THE Fire and Rescue Service has issued safety advice after being called out to an overheating tumble dryer.
They attended a home in Farmhill in Douglas yesterday (Saturday) at 11.45am.
On arrival crews found that the occupants had managed to isolate the power and the damage was confined to the electrical plug socket. No injuries were reported.
The fire service said the following are indications of poor ventilation in a tumble dryer.
• Clothes feel hotter than usual at the end of the cycle
• Clothing taking a very long time to dry
• The flapper on the vent hood remains closed when the dryer is on
They have also offered the following safety advice:
• Familiarise yourself with manufacturers
• Do not leave your tumble dryer running during the night or when your property is unoccupied
• Clean lint/fluff from the trap or filter after use
• Do not cover the vent or any opening
• Ensure that only recommended vent pipes are used, do not improvise with plastic or foil
• Ensure the vent pipe is free of kinks and not crushed
• Vent the warm air to the outside of the building
• Only qualified people should examine or carry out repairs or maintenance as required in the user's manual
A fire service spokesman added: "Make sure you have a working smoke alarm within your property and test it once a week.
"Practice your escape plan with everyone that lives in your house, and know what to do in the event of a fire.
"If you would like a free home safety visit then please ring 647303."
