Introducing the Dryer Fire Prevention System.
After ranges, clothes dryers cause about 15,000 home fires a year! The staggering monetary costs are exceeded only by the irreplaceable loss of pets, property and
the disruption and sometimes loss, of lives!
Fires are NOT the only hazard dryers pose.
The lint, moist air and fumes from dryers have been proven to be the cause of serious health problems.
Structural damages have occurred when lint clogged pipes trap moisture, which rusts through the pipe and rots nearby wood. We've seen rotted roofs, studs and floor plates, and drywall!
Manufacturers, safety and government organizations have developed strict exhaust requirements and publicized them in warnings, installation instructions and building codes. What is the nature of these safety requirements?
Duct Route & Length; Clearance at Terminal; Damper; Cleanout Station; Screens and
Transition Vents.
Here is what we have done.
Our patented DFP (dryer fire prevention) System is the only product/method that meets all dryer exhaust safety requirements! The DFP System decreases fire risk and increases dryer efficiency, reducing the use of utilities, which saves money and helps the ecology.
The DFP System is designed to maintain its integrity, avoiding costly repairs in the future.The Inport makes it easy to use "semi-rigid" pipe, as all manufacturers mandate. Rated to withstand windspeeds of 140+ MPH, the DFP R12 roof hood can be removed and reinstalled when the roof is replaced.
The Dryer Fire Prevention System is easy to install. Designed for homes exhausting the dryer through the roof, many of its advantages can be gained in other layouts. All that is needed to install a DFP System is a "Laundry Wall" behind the dryer.
COMPARE DRYER FIRE PREVENTION SYSTEM TO OTHER PRODUCTS AND METHODS
A. The Standards:
1. Florida Building Code (FBC), Mechanical, Sect. 504.1 states "Dryers shall be exhausted in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions." As it is probable that the original dryer, whatever brand, will eventually be replaced, it is prudent to design by and build to the highest safety standards known. The homeowner would then have a full range of options, not be locked in to just one model at replacement time.
2. Summary of applicable instructions from GE, Maytag and Whirlpool. These instructions are from their web sitesas of 3/29/09.
Cleanout: All vertical risers shall be provided with a means for cleanout. Cleaning should be done by a "qualified person" no less than every other year, or more often depending on manufacturer and usage.
Damper: The vent hood must have a swing out damper to prevent backdraft.
Outflow: There must be a minimum of 12 inches of unobstructed outflow.
Route: Provide for the straightest, most direct path outdoors.
Wildlife: Hoods should prevent rodents, insects, birds and other wildlife from entering the home.
Screens: Screens shall not be installed at the duct termination.
Venting: Metal rigid or semi-rigid pipe. No plastic, vinyl or "foil".
3. Additional Standards required by FBC 504.4 and 504.6.2.
Airflow: "The insert end of the duct at overlapped duct joints shall extend in the direction of airflow."
Connections: "Ducts shall not be connected or installed with sheet metal screws or other fasteners that will obstruct the exhaust flow."
Length: "Developed Duct" limited to 35', minus 2.5' for each 45 degree, five feet for each 90 degree turn.
Support: "The entire exhaust system shall be supported at four foot intervals and secured in place."