Fire at Pete's!!!

[PeteLeathersac]

I'm at the hotel for a couple months...what a nightmare!.

Just about lost my house...luckily I didn't but a lot of damage and lost personal items!.

The fire supposedly started in the bendable plastic dryer pipe...get rid of it if you have any!.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif
~ Pete

[Rainer]

Wow, Pete, sorry to hear. Sounds like no one was hurt, thankfully.

[DarrenX33]

Pete I am glad that your ok. Those dryer vents are trouble. I'm usually thoroughly cleaning mine every week.

[JoeG]

Even if you change the plastic vent pipe to a galvanized metal exhaust pipe--Like Darren said you must clean the lint that accumulates in the pipe on a regular basis because it will heat up and ignite..Glad it wasn't a total dissaster...........

[3macs1]

Glad you are Ok Andy. Dryers are bad news, like the boys say even with the metal pipes they should be removed at least twice a year and cleaned, Also take the front door off and vacuum the motor area this is usually covered also.I know a few people that lost homes due to a dryer vent.
take care
Joe

[Belair62]

Sorry to hear that Pete. Looks like more work for me. Not only do I have the plastic hose but my wife thinks that lint filter cleans itself.

[Xplantdad]

Andy...glad to hear that you and your kids are okay...that's the most important thing...Everything else can be replaced! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[mmcporter]

Glad nobody was hurt!

[StriperSS]

Sorry to hear that. I lost a house to a grass fire in 1983. A total loss. So I can sympathise.
John

[rubbinisracing]

Anything we can do to help out?

Store some cars, keep them driven, you know ...anything like that http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

Seroiusly though..need aything?

[Hylton]

Glad you and family are okay. Hopefully your insurance company will be quick about things.

[SmallHurst]

Everyone, make sure that you clean that lint up as frequently as you can. I remember when my brother and I would burn trash. We would search for the dryer lint because we would be sure of a fire if we could light a match. Make sure that whoever is doing the laundry cleans that lint trap EVERY time. I also learned that dryer sheets are bad news as well. They will actually coat the screen on that lint trap so that you can actually hold water! I knew doing laundry was dangerous, but..... http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/no.gif


Pete,

Sorry to hear about that. Take care of yourself.

[SamLBInj]

Glad you guys are ok Pete! As a long time plumber I have seen that a few times. If you read the dryer installation sheet it usually say's the warranty is void if you use a plastic vent. Always use hard metal vent and keep it cleaned out. You would be amazed at how many we find that are plugged with wet nasty 20 year old lint. (The guys always keep the loose change http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif) Was yours gas or electric?

[SamLBInj]

While were on the subject of keeping appliances safe.....Make sure your relief valve on your water heater is in working order (Just hold a bucket under it and give it a quick snap once in a while and a small blast of hot water will come out and then it will reseal.) Water heaters can explode like a bomb and I have seen them go right through a wall or roof. I've seen tests where they will blow about 40 feet in the air! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/scholar.gif

[Z-11 396]

Pete, so sorry for your loss, and thankful for the fact you, and your family are ok...Kasey

[PeteLeathersac]

Thanks fellas...and yes everyone's Ok, only my lad's pet snake didn't make it through the smoke..

The dryer was electric and the pipes and lint were cleaned regularly enough...just that bendable 'slinky' style wire and plastic dryer pipe is the suspected cause as apparently it becomes flammable after years of doing the hot/cold thing?.

I know I've lost a bunch of antiques and memorabilia that was in an antique hoosier cupboard in the laundry area but it's smoke damage that's the big concern?.

Thankfully it's not my garage/shop that went up...no cars in there right now but lots of parts and a dozen or so old factory racing sleds..

I've had a busy week with work and my kids also dealing with insurance people while scrambling with the situation...I'll be spending the weekend going through the house stuff and will know more then what's survived or not?.

Thanks for everyone's concerns...don't forget to go look at your own dryer pipe setups!.

~ Pete
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/youguysrock.gif

[Verne_Frantz]

Sorry to hear about all that Pete. Glad everyone is ok. I hope you don't have too much trouble with insurance. They usually like to have the expensive items documented with photos, appraisals or receipts.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gifVerne

[ORIGLS6]

Glad to hear everyone's safe Pete. Fires are scary. Probably one of my worst fears. I sincerely hope your losses are an absolute minimum.

[budnate]

Dang Pete, take care,
we have covered it before here a guy that knows what he is doing can really pull the smoke damage out of most of your stuff with his air changer gizmo's, but they need to be doing it like today!!

[LVCamaro]

WOW...glad you're okay, Pete.

I know what I'm doing this weekend.

SS

[Mr70]

Been there,experienced that. http://www.gnomz.com/blogz_images/fireman_01_A.gif

http://www.hvacloads.com/talkhtm/dryer/Image32.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

Pete, glad that you and your family are OK. Sorry to hear of any losses, no matter how small.

The timing of this is incredible! The past few weeks, we were noticing that our clothes were not getting dry in the dryer. It is 19 yrs old, and I just thought maybe its time was up. Last weekend, at my wife's insistence, I checked our rigid metal vent pipe....it was plugged up solid for about 2 feet http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif I couldn't believe how much lint I got out of it, especially since we are religious about cleaning the lint trap. It all had a kind of gummy feel, undoubtedly from those dryer sheets http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif Sure glad we didn't have a fire http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif

[PeteLeathersac]

The fire restoration guys have been in the house all week running ozone machines also dehumidifiers in the basement as the firehose water also water from where they tore the washer away from the wall went through the floor into the basement...some damage there too but it appears minimal..

The furniture has been removed and either tossed or taken for cleaning off site also the antique furniture taken for cleaning and any restoration req'd..

Work has been way too busy to take time away and I've had to put off personally going through the mess until this weekend..

Overall I gotta say both State Farm Insurance & Superior Restoration have been magic so far!.
My Insurance agent actually came to the scene while the fire crews were still there and the fire smoldering and insisted on handing me a cheque to get clothes and hotels etc right away...seriously, it was just like State Farm's TV commercials!.

Best of all again nobody is hurt and it's just 'stuff' that's been lost...things could have been a whole lot different if it was a regular evening and I tossed a load into the dryer before bed?!.

I'll check in with an update on how things turn out when I go through the stuff...thanks fellas and don't forget to check those dryer pipes!.

~ Pete
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/youguysrock.gif

[SamLBInj]

[ QUOTE ]
Been there,experienced that. http://www.gnomz.com/blogz_images/fireman_01_A.gif

http://www.hvacloads.com/talkhtm/dryer/Image32.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]
This is one of those water fill cannister types. These are junk and you always have to check to make sure it has water in it. Should always pipe to the outside in metal vent.

[Zedder]

Pete, I's glad to hear that you and the family are fine! You are right, the rest is just "stuff" and the real "valuables" got out OK!