Everybody Out!

Polly Esther wrote:

Take a flashlight and screwdriver with you. I want you to go around to the
vent thing from your clothes dryer, open it, peer inside and check for
troubles. If they're generally unimportant, at least scrape the fuzzies
from the flap so it will close properly and not permit any critters easy
entrance. Then. Back inside. Inspect your clothes dryer filter and the
area where it's inserted and see if the vacuum cleaner is needed.
(probably) Next, pull your dryer from the wall and clean the tube that runs
from the dryer to the outside. How to get your body from behind the dryer
will be a challenge.
If you think this is too much trouble, don't even ask how much trouble
you'll have if you don't do it. DSis just survived a clothes dryer fire
and the trouble that caused was gruesome. This message is on topic if you
have a dryer. Oh my how I do love to cuddle a just rinsed and dried
Finished quilt. Yesssss.
I will be dropping by to see if all of you have heeded my warning. I
like my tea without sugar if you please. Polly


ALready done, ma'am!! Ours doesn't vent outside, so we tend to get a
massive lint build-up fairly quickly. I vacuum ALL around the dryer and
down in the lint trap. DH moved it out and took the back off to clean
the insides for me, so I think we are okay for a while now.

Larisa

On Fri, 7 Sep 2007 21:26:18 -0500, "Polly Esther"
wrote:

Take a flashlight and screwdriver with you. I want you to go around to the
vent thing from your clothes dryer, open it, peer inside and check for
troubles. If they're generally unimportant, at least scrape the fuzzies
from the flap so it will close properly and not permit any critters easy
entrance.

Thank you Polly. We have one of those long reaching dryer cleaning
brushes so we are fire safe here. However, in my area there is
trouble brewing with rodents. Too many of them and drought making it
hard for them to find food and water. Add that it is September and
eventually the temperatures outside will start dropping out of the 90s
and you know those critters will be moving indoors if possible. I've
also got construction nearby which sets them on the move too. I don't
think any of them would live long in my house since there are 3 cats
here, but I still worry. Especially since I discovered there is a
family of them living among the running juniper on the hill at the
road. I have no choice but to put out traps. I won't use poison
because the neighbors have outdoor pets. I had thought about checking
the basement drains to make sure the covers were in place, but would
not have thought of the dryer vent. Thanks for the heads up.

There is a school in a nearby county that had to close because the
building was suddenly over run with both mice and rats looking for
food and water. The students are going to a different school until
the rodents are gone and the building is thoroughly cleaned again.
Unfortunately this has caused local news shows to run bits about
rodent control that advocate putting out poisons that won't kill until
the rodents drink water which is not provided at the poison bait
point. So now there are going to be a lot of outdoor pets dying
because they caught and ate poisoned rodents that were hunting for
water. It is a gruesome death for a pet that is preventable by using
non-poisonous instant killing traps, or non-killing trap and release
methods for rodent control. I don't understand why the news shows are
pushing the poison when there are more humane, safer, and faster
methods.
Debra in VA
See my quilts at
http://community.webshots.com/user/debplayshere

Thanks for the timely warning, Polly. I'd like to add a
caution. Pull the filter out and WASH it. I have been
told that use of the softener sheets in a dryer will
leave an undesirable film on the filter. This
supposedly can cause fire hazard. I cannot confirm this
warning, but it would not cost anything but a couple
minutes now and then, so no harm done.
PAT in VA/USA

Polly Esther wrote:
Take a flashlight and screwdriver with you. I want you to go around to the
vent thing from your clothes dryer, open it, peer inside and check for
troubles. If they're generally unimportant, at least scrape the fuzzies
from the flap so it will close properly and not permit any critters easy
entrance. Then. Back inside. Inspect your clothes dryer filter and the
area where it's inserted and see if the vacuum cleaner is needed.
(probably) Next, pull your dryer from the wall and clean the tube that runs
from the dryer to the outside. How to get your body from behind the dryer
will be a challenge.
If you think this is too much trouble, don't even ask how much trouble
you'll have if you don't do it. DSis just survived a clothes dryer fire
and the trouble that caused was gruesome. This message is on topic if you
have a dryer. Oh my how I do love to cuddle a just rinsed and dried
Finished quilt. Yesssss.
I will be dropping by to see if all of you have heeded my warning. I
like my tea without sugar if you please. Polly

Actually, I've just had all that done by the repair dude at my new house
(home warranty); dryer was getting hot, but not hot enough to dry the
clothes. Turned out there was a bird's nest in the tube! All spiffy
cleaned out now...

--pig


On 9/7/07 22:26, in article , "Polly
Esther" wrote:

Take a flashlight and screwdriver with you. I want you to go around to the
vent thing from your clothes dryer, open it, peer inside and check for
troubles. If they're generally unimportant, at least scrape the fuzzies
from the flap so it will close properly and not permit any critters easy
entrance. Then. Back inside. Inspect your clothes dryer filter and the
area where it's inserted and see if the vacuum cleaner is needed.
(probably) Next, pull your dryer from the wall and clean the tube that runs
from the dryer to the outside. How to get your body from behind the dryer
will be a challenge.
If you think this is too much trouble, don't even ask how much trouble
you'll have if you don't do it. DSis just survived a clothes dryer fire
and the trouble that caused was gruesome. This message is on topic if you
have a dryer. Oh my how I do love to cuddle a just rinsed and dried
Finished quilt. Yesssss.
I will be dropping by to see if all of you have heeded my warning. I
like my tea without sugar if you please. Polly

So glad it wasn't worse for her. This is one less that should not be
learned from personal experience. While you are at it everyone, wash your
vent screen with a soft toothbrush until the water runs through it. I have
heard that not doing so regularly is another hazard. Don't know if it is
true, but I don't want to take the chance.

Thanks so much for the warning Polly.

--
Charlotte
http://community.webshots.com/user/charh108
"Polly Esther" wrote in message
...
Thank you, Irene. She's fine and has a new dryer and bit of wall. I just
thought I needed to nag everybody. I am truly blessed with a vigilant DH
even though he truly terrifies me. Yesterday, he decided to go on the
roof and clean all those little vent-thingies from the kitchen and
bathroom piping. Surely upset the Yorkie. He didn't know what he was
barking at. Polly


"IMS" wrote in message
...
Polly, I do hope your sister is OK. What a nasty thing to have happen.

-Irene

On Fri, 7 Sep 2007 21:26:18 -0500, "Polly Esther"
wrote:

Take a flashlight and screwdriver with you. I want you to go around to
the
vent thing from your clothes dryer, open it, peer inside and check for
troubles. If they're generally unimportant, at least scrape the fuzzies
from the flap so it will close properly and not permit any critters easy
entrance. Then. Back inside. Inspect your clothes dryer filter and the
area where it's inserted and see if the vacuum cleaner is needed.
(probably) Next, pull your dryer from the wall and clean the tube that
runs
from the dryer to the outside. How to get your body from behind the dryer
will be a challenge.
If you think this is too much trouble, don't even ask how much trouble
you'll have if you don't do it. DSis just survived a clothes dryer fire
and the trouble that caused was gruesome. This message is on topic if you
have a dryer. Oh my how I do love to cuddle a just rinsed and dried
Finished quilt. Yesssss.
I will be dropping by to see if all of you have heeded my warning. I
like my tea without sugar if you please. Polly


-------------
"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough."
- Mae West

Polly, my dear friend........ I honestly think I learn more here than
anywhere else. Being a first time home-owner, and living alone, I'm
learning A LOT of things by trial and error. I knew about the dryer
vent, and the outside vent, but had NO idea one was supposed to pull the
dryer out and rip it apart for cleaning. I did that today. I've lived in
my house a little over 3 years, and NEVER cleaned the tube that leads
from dryer to vent, or even pulled the dryer away from the wall. I
gasped when I saw what was back there! If we are, indeed, ashes to ashes
and dust to dust - someone was either comin' or goin' under my dryer!! I
took the back off, took the hose off, gave it all a good vacuuming and
cleaning, and she's good as gold. My goodness!!! I'm flat-out amazed
nothing horrifying happened.
Now, what else should I be cleaning, inspecting and checking on? I
really need a class in "home owner - 101".

Thank you!
Patti in Seattle

"Polly Esther" wrote in
:

Take a flashlight and screwdriver with you. I want you to go around
to the vent thing from your clothes dryer, open it, peer inside and
check for troubles. If they're generally unimportant, at least scrape
the fuzzies from the flap so it will close properly and not permit any
critters easy entrance. Then. Back inside. Inspect your clothes
dryer filter and the area where it's inserted and see if the vacuum
cleaner is needed. (probably) Next, pull your dryer from the wall and
clean the tube that runs from the dryer to the outside. How to get
your body from behind the dryer will be a challenge.
If you think this is too much trouble, don't even ask how much
trouble
you'll have if you don't do it. DSis just survived a clothes dryer
fire and the trouble that caused was gruesome. This message is on
topic if you have a dryer. Oh my how I do love to cuddle a just
rinsed and dried Finished quilt. Yesssss.
I will be dropping by to see if all of you have heeded my warning.
I
like my tea without sugar if you please. Polly



I don't have a dryer so i am ok there..but i used to use my dishwasher at
night, cheaper on electric and dishes ready in the morning, until i saw a
program on the British tv about a house that burned down because of a
fire caused by a dishwasher doing his dishwashers duty at night.. the
family was rescued just in time..
That made me realise that living alone makes me extra vulnerable , when i
sleeping there is no one else there to wake up in time and warn me.. so i
only use my dishwasher and washing machine during the day and when i am
at home..
You never know, eh?
So indeed.. as our lady P.Esther said.. go check your dryers..plz.

FiederEls.

Great reminder, Polly. I have two dryer lint cleaners that I bought on
QVC. One is a long and skinny brush that goes down into the front lint
trap, and the other is a ball shaped brush on a long wire that goes into
the vent from outside. I've pulled quite a few nasty fur balls out with
both, and I never, ever leave the dryer on if I leave the house.

The long skinny brush is great for cleaning behind and under the
refrigerator, too.

Denise
http://community.webtv.net/DeniseJG/
My QI

google found me this, Patti.
http://cinchouse.com/deploy/HomeMain...101/Inside.htm
might have some useful stuff there for you and others.
cheers,
jeanne
from the land of a million clotheslines

"Patti S" wrote...
Polly, my dear friend........ I honestly think I learn more here than
anywhere else. Being a first time home-owner, and living alone, I'm
learning A LOT of things by trial and error. I knew about the dryer
vent, and the outside vent, but had NO idea one was supposed to pull the
dryer out and rip it apart for cleaning. I did that today. I've lived in
my house a little over 3 years, and NEVER cleaned the tube that leads
from dryer to vent, or even pulled the dryer away from the wall. I
gasped when I saw what was back there! If we are, indeed, ashes to ashes
and dust to dust - someone was either comin' or goin' under my dryer!! I
took the back off, took the hose off, gave it all a good vacuuming and
cleaning, and she's good as gold. My goodness!!! I'm flat-out amazed
nothing horrifying happened.
Now, what else should I be cleaning, inspecting and checking on? I
really need a class in "home owner - 101".

Thank you!
Patti in Seattle

http://www.libertyhomeprotection.com...nance-101.aspx
and another one.
holler if you're sick of me posting over and over with similar stuff.
cheers,
jeanne

"nzlstar*" wrote...
google found me this, Patti.
http://cinchouse.com/deploy/HomeMain...101/Inside.htm
might have some useful stuff there for you and others.
cheers,
jeanne
from the land of a million clotheslines