Investigating Residential Dryer Fires

In-depth instruction from Fire Findings’ experts, who have examined more than 1,000 dryers and conducted extensive testing. DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK, THE 2020 SESSION HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

Upcoming Dates

Tuition is $595 per person.

Register early! This class is limited to the first 48 students.

Held on site at the Fire Findings laboratory testing facility - 2026 Plaza Drive, Benton Harbor, Michigan.

40 minutes from South Bend (Ind.) or Kalamazoo (Mich.) airports and 2 hours from Chicago airports.

St. Joseph/Benton Harbor is located along the southern shores of Lake Michigan - a gorgeous area to visit.

Course Background

“Investigating Residential Dryer Fires,” is a highly focused educational experience revolving around the know-how of dryer fire experts, background information obtained from Fire Findings’ extensive testing, interviews conducted and examinations of more than 1,000 dryers. Participants will also share their considerable experience with one another.

Dryer fires are all-too-common events and lint doesn’t cause all of them. Fire Findings created this two-day, very specialized class to share knowledge that can help others pinpoint the many causes of dryer fires.

You’ll see a lot of dryers in a lab setting where you can thoroughly explore their potential for fire causation. We hope the knowledge you gain will be the equivalent to many burned dryer exams.

Your $595 tuition to the dryer fires’ class also includes handouts and worksheets. Optional test credits toward CFI certification are also available, along with continuing education credits.

Gain useful information about these topics at the ‘Investigating Residential Dryer Fires’ class:

• Identifying a dryer manufacturer after the appliance is completely burned
• Lint, its makeup, source and role
• “It’s a lint fire.” Is there subrogation? And what else, besides lint, can cause dryer fires?
• Which manufacturers make what brands
• Where various components are located on different manufacturers’ dryers
• How those components work, how they can fail and what happens then
• The importance of user interviews – what to ask
• Why the last load’s composition can be important
• High resistance connections and glowing connections
• Electrical arcing in a dryer
• The role of plastics in dryer fires
• Dryer sheets and their effect on dryer operations
• The effects of load contamination
• Spontaneous combustion issues
• Installation issues
• Dryer instructions and warnings, including some inadequate ones
• Dryer cycles, gas-burner safety features, air movement through a dryer and more.

In addition, you’ll:

• Learn the differences and similarities between gas and electric dryers, the relationship of components and the importance of the timer, limits, thermostats and centrifugal switches.
• Watch several dryers burn and see numerous dryers disassembled to examine the differences.
• Explore the numerous ways a dryer can have a fire. We’ll look at many dryer fire cases, their determinations and what makes them useful for studies.
• Learn more about venting: Do fires occur in vents? What does a blocked vent really do? What are venting requirements? And, what decreases vent efficiency and may lead to fires?
• Take home useful information about interviewing dryer users, dryer fire-scene checklists, a manufacturer identification guide and dryer exam checklists.

About Your Instructors

Fire Findings’ founder, Jack L. Sanderson, is an appliance failures’ expert and certified fire investigator (CFI). He’ll address the differences in various manufacturers’ residential dryers, how they can lead to different types of fires and why some appliances are more fire-prone than others. He’ll also discuss airflow dynamics and techniques for examining dryers.

Fire Findings’ electrical expert, Nathan P. Dwyer, PE, CFI, specializes in electrical fire investigation and fire-involved appliance analysis. He has been a speaker at various IAAI conferences and is an excellent presenter who makes difficult subjects understandable. He’ll explain potential dryer failures that can lead to fires.

Jack and Nathan will discuss straightforward explanations of potential failure modes of dryers, what to look for after a fire and potential questions to ask dryer users. They will incorporate many physical examples into their presentations and conduct live, in-the-classroom demonstrations, as well.

More Information

While you're visiting along the Lake Michigan shoreline...
The Southwestern Michigan Tourist Council has a visitor information packet just for Fire Findings’ seminar participants. To get yours,
call (269) 925-6301.

We recommend Comfort Suites, of Stevensville, Michigan, for your hotel accommodations.
Comfort Suites is about 10 minutes from the lab and your stay includes a free hot breakfast, wireless internet, microwave ovens and refrigerators in every room, fitness center and indoor pool.

For $84 per night, choose from queen or king suites (excludes tax).

To reserve this special rate online, we'll email you a link with your seminar registration confirmation, or call Comfort Suites directly at (269) 428-4888. Mention you're with Fire Findings.

Comfort Suites is located at 2633 W. Marquette Woods Road, Stevensville, Michigan.

Hotel reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis at this special rate. Don't wait too long to make your reservation after you've been confirmed for the seminar session of your choice.

IMPORTANT: Check conference availability before making your hotel, automobile or flight reservations. Please call us at 269-925-2200 during regular business hours to confirm seminar openings.

Have we answered all your questions?
If not ...
Call Fire Findings: 269-925-2200
E-mail us: info@firefindings.com