In addition, all vents to furnaces, water heaters, boilers and other fuel-burning appliances should be checked to make sure they aren’t loose or disconnected, and appliances should be inspected for adequate ventilation. The CPSC also recommends that every home have at least on CO alarm that meets the requirements of the most recent UL 2034 standard or International Approval Services 6-96 standard.

The CPSC says that consumers also should have the vent pipes on their heating systems inspected to see if they are part of a recall begun in 1998. The recalled vent pipes are plastic, colored gray or black, and have the names Plexvent," "Plexvent II" or "Ultravent" stamped on the vent pipe or printed on stickers placed on pieces used to connect the vent pipes together.

After checking the vent pipes, consumers should call the recall hotline toll-free at 800-758-3688, between 7:00 AM and 11:00 PM, EST, seven (7) days a week, to verify that their appliance venting systems are subject to this program.

FROM: Fire Chief Magazine

A ticking time bomb exists in 9 of 10 basements. This time bomb is the little plastic hose that vents the clothes dryer exhaust outside houses. This plastic vent hose is a major fire hazard and should be replaced immediately. The white, plastic, flexible vent hose is designed for bathroom exhaust fans not clothes dryers. No manufacturer recommends its use as a venting material. The problem is lint can accumulate in a hose’s accordion-like ridges and restrict flow of hot air out of the dryer. Dryer fires are very common as lint catches fire as it passes across the burner. The plastic covering melts and allows the fire to spread to nearby combustibles.