IMPORTANT: Clear Snow From Your Furnace, Dryer and Hot Water Heater Vents To Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning!

Vent pipe on side of home. Intake
& exhaust

The Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, as well as our regional partners, have seen a continued number of carbon monoxide incidents and detector activations due to snow accumulation and build-up. As you head outside to dig out of your driveway and clear your sidewalks, there are some other places around your home you may have to clear.

A common problem is high snow drifts that block furnace vents and air intakes in some homes, predominantly those that have newer high-efficiency furnaces. New, high efficiency furnaces vent out the side of a home rather than up through the roof. These vents and air intakes must be kept clear of snow. If they are blocked, the carbon monoxide will go back into the home. Some newer high efficiency furnaces have automatic shut-off’s that shutdown the furnace when the vents are blocked, but not all of them. As a general rule you should keep a three-foot area clear around the vent and intake tubes. After any snowfall it is important to inspect the area around the furnace and hot water heater vents to ensure that snow and ice are not blocking the safe operation of these fuel burning devices. Homeowners should keep a three- foot area around the vents clear of snow, shrubs, or other potential obstructions. Heating and dryer vents should also be cleared of snow to prevent possible carbon monoxide poisoning. NEVER run generators in the home, garage or other enclosed spaces as carbon monoxide can rise to dangerous, if not fatal levels. If your CO alarm sounds, immediately evacuate to a safe location and call 9-1-1. 

photo of properly cleared vent

Clothes Dryer Cleaning Day – Preventing A Potential Fire In Your Home!

Recently, MCFRS personnel have responded to several fires involving clothes dryers.  One way to prevent these fires is to clean in and around your clothes dryer at least once a year.

Last year I cleaned my clothes dryer and, as you can see by the pictures below, there was a ton of lint build up in, on, and around my clothes dryer. These pictures show why it is very important you take time to clean both inside and outside the clothes dryer.

A couple of pictures show what happens to the inside of your pipe that runs in and just outside your dryer (Fig 1) that carries the hot air, and lint, out. The next photo (Fig 2) shows the inside of the flexible duct that connects to your dryer pipe and then connects to another pipe that usually runs to the outside of your house.

In the next photo (Fig 3) you can see the cleaning device I used to run up into the pipe and dryer and the large amount of lint I pulled out of the dryer. These photos clearly show the large amount of lint that builds up and can, when heated up by the hot air of the dryer, actually ignite and catch fire! The more the build up, the better chance for ignition and then – a fire in your home!

A couple of the photos (Fig 4 & 5) clearly show just how dusty and dirty the back of your dryer and the floor behind and underneath it can become. This also can create problems and hazards and you need to make sure you clean these spots as well!

For more tips please go here: Clothes Dryer Fire Safety Tips

As always Be Safe! 
   
Bill

 

Fig 1

 

Fig 2

 



Fig 3

Fig 4





Fig 5