Clothes Dryer Maintenance

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Survey 03 - Clothes Dryer Maintenance
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Thank you for choosing to participate in this survey, which will ask you about your
experiences with clothes dryers. This survey should take less than 15 minutes. If
you have any comments concerning the accuracy of this time estimate or have any
suggestions for reducing it, please send them to us at [email protected]. To avoid
influencing other people's responses, please do not discuss this survey or disclose
the contents of the survey to anyone until after [INSERT CLOSING DATE].
All questions marked with an asterisk (*) are required. To navigate through the
survey, please use the buttons provided on the survey pages. Do not use your
browser's Back and Forward buttons. Clicking CANCEL will close the survey, but you
can log back into the Forum anytime before [INSERT CLOSING DATE] to complete
it.
To begin, please click NEXT.

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1. Most clothes dryers use a rotating drum to tumble the clothes while hot air is blown
through them. Do you own or regularly use a tumbler-type clothes dryer to dry
clothes?*
Yes
No

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2. Most clothes dryers use either electric or gas-fueled heaters to heat the air in the
dryer, but there are other types. What type of clothes dryer do you own or
regularly use?
Choose one.

Electric
Natural Gas
LP (Propane)
I don't know
Other, please specify

3. How old is the clothes dryer?

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Less than 5 years old
5 to 10 years old
11 to 15 years old
More than 15 years old
I don't know

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The drawing below shows an example of how a clothes dryer might be vented to
the outside using a dryer duct. In this example, a dryer duct exits the back of the
dryer and passes through an exterior wall to the outside. The dryer duct might
have several bends, or elbows, before passing through the wall.

4. Is your dryer vented to the outside?*
Yes
No
I don't know

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5. Is your dryer connected to an indoor lint trap, indoor dryer vent, or similar linttrapping device intended to filter lint from the dryer exhaust before it enters the
house?
Yes
No
I don't know

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6. What type of ducting or venting material is connected to the dryer?
Check all that apply.

Rigid Metal
Flexible Metal
Flexible Accordian-Type Foil
Flexible Accordian-Type White Plastic
I don't know
Other, please specify

7. Approximately how long, in feet, is the dryer duct that runs from the clothes dryer
to the wall?
The value must be greater than or equal to 0.

8. Approximately how many elbows, or bends, are in your dryer duct before it passes
through the exterior wall?
The value must be greater than or equal to 0.

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9. Have you ever had an operating problem with your clothes dryer?*
Yes
No

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I don't know

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10. Please list the problem(s) you have had with the clothes dryer.

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11. On average, how many loads of laundry do you dry in your clothes dryer each
week?
Less than 3 loads a week
3 to 6 loads a week
7 to 10 loads a week
11 to 15 loads a week
More than 15 loads a week
12. Have you ever cleaned the lint filter in your clothes dryer?*
Yes
No

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13. On average, how often do you clean your lint filter?
At every load
Once every 2 to 6 loads
Once every 7 to 10 loads
Once every 11 to 15 loads

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Once every 16 or more loads

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14. Do you think there are any benefits to cleaning the lint filter?*
Yes
No
I don't know

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15. What are the benefits of cleaning the lint filter? In other words, why do you think
the lint filter should be cleaned?

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16. Have you ever removed the lint filter and cleaned the area below using a brush,
vacuum cleaner, or similar tool?*
Yes
No
I don't know

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17. About how long ago was the last time you cleaned the area under the lint filter?

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18. Have you or anyone else ever cleaned the space inside your dryer cabinet between
the rotating drum and the inside surface of the dryer cabinet? This area is not
visible when you open the dryer door.*
Yes
No
I don't know

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19. About how long ago was the last time you cleaned, or had someone else clean, the
space inside your dryer cabinet?

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20. Do you think there would be any benefits to cleaning the inside of the dryer
cabinet?*
Yes
No
I don't know

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21. What are the benefits of cleaning the inside of the dryer cabinet?

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22. Have you or someone else ever cleaned the inside of the dryer duct along its full
length?*
Yes
No
I don't know

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23. About how long ago was the last time you had the dryer duct cleaned?

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24. Do you think there would be any benefits to cleaning the dryer duct?*
Yes
No
I don't know

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25. What are the benefits of cleaning the dryer duct?

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26. Have you or someone else ever checked the exhaust exit, outside, for blockages?*
Yes
No
I don't know

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27. About how long ago was the last time you checked the exhaust exit for blockages?

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28. Have you ever experienced a fire that was later determined to be related to a
clothes dryer?*
Yes
No

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29. Was a specific part or location on the clothes dryer identified as the source of the
fire?*
Yes, a specific part or location on the dryer was identified.
No. The dryer was involved, but no specific parts or locations were identified.
I don't remember

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30. What was the specific part or location on the clothes dryer that was identified as
the source of the fire?
Control panel
Lint trap
Timer
Thermostat
Motor
Dryer duct/vent
Electrical system
Electrical plug or cord
Heater coil
Rotating drum
Other, please specify

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31. Was lint specifically identified as the first item that caught fire?
Yes
No
I don't remember

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Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. The following are some
recommendations to help dry your clothing efficiently and prevent dryer fires:
• Clean the lint screen/filter before or after drying each load of clothes. If clothing
is still damp at the end of a typical drying cycle or drying requires longer times than
normal, this may be a sign that the lint screen or the exhaust duct is blocked.
• Clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct periodically. Check the outside dryer vent
while the dryer is operating to make sure exhaust air is escaping. If it is not, the
vent or the exhaust duct may be blocked. To remove a blockage in the exhaust
path, it may be necessary to disconnect the exhaust duct from the dryer.
Remember to reconnect the ducting to the dryer and outside vent before using the
dryer again.
• Clean behind the dryer, where lint can build up. Have a qualified service person
periodically clean the interior of the dryer cabinet, between the rotating drum and
the exterior surface of the dryer, to minimize the amount of lint accumulation. Keep
the area around the dryer clean and free of clutter.
• Replace plastic or foil, accordion-type ducting material with rigid or corrugated
semi-rigid metal duct. Most manufacturers specify the use of a rigid or corrugated
semi-rigid metal duct, which provides maximum airflow. The flexible plastic or foil
type duct can more easily trap lint and is more susceptible to kinks or crushing,
which can greatly reduce the airflow.
To end this survey, please click on DONE.

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Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. To end the survey, please
click on DONE.

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8/13/2009