Until a few years ago, I didn’t realize that dryer fires are quite common.
- There are over fourteen thousand dryer fires every year in this country.
Lint from clothing and bedding collect in the dryer and vent, restricting airflow and causing the appliance to overheat. If there is improperly installed or malfunction venting, it increases the chance of a fire. Lint is extremely flammable. Although I was very conscientious about cleaning the lint trap prior to every load, I failed to hire professional vent cleaning. It is recommended to have the vent thoroughly cleaned and inspected annually. There are five of us in the household. My three children are all involved in sports. We create a lot of laundry. The dryer runs just about non stop. Unfortunately, the lint build-up inside the vent caught fire when no one was at home. While we are fortunate that no one was hurt, there was also nobody around to notice and call the fire department. By the time the fire was reported, it had spread throughout the downstairs of the home. The damage was extensive. There was little to salvage. My homeowners insurance was not helpful. We couldn’t list the home with a real estate agent because it would never pass inspection. The only way to sell was to find a buyer who could pay cash for the full amount. I was relieved to discover that there are quite a few cash homebuyers operating in the Jacksonville area. A family-owned company caught my attention because they make cash offers the same day and with no obligation. Filling out their online form led to a cash offer that was fair. We weren’t asked to make repairs. We weren’t expected to deal with an inspection. There was no appraisal. We agreed to the cash offer and scheduled the closing for ten days later.