Forest Fire Smoke & Your Home HVAC System

Clogged dryer vents are the number 1 cause of home fires in Canada, with thousands of dryer vent fires reported every year. The fires are usually ignited by a spark setting lint trapped in the exhaust hose on fire. It's important to pay attention to signs there may be an obstruction, and to correct it right away.

Here's what you need to know about dryer ventilation:

You've likely acquainted your children with various aspects of safety around your home. But what about HVAC safety? You might think that since most of the HVAC system is out of sight, it is of no concern when it comes to your kids' safety.

All HVAC systems use thermostats to control their operation. While some use complicated electronics, chips and programming, they all work off the principle of thermal change. A bimetal thermostat uses a thin strip of brass bolted to an equally thin strip of iron. A gas-bellows thermostat operates on the same principle as a bimetal unit, but gas reacts more quickly to temperature changes.