That house fire in Denver last month changed how I check dryers

I got called to a job in Denver last month where a dryer had nearly started a house fire. The owner said they cleaned the lint trap every time, but when I pulled the machine out, the vent pipe was packed solid with lint going back about 6 feet. Nobody ever told them to check the exhaust line behind the dryer. I spent 3 hours cleaning out old lint and replacing a crushed vent hose that was kinked behind the unit. The landlord told me he'd never had anyone look past the trap in 8 years of renting that place. Now I make it a rule to always check the full vent path on every dryer I touch. Has anyone else run into a dryer fire risk that was hiding in a spot most people ignore?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_brian10d ago

Agree completely with christopher here. The lint trap is just the start of the problem, it really doesn't catch all the fine stuff that floats through. What gets me is how people think it's overkill to pull the machine out once a year, but that's exactly how you spot the crushed hoses or the built up lint before it's too late. The newer machines might have better vents sure, but they still push a lot of hot air through narrow pipes that can get clogged over time. And like you said, the stuff that falls behind the machine just sits there collecting more lint until it's basically a fire waiting to happen. It's not about being handy, it's about knowing where the real danger hides most people just never see it.

wells.christopher12d ago

RIGHT? Nobody EVER checks behind the machine. I pulled one out last year and found a nest of lint and old socks that had somehow fallen back there. The vent pipe was completely blocked about 2 feet in. Took me forever to dig it all out. People just assume the lint trap catches EVERYTHING but it really doesn't.

nina_hall4812d ago

Hold on, do you really think most people are gonna go through all that trouble though? lol I mean yeah, it's gross back there, but not everyone is handy enough to pull a whole dryer out and snake a vent. I feel like the lint trap does a good enough job for the average person, and most folks just don't have the time or know-how to mess with it. Plus, a lot of newer machines have better vent designs that don't clog up as easily.