed near or around 

the clothes dryer.12 In addition, synthetic materials are more 

combustible than natural materials—they ignite at lower 

temperatures and burn at much higher temperatures. For 

example, anything made of plastic, rubber or foam should 

not be placed in the drum for drying. 

Items First Ignited and Fire Spread in 

Clothes Dryers

Not unexpectedly, the two leading items first ignited are 

“wearing apparel not on a person” (the clothes in the dryer) 

and “dust, fiber, lint etc.,” which combined account for slightly 

over half (56%) of the fires as shown in Figure 4 on page 4.

Figure 3. Factors Contributing to Ignition

Residential Building Clothes Dryer Fires 2002-2004

continued on next page

Source: NFIRS 5.0 data; includes incidents 

where factors contributing to ignition were specified.
TFRS Volume 7, Issue 1/ Clothes Dryer Fires in Residential Buildings Page 4

Figure 4. Leading Items First Ignited

Residential Building Clothes Dryer Fires, 2002-2004

Source:	 NFIRS 5.0 data; includes incidents where the item first ignited was specified.

continued on next page

Generally, 62% of clothes dryer fires remain confined to 

the object of origin and 27% are confined to the room of 

origin. Less than 4% of fires remain confined to the floor 

of origin. However, the percentage of fires confined to 

the building of origin increases slightly to 7%. The likelihood of dryer fires spreading beyond the building is very 

small—less than 1% of these fires extend beyond the 

building of origin. The average dollar loss per fire confined 

to the object and the room of origin is less than $5,000 as 

show in Table 2.

Clothes Dryer Venting Systems

For optimal venting the exhaust should vent directly outside 

the house.13 New construction trends now situate washers and dryers in nontraditional areas of the house, such 

as upstairs bedrooms, hallways, bathrooms, kitchens, and 

closets. These new sites generally require longer dryer vents 

in order to reach an outside wall. These routes contain 

sharp turns and bends that navigate through the structure 

of the home. Dryer vents cannot be longer than the equivalent of 25 feet (5 feet is added to the actual vent length for 

each 90-degree bend in the vent).14 When lint has to pass 

through an exhaust that is under a floor or through walls 

and is more than 6-feet long, it is almost impossible to

propel all the lint out of the vent.15 As a result, lint can accumulate in pockets along the vent where they are harder to 

reach and clean. Thus, it is crucial for homeowners to also 

regularly inspect and clean out the dryer vent.

All manufacturers now state in their manuals not to use 

plastic flexible dryer ducts between the vent and the clothes 

dryer. However, many homes, as well as some new construction homes, continue to use plastic flexible ducts.16 The plastic 

itself can provide additional fuel for a fire. Even flexible foil 

Table 2. Dollar Loss per Clothes Dryer Fire by Fire Spread 

[Residential Buildings, 3-year average ( 2002-2004)]

Measure

Flame Spread Confined to:

Confined to 

object of origin

Confined to 

room of origin

Confined to 

floor of origin

Confined to 

building of origin

Beyond 

building of origin

Clothes dryer loss per fire $2,420 $4,742 $28,971 $63,822 $65,665

Percent of fires 61.8% 26.5% 3.8% 7.4% .5%

Source: NFIRS 5.0 data only; Loss per fire is computed for only those fires where loss information was provided.
TFRS Volume 7, Issue 1/ Clothes Dryer Fires in Residential Buildings Page 5

vents are not the best choice for venting clothes dryers. 

Flexible vents can sag, allowing lint to build up and catch 

on fire if it comes in contact with a sufficient amount of 

heat. If a fire starts beneath the dryer when the motor overheats, then the drafts from the dryer can pull that fire up 

into the duct and venting allowing a house fire to develop.17

Other extremely serious dryer hazards occur when dryer 

vents do not terminate exhaust at all to the outside. Faulty 

installations can vent dryer exhaust to the attic, crawl space, 

chimney or interior walls, which can cause indoor air deterioration and mold buildup.18 Small birds and animals that 

nest in dryer vents also can obstruct air flow and prevent the 

lint from properly venting to the outside.19

Proper Dryer Maintenance

By observing a few simple indications of poor system performance, one can examine the dryer components for any 

blockage or excessive heat. If you notice heavy clothes such 

as blue jeans or towels taking a long time to dry, or clothes 

feel hotter than usual at the end of the cycle, then a clogged 

dryer vent exhaust is likely the problem.

Disconnect, clean, and inspect the dryer duct and venting 

every couple of years, or hire a professional company to 

clean the dryer components. Some dryer vents may need 

more frequent inspection, such as in homes with complex 

construction where the dryer vents exceed 6 feet from the 

outside, or with smaller stack dryers and dryers that are 

older and do not have moisture sensors or high temperature safety limit controls. This will reduce the fire risk and 

increase the dryer’s efficiency. 

Outside wall dampers should have a covering that will keep 

out rain, snow, and dirt. However, do not use wire screen 

or cloth of any kind to protect the exhaust opening. It can 

collect lint and clog areas of the dryer vent. In order to deter 

birds and small animals from nesting in vents, make sure 

the dryer vent system and damper are working suitably.20

Several recommendations for clothes dryer safety include 

the following:

Never put synthetic materials such as rubber, plastic, 

foam, or pieces of cloth that have been used to sponge up 

flammable liquids in the dryer, even if previously washed.

Clean the lint out of the exhaust pipe and the rear of the 

dryer regularly.

Inspect your lint filter for rips each time you use it. If 

you see any rips, replace immediately.

The exhaust pipe should be as short as possible and 

have limited bends to allow for adequate airflow.

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The American Household Appliance Manufacturers 

Association (AHAM) recommends the use of ULlisted rigid aluminum or steel duct or spiral-wound 

aluminum flex hose, NOT white vinyl hose.

Never let your clothes dryer run while you are out of 

the house or asleep.

Have gas-powered dryers inspected by a professional 

annually to ensure that the gas line and connection are 

intact.

Examples

Clothes dryer fires, small and large, can have devastating 

consequences. Below are four examples of such fires:

On December 12, 2005, a woman suffered severe burns 

after the clothes dryer in her Deerfield Beach, Florida, 

home exploded.21

On November 16, 2006, a clothes dryer caught fire 

and caused $3,000 in damage to a China Grove, North 

Carolina, laundromat.22

On December 13, 2005, a Tuesday morning clothes 

dryer fire in Hialeah, Florida, left a family homeless. 

The family said the fire was caused by lint in the ventilation duct.23

On January 26, 2006, according to a Suffolk, Virginia, 

fire report, a blaze was caused by an obstructed dryervent hose. The fire was contained to the dryer, destroying the appliance and the clothes inside.24

Conclusion

In most cases, clothes dryer fires can be prevented. “Failure 

to clean” is the number one factor contributing to clothes 

dryer fires, followed by mechanical and electrical failure. 

Clogged dryer vents occurring from lint buildup may make 

the dryer operate incorrectly and raise the temperature of 

the dryer machinery high enough to ignite lint or nearby 

combustibles. The exhaust vent should be as short as possible and have limited bends to allow sufficient airflow. 

Improper items placed in the dryer, such as plastic, foam, 

or other synthetic materials also can increase the risk of fire. 

Make sure to follow the recommended safety tips for operating clothes dryers safely.

In particular, by following installation guidelines and 

performing regular inspections on dryer vents, consumers can protect themselves further from clothes dryer fires. 

Depending on the frequency of use, how long the vent is, 

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TFRS Volume 7, Issue 1/ Clothes Dryer Fires in Residential Buildings Page 6

or the age and type of dryer used, dryer vents need inspection on average every 2 to 3 years. 25

If you do not feel comfortable cleaning or inspecting the 

dryer vent yourself, you can call a duct cleaning service. 

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), a nonprofit 

educational organization, also provides information on 

clothes dryer fires and can provide a list of CSIA-certified 

dryer exhaust duct technicians. 

To request additional information or comment on this report, visit http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/applications/feedback/

A substantial proportion of clothes dryer fires are small and 

confined to the object and room of origin. The dollar loss 

generally relates to the damage to the clothes dryer itself 

and the clothes inside. However, the rate of injury indicates 

that these fires require attention, highlighting the need for 

residences to keep fire extinguishers and working smoke 

alarms near the clothes dryer. More information about how 

you can help prevent clothes dryer fires can be obtained 

from your local fire department or the USFA.

Notes: 

1NFIRS 5.0 contains both converted NFIRS 4.1 data and native 

NFIRS 5.0 data. This topical report includes only native 5.0 data. 

Incident type 110 (structure fire, other) is not included in this 

analysis as it is a “conversion only” code. That is, incident type 

110 is technically a version 4.1 incident and, as such, is not 

included in this analysis.

2National structure fire and residential building fire estimates are 

based on 2002-2004 native version 5.0 data from the National 

Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and national structure 

and residential structure fire loss estimates from the National Fire 

Protection Association’s (NFPA) annual survey of fire loss. Only 

fires where the equipment involved was specified are used as the 

basis for the NFIRS dryer fire sample. Fires are rounded to the 

nearest 100, deaths to the nearest 5, injuries to the nearest 25, and 

loss to nearest $million.

3NFIRS has two equipment codes that are applicable to dryers: 

code 811 (clothes dryer) and 814 (washer/dryer combination in 

one frame). This analysis is based on equipment that is exclusively 

clothes dryers, equipment code 811.

4 In NFIRS 5.0, a structure is a constructed item of which a building is one type. The term “residential structure” commonly refers to 

buildings where people live. The definition of a residential structure 

fire has therefore changed to include only those fires where the 

NFIRS 5.0 structure type is 1 or 2 (enclosed building and fixed 

portable or mobile structure) with a residential property use. Such 

fires are referred to as “residential buildings” to distinguish these 

buildings from other structures on residential properties that may 

include fences, sheds, and other nonhabitable structures. In addition, incidents that have a residential property use, but do not have 

a structure type specified are presumed to be buildings.

5 Incident type 110 (structure fire, other) is not included in this 

analysis as it is a “conversion only” code. That is, incident type 

110 is technically a version 4.1 incident and, as such, is not 

included in this analysis.

6Al’s Home Improvement Center, “Venting Clothes Dryers,” 

http://www.alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/dryervent.html

7 ibid.

8

The Laundry Alternative, “Clothes Dryer Fire Prevention,” www.

laundry-alternative.com/clothes_dryer_fire.htm

9NBC6.net, “Woman Severely Burned When Clothes Dryer 

Explodes,” December 12, 2005, http://www.nbc6.net/

news/5520232/detail.html

10Al’s Home Improvement Center, op. cit.

11Wiranews.com, “Are Your Clothes Slow to Dry? Safety 

Tips for Clothes Dryers,” http://www.wiranews.

com/content/view/260/27/

12City of Reno, “Leaving Residence With Appliances Operating is 

Like Playing Russian Roulette with Fire,” http://www.cityofreno.

com/gov/news/?newsid=17277

13 Builder’s Best, “Do I Have to Vent My Dryer to the Outside?” 

www.buildersbest.com/indoor.htm

14Colonial Plumbing & Heating, “Dryer Fire Fact Sheet,” http://

www.colonialplumbing.com/webapp/GetPage?pid=113

15WHNT-TV, Huntsville, AL, “Could Your Dryer Catch on Fire?” 

February 28, 2005, http://www.whnt.com/Global/story.

asp?S=3014579&nav=1VPtWxLv

16Al’s Home Improvement Center, op. cit.

17Colonial Plumbing & Heating, op. cit.

18 Builder’s Best, op. cit. 

19Wiranews.com, op. cit.

20Al’s Home Improvement Center, op. cit.

21NBC6.net, op. cit.

22 Salisbury Post, “Clothes Dryer Catches on Fire in China Grove 

Laundromat,” November 16, 2006 http://www.salisburypost.

com/area/300138938970475.php

23NBC6.net, “Family Left Homeless After Clothes Dryer Fire,” 

December 13, 2005, http://www.nbc6.net/news/5528137/

detail.html

24 Suffolk News, “Firefighter at the Right Place at the Right Time,” 

January 26, 2006, http://www.suffolknewsherald.com/articles/2006/01/27/news/news1.txt

25Colonial Plumbing & Heating, op. cit.