Do It Yourself and Other Educational Chimney and Fire Safety Articles

Most people know that heating equipment inside your home is the leading cause of house fires but did you know that a dirty dryer vent are MORE likely to cause a house fire than your chimney? 

When your dryer vent such as this one gets clogged with lint or in this case, a nest of Starling eggs, the vent can easily catch fire.  The reason why is because the clog causes the air to overheat inside the dryer and the tiniest spark will ignite highly flammable dryer lint or a nest.  This nest was very carefully removed from the dryer vent and securely placed in a tree just a few inches away from the original entry point.

Fire caused by your dryer vent can easily be prevented by following a few easy steps:

1.    Make sure you ALWAYS remove lint from the lint screen before starting a new load of laundry.

2.    Over time, lint buildup can get into the dryer vent hose.  Dryer hoses often have corrugated ridges which can trap a buildup of lint.  Check the hose to make sure it is clear and if it requires a cleaning, this can be an easy DIY project if the hose is 3 feet or less.  You can easily use a brush to remove the lint yourself at this length.  As a side note, it is also handy to have a relatively short hose (3 feet or less) to avoid getting any kinks that can trap air from a long coiled mess.  Finally, a shorter hose can prevent the dryer from having to work too hard to push the exhaust.

3.    If your dryer has a periscope-style vent pipe, check the material of the pipe.  If your pipe is made of plastic or a flexible aluminum material it needs to be replaced because it is NOT CODE COMPLIANT.   These materials are too flimsy and are likely to melt or get a kink that traps air and starts a fire.  While a pipe does not get clogged as easily as a hose, the rigid material of the pipe could bend when the dryer is in operation due to the vibrations.  So be sure to check for bends that could prevent air flow.  Use a brush to clean the pipe or you can replace it if needed.  Please visit our supplies page for recommended equipment.

4.    After cleaning out your dryer vent hose or pipe, make sure when you push your dryer back into position, you don't kink the hose or bend the pipe line.

When to call a professional:

1.    Many people have their dryers in a closet or small room, this is OK.  NEVER allow a dryer vent exhaust to end under the house or inside the attic space.  These will need to be replaced by a professional.

2.    If your dryer hose or piping has a complicated installation, you may need to call a professional chimney sweep to remove the lint.  

3.    If you have a gas dryer you should check your gas line. If it looks old or questionable, it should be replaced by a professional.