Hyderabadghar/Home Maintenance/Dryer Vent Maintenance Could Save Your House

Dryer Vent Maintenance Could Save Your House

Annual inspection recommended

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) cautions the public that there's a growing fire and carbon monoxide poisoning danger that could result in unnecessary deaths, injuries or property damage;the obstruction or improper venting of clothes dryer exhaust ducts.

Statistics from the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) indicate that, in 1996, there were 15,500 residential fires in the United States originating in clothes dryers. These fires resulted in 320 personal injuries, 20 deaths and over $84.4 million in property damage. The CPSC also reports that in 1996, approximately 400 people were non-fatally poisoned by carbon monoxide as a result of a gas clothes dryer.

To combat this lurking laundry room danger, the CSIA recommends that homeowners have clothes dryer exhaust ducts inspected annually and maintained as necessary by a certified technician.

The public's concept of dryer exhaust ducts needs to change as houses change," explains Greg Williamson, executive director of the CSIA.

Williamson points out that clothes dryers have historically either been located in basements or on the main floor of a house and generally within a short distance from an outside wall. Because of these logistics, the danger of lint plugging the exhaust duct has been minimal.

But in today's complex and technologically sophisticated homes, many clothes dryers could be located in the inner core of the house in bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and even in hall closets. These new locations mean dryers need to be vented longer distances and sometimes even with sharp turns and bends to accommodate the structure of the home. These complicated systems make exhaust ducts harder to reach and also create more places where lint can collect and pile up. "Because lint is incredibly flammable it poses a fire risk," adds Williamson.

The availability of natural gas clothes dryers is another reason why dryer exhaust duct maintenance is necessary. If a gas clothes dryer is not properly vented, it can cause carbon monoxide to be forced back into the home and that can be deadly.

In addition to lint obstructions or improper venting, bird's nests or rodents and bug infestations can also plug up a vent causing potential fire hazards or carbon monoxide poisonings.

Symptoms of a clogged clothes dryer exhaust duct include incomplete drying of clothes at normal temperatures and very hot dryer temperatures.

CSIA recommends that clothes dryer exhaust duct inspections be performed by CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Duct Technicians. These technicians have been formally tested in the proper inspection and maintenance of clothes dryer exhaust ducts by CSIA.

When a certified technician inspects a clothes dryer exhaust duct, they check to make sure there are no obstructions and if the installation is correct. They also verify that the correct type of vent is in use. For example, homes with plastic exhaust ducts are generally upgraded to metal exhaust ducts.

Established in 1983, CSIA is a non-profit, educational organization, dedicated to educating the public about the prevention of chimney and venting system hazards, including clothes dryer exhaust ducts.

For more information on clothes dryer exhaust duct maintenance and safety or for a list of CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Duct Technicians, contact the Chimney Safety Institute of America at 1-800-536-0118.

Reprinted with permission from the Chimney Safety Institute of America. Copyrighted material. Duplication with written permission from CSIA is prohibited. .