Being a card carrying member of AARP, I receive their monthly magazine.  This month they had an article about common household hazards, four of which could burn down your house.  I thought now would be a good time to pass along the information.

1. Lint in your dryer, lint trap, and exhaust piping.  According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are an estimated annual 15,500 fires, 10 deaths and 10 injuries due to clothes dryer fires.  Not all of the lint generated by a dryer is stopped by the lint screen.  Much of it ends up inside the machine on the heating element - and lint is highly combustible.  Lint also builds up in elbows, termination caps, and in flimsy plastic or foil duct extenders. Only smooth metal vents should be used and fittings must be taped together with aluminum tape (no screws), which is what most manufacturers specify.  Here's the take away - have your dryer and duct work cleaned out once a year.  If you need a recommendation, call us.
2. Aluminum wiring.  According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, an estimated two million homes in the United States were built or renovated using electrical circuits with aluminum wiring.  And, according to the commission and specialists in the field, unless certain safety procedures are undertaken, every outlet, light switch and junction box connected to such circuits is a fire waiting to happen.  If your house was built before 1972, have your entire electrical system checked by a licensed electrician.  If you need a recommendation, call us.
3. Paper towels. It is obvious that you should not leave paper towels, or oven mitts and dish towels, near stove burners, yet people still do it.  However, did you know that you should NEVER put a recycled paper towel in the microwave oven?  Many contain tiny metal pieces which can cause a fire.  Only use all white paper towels - no prints.
4. Fireplaces and chimneys.  Fireplaces are designed to safely contain wood-fuel fires.  The chimneys that serve them have the job of expelling the by-products of combustion - like smoke, gases and unburned wood.  As these substances flow up the relatively cooler chimney, condensation occurs.  The resulting residue that sticks to the inner walls (flue) of the chimney is called creosote. Creosote is highly combustible and when it builds up on the chimney lining, the result could be a chimney fire.  Hire a chimney sweep to clean the flue and always keep a screen in front of the logs to keep embers inside the fireplace where they belong.   If you need a recommendation, call us.