I was not aware of the very real threat of a dryer fire until recently.
They are more common than I realized.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, an average of nearly sixteen thousand fires are caused by dryers and washing machines every year. Dryer fires cause hundreds of injuries and more than one hundred million dollars in property losses annually. They are responsible for approximately fifteen yearly deaths per year. Although I was conscientious about cleaning the lint trap of my dryer, I paid no attention to the vent. The pipe that leads from the appliance to the outside can accumulate a significant amount of lint. Lint is highly flammable. It takes very little to catch on fire. I had noticed that the clothes were taking much longer to dry. They were also coming out of the dryer especially hot. These are warning signs that the dryer is not venting properly. I should have scheduled a professional cleaning. Because I ignored the warning signs, there was a fire that resulted in extensive damage to my home. Fortunately, none of my family members were injured. The fire occurred when no one was at home and was allowed to spread. Along with the fire itself, the efforts of the firemen caused significant damage. The house was no longer safe to live in. There was no possibility of it passing safety codes, and there were issues with my homeowners insurance. I looked into repairs but the cost was extremely high. I needed cash in hand to relocate my family as quickly as possible. I found a Jacksonville cash buyer who was wonderful to work with. I filled out a very straightforward online contact form and received an offer. There was no obligation. Once I agreed to the offer, the steps of the closing were completed in under fourteen days.
