How we verify every figure
Every page on this site goes through three checks before it is published: the writer reads each figure on its primary source; a script downloads every source again and confirms each figure still appears in it; and an independent reviewer who did not write the page checks every factual sentence against the saved source text. Anything that fails a check is fixed or removed.
The sources we use
| Topic | Primary source |
|---|---|
| Dryer fire counts, causes, deaths and damage | NFPA research reports; US Fire Administration topical reports |
| Safety and maintenance guidance | NFPA tip sheets; US Fire Administration; state fire services |
| Vent length, materials, termination rules | International Residential Code, section M1502, and the local code each city enforces |
| Venting limits for specific dryers | Dryer manufacturers' venting and installation documents |
| Prices | Published national price surveys (HomeGuide, Fixr), cited by name with the page's own date |
The three passes
- Pass one, while writing. The writer reads each figure on the source itself, not in another article that quotes it, and records the source's exact wording.
- Pass two, before publishing. A script downloads every source again and searches it for the exact wording recorded in pass one. It also checks that the figure on our page matches. Anything that fails is corrected or cut.
- Pass three, an independent review. A reviewer who did not write the page checks every factual sentence, including paraphrases and "according to" attributions, against the saved source text, and flags anything overstated, unsupported or wrong. Every flag is fixed before the page goes live.
Rules that go with it
- If a source cannot be read, the figure is not published.
- Statistics that appear only in blogs or in company marketing, with no primary report behind them, are not used.
- Price surveys are quoted as ranges with their names and dates. Local prices vary, and we say so.
- Where two reliable sources disagree, both are shown with their years; see why NFPA and USFA fire counts differ.
- A page's updated date changes only when its content changes.
Corrections
Email [email protected] with the page and the source. Corrections are checked against the source, not taken on trust.