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Fire safety, clean your dryer vent

By
Real Estate Agent with Weichert Realtors Appleseed Group, 2043 Richmond Ave. S.I.N.Y. 10314. office phone 718-698-9797, Appleseedhomes.com -

Fire safety, clean your dryer vent

OK folks, when was the last time you had your dryer vent cleaned out?  Don't remember?  Then your just like me.

Today was a cold day here in the Big Apple, so I decided to do a little work indoors.  How about cleaning my dryer vent, must need cleaning by now.  Can't remember when the last time it was cleaned, I'm guessing the last time the repair man came.  Still can't remember.  Look what I found.

Pretty bad right?  Wait, there's more.

 

Photo above;  This was the vertical vent leading up to the exit pipe.

After I cleaned the exit to the outside elbow, and the exit from the dryer itself,

    see more lint at the exit

 

I took the pipes apart for a good cleaning,

  

then reassembled them

So, before you set your house on fire, check the dryer vents.  Please.

P.S.  My good friend  Jay Markanich, from Bristow, Va. did a post about this very thing in 2009.  I did not see it.  I'm putting the link here for you to read, it's loaded with information from a professional home inspector.  Click here.

 

James Harner
Considering Selling Your Home? Call 610-310-7646 first - Royersford, PA
James Harner Group - Philadelphia PA Real Estate

wow..this is a great advice indeed!

better look on my own vent..

thanks for the advice!

Mar 03, 2011 12:40 PM
Kenneth Cole
Weichert Realtors Appleseed Group, 2043 Richmond Ave. S.I.N.Y. 10314. office phone 718-698-9797, Appleseedhomes.com... - Staten Island, NY
NYS Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

James;  thanks for stopping by.  Funny, out of sight, out of mind, but not out of danger.

Mar 03, 2011 12:43 PM
Mike Frazier
Carousel Realty of Dyer County - Dyersburg, TN
Northwest Tennessee Realtor

Kenneth, you should remove some screws and see what is behind the drum.

Mar 03, 2011 04:49 PM
Stanton Homes
Stanton Homes - New Home Builder - Raleigh, NC
Design/Build Custom Home Builder in North Carolina

Kenneth - great reminder.  One of those home maintanence issues that most of us forget about.  And hey, can reduce the power bills just a little by cleaning those vents too!

Mar 04, 2011 05:54 AM
Kenneth Cole
Weichert Realtors Appleseed Group, 2043 Richmond Ave. S.I.N.Y. 10314. office phone 718-698-9797, Appleseedhomes.com... - Staten Island, NY
NYS Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

Thanks Penny for stopping by and the extra information about savings because of a more efficient exhaust.

Mar 04, 2011 05:59 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Great advice Ken!  Wow, that's som SERIOUS build up!  Be sure when you disconnect the tube from the dryer that you also clean out the inside of the dryer, as much as possible.

Here is a post you might be interested in: 

http://activerain.com/blogsview/1331147/the-most-dangerous-appliance-in-your-house

Mar 04, 2011 12:14 PM
Al & Peggy Cunningham, Brokers
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage - Brampton, ON
Our Family Wants To Help Your Family!

Whoa, cousin Ken that is a lot of lint! We keep our lint tray inside the dryer door clean after every use, but never thought of the tubing!! You are so right, out of sight does not mean out of danger!! 

Mar 04, 2011 12:46 PM
Jennifer Fivelsdal
JFIVE Home Realty LLC | 845-758-6842|162 Deer Run Rd Red Hook NY 12571 - Rhinebeck, NY
Mid Hudson Valley real estate connection

Ken I am going to send this link to my husband just in case he need to do this.   Your time  was well spend, eventually that amount of lint could have caused a fire.

Mar 04, 2011 03:33 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

P.s.  You need to clean it out more often than every generation...     ;>)

Mar 04, 2011 10:11 PM
Kenneth Cole
Weichert Realtors Appleseed Group, 2043 Richmond Ave. S.I.N.Y. 10314. office phone 718-698-9797, Appleseedhomes.com... - Staten Island, NY
NYS Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

Good morning Jay.  Thanks so much for the help.

Jennifer;  Tell him, tell him, tell him.

Cousin Al & Peggy;  We always clean the filter INSIDE the dryer, just "forgot" about the exhaust vent for awhile.  Not good as you can see.  Thanks for stopping by, please check your vent.

Mar 04, 2011 11:58 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

LOL @Jay!  We had this done about a year ago and were astonished at the amount of lint that we had accumulated in just two short years.  It's definitely a major fire hazaard and each time I open my dryer, I think about that!  (Could be paranoia too!)

Thanks for the reminder, Kenneth!

Mar 05, 2011 04:34 AM
Mike & Cindy Jones
Florida Homes Realty & Mortgage - Jacksonville, FL
Real Estate - (904) 874-0422 - Jacksonville, Fl

It's a wonder their clothes were drying at all.... thanks for sharing

Mar 05, 2011 11:54 PM
Valerie Osterhoudt
Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - Cromwell, CT
ABR, Cromwell, CT Real Estate ~ 860.883.8889

Kenneth.. Thanks for the reminder.  I haven't done mine in a few years... like 3 to be exact.  Did you know you are suppose to do this *at least* annually? 

As soon as my knee is better... or Spring when it is warm out. I will be addressing the dryer vent.  Maybe I'll just get a new one.

Mar 06, 2011 10:23 AM
Bridget "Mortgage Mama" McGee
SWBC Mortgage 410-960-2061 - Baltimore, MD
Maryland Mortgage Mama NMLS#196068

This is on my to do list for this weekend.  Thanks for posting this really important information and sharing the pictures to drive it home!

From the CPSC website:  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that in 1998, clothes dryers were associated with 15,600 fires, which resulted in 20 deaths and 370 injuries. Fires can occur when lint builds up in the dryer or in the exhaust duct. Lint can block the flow of air, cause excessive heat build-up, and result in a fire in some dryers.

Bridget "Maryland Mortgage Mama" McGee

Mar 07, 2011 02:34 PM
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
St. George Utah Area Residential Sales Agent

Thanks Kenneth for an all important reminder! I hit the suggest in hopes of further getting the word out before it is too late for some folks!

Mar 08, 2011 04:22 AM
Christine Hooks
Pino Agency - Pennsville, NJ
Celebrating 25 Years in Real Estate!

oh my, Kenneth!  It's scary to think what could have happened. 

Mar 08, 2011 05:51 AM
Gabrielle Kamahele Rhind
KGC Properties LLC, Tucson Property Management & Real Estate - Tucson, AZ
Broker/Owner

HI KENNETH!  You did a great job ... hmmm .. if you have more time on your hands I could give you my address and you could knock out the lint in my dryer vents!  On a more serious note - I better do this sooner than later - who knew it could really get that bad.

Mar 08, 2011 08:01 AM
Gary L. Waters Broker Associate, Bucci Realty
Bucci Realty, Inc. - Melbourne, FL
Eighteen Years Experience in Brevard County

I think some people never think of cleaning the vent until there is a problem. Thanks for pointing out a real potential threat.

Mar 09, 2011 12:32 AM