DALLAS, TX, March 14, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- You could be heating up more than clothes in your laundry room. According to the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are an estimated 15,500 dryer fires annually, resulting in nearly $100 million in damage. The most frequent causes of these fires are improper ventilation and/or poor maintenance, which allow lint to accumulate. When lint covers heaters, switches and motors in the dryer, fires can result. Tips According to the National Fire Protection Association, there are some
things you can do to help prevent dryer fires:

- Avoid leaving the dryer running when way from your home
- Clean the lint trap after every use.
- Don't dry oily rags in your dryer
- Don't operate the dryer without a lint filter
- Ensure that the dryer is plugged into an outlet suitable for its electrical needs.
- Keep the dryer area free of combustibles such as clothing and boxes.

Adequate ventilation is key to not only the safety but the performance of your dryer as well. The dryer duct should vent directly outdoors, not into an attic, crawl space or indoors. Ducts should be kept free of lint and combustible debris to prevent a fire from spreading outside of the dryer. Use only metal dryer ducts. Plastic duct scan collapse, causing blockage and lint buildup within the dryer. Plastic ducts may ignite or melt, and will not contain a fire within the dryer. Follow the manufacturer's suggestions on the length of ducting you should use, since appliances are tested and certified according to certain specifications. Make sure to consult your owner's manual for more information.

Hot spots

While there are no sure signs that your dryer may catch fire, the following are some possible warning signs of trouble:

- Clothes, especially towels or jeans take a long time to dry
- Clothes are hotter than usual at the end of the cycle.
- The flapper on the vent hood won't open when the dryer is on.

Consider having a professional disassemble your dryer to clean the lint and debris covering the heaters, switches and motors in your dryer and help prevent fires from occurring. Continue to check http://www.DallasPremierInsurance.com for more tips on preventing house fires and ways to save on homeowners insurance in Dallas, Allen, Plano and Richardson Texas.

http://www.dallaspremierinsurance.com

How To Use A Fire Extinguisher

By Jim Staller
Millions of people everyday rely on fire extinguishers to put out minor fires which start in the home. Fire extinguishers contain a powder which is known to instantly put out a fire and prevent it from spreading any further. In 2004, fire extinguishers saved over 25 lives in the United States and prevented over 1,500 injuries. Fire departments all over the world encourage home owners to have at least one fire extinguisher in the home at all times. That said, studies show that approximately 80% of homeowners do have at least one in their home, but the question is do they know how to use it?

Sure it's great to know there's a fire extinguisher close by if you ever need one, but what most people don't understand is if you don't know how to use these devices, they are practically useless. Everyone should know how to use a fire extinguisher and if you are one of the many who don't, the follow steps will provide you with everything you need to know.

The easiest way to learn how to use a fire extinguisher is to memorize the acronym P.A.S.S. and memorize the meaning of each letter. The following list will provide you with the meanings of each letter:

P – The first letter to remember is "P". This indicates to the user to pull the pin. Pulling the pin is the first step in the process and is crucial to the successful execution of fire extinguishers.

A – The "A" stands for Aim. This tells the user to aim the fire extinguisher nozzle towards the base of the flames.

S – The first "S" stands for Squeeze. This advises the user to squeeze the trigger while maintaining the extinguisher in an upright position.

S – The last "S" stands for Sweep. The user will then sweep the extinguisher from side to side making sure to cover the area of the fire completely.

Remembering the word PASS can save the life of you or someone you love.

Having a fire extinguisher in your home is a great idea however the location of your extinguisher is a determining factor in whether or not it will be useful. You will want to keep your fire extinguisher in areas which are most likely to produce fires such as kitchens, near fireplaces, garages or areas with a number of candles (perhaps a bedroom).

Do not keep your fire extinguisher near your stove. Stoves are a prime target for fires and should a fire break out near your stove, you will want to be able to access your extinguisher. You may also want to keep your extinguisher near an exit so you can leave it the fire becomes too large.

Fire and Smoke Damage

Fire causes considerable damage in the place where it occurs. The fire and smoke damage caused to the place needs to be taken immediate and proper action. Except the things that are completely ruined by fire and smoke damage, other things like carpets, draperies, upholstered furniture; clothing can be refurbished after a fire. 

Fire and smoke damage is generally of two types. One can be visible soot and the other one may be invisible odor. One set of removing soot and odor cannot be prepared as cause of each fire may be of different type. A homeowner who is inexperienced should not take the risk of cleaning fire and smoke damage.

Sometimes a small fire and smoke damage can be very costly. So, it is advisable to contact your insurance agent for the suggestion and advice. They only will suggest you properly for preventing any further damage, which items can be reused for presentation and they only will suggest the cost of fire and smoke damage repair.

While cleaning the fire and smoke damage, there are certain points, which should be taken care. Until you know the proper procedure, do not try to start cleaning the damage as it may cause additional damage also. Do not clean the carpets or draperies or other household items as its cleaning action may smear the soot into the fabric. Try to prevent the mold and mildew to grow by drying out all the wet carpets, clothing etc. To prevent rust stains in furniture legs, place aluminum foils between furniture legs and the wet carpeting. For cleaning the fire and smoke damage, contact a professional fire restorer. Before contracting with them, inquire about their experience and if possible try to meet the persons whom they have provided their services. Sometimes hiring the professional restorer can be costly whereas the repair of fire and smoke damage can be done through appropriate equipments and chemicals.

Good housekeeping helps lessen odds of a house fire

By Kim Ode Star Tribune
Several of January's 11 fatal fire deaths in Minnesota remain under investigation. But Daniel Bernardy, who coordinates public education, said firefighters are worried because people seem not to be taking the dangers of fire seriously enough.
Maybe it's our inattention to a smoke detector that's out of date, has dead batteries, or is poorly placed.
Maybe it's rank carelessness, such as smoking while drowsy, leaving kids alone with the temptation of a burning candle, or failing to keep an eye on a fireplace or wood stove. Those are the causes that most of us believe we're on top of. But Bernardy raised another issue that he said is common to many house fires: storing boxes of household stuff in places where they essentially provide tinder -- what he called a fire load -- if something should go wrong.
"Good housekeeping practices are so important," Bernardy said. "So many people have things piled in homes where they shouldn't be. Boxes in hallways, in mechanical rooms where they're out of sight, out of mind, or piled in places where they just shouldn't be." He's a big fan of moving household clutter into storage sheds, or at least to the garage, but said that safety can be increased simply by wise housekeeping.
The website for the state department of public safety (www.fire.state.mn.us) lists steps people can take, from keeping dryer vents clear of lint to not using stove tops as extra counter space. If you do store boxes in the home, make sure they're at least three feet away from any source of potential fire, such as a water heater, furnace or washer/dryer. Nor should boxes be stacked in places where you could stumble over them in the panic of a fire.
"Personal responsibility has become our theme song around here," Bernardy said. "The fire service is willing to help in any way, but we need to know who needs help. We need to hear the phone ring before we hear the alarm ring."
Bernardy said municipal fire departments can supply smoke detectors or fresh batteries to homeowners who can't afford them, through supplies provided by the state at a reduced cost. "If people would call their local fire departments, I know they would see they had a smoke alarm by the time they went to bed."