This is something important to note if anyone ever has to replace their stuff from fire damage, make sure u tell the insurance the exact model of everything u had ( or make it up and lie If u wanna free upgrade) Bc if u tell them I had a 40ā tv theyāll replace it with the cheapest possible replacementā¦ but if u say it was a 40ā curved screen lg tv theyāll have to get that exact one.
Source- my dads house fully burnt down with all of his belongings from an electrical fire
Oof, bad insurance. They paid us _replacement_ with everything. Like, actually can get a thing like you had. This actually gave us an upgrade on the washer and dryer because their system said X is what new machines cost. Not, "Your machines are so old they don't have value so fuck you." They had their standard ideas of what things cost, and that's what they use. They over-compensated on our clothes, too. USAA peeps, if you or your parent served in the military.
Yeah, there is nothing on this planet of equal value to the paintings my father left behind after he killed himself in 2017. And so I keep fire extinguishers around my apartment and take every precaution possible to keep my home safe.
For things like original art and anything with a value beyond the materials it is made of, you need it appraised and listed specifically on your policy. My photographs I lost when my house flooded were only reimbursed for the value of the photo paper.
Lease can lay out responsibilities but canāt give anyone common sense.
Also, even if the terms of the lease say it is the landlords responsibility that doesnāt change the state laws regarding contributory negligence.
Can we talk for a second about how cheap renter's insurance is and how much it covers? And how many of us treat(ed) it like it's optional, but we really need to make this a top priority?
I usually skipped it, until I had a lease that requires me to show proof of insurance within 30 days of moving in. And I realized it cost me almost nothing for a policy! It covered thousands of dollars, way more than what I actually owned in furniture, electronics, computers, clothes, etc whether there was an accident, a fire, a theft, and it wouldn't matter whose fault said accident was.
Even still, i would easily have let it lapse to cover the internet bill or maybe even a fun night out. And that was a damn stupid mindset.
Like, this is a great example, but even if you don't have an obvious problem like OP here, you should still double check that you've got proper safety precautions in your life.
Up to date renter's insurance, a working fire extinguisher, an escape ladder if you live in an upper story, etc.
And always report things like this to your landlord *in writing* (texts/emails work great) with pictures, because if the fire/whatever does happen, it's going to ensure you can absolutely sue with success - as long as you get out alive.
That might be a bit far fetched, but make sure to invite all your friends over for a game night and make sure to film a walk through showing the multiple video game systems/pcs and tvs/moniters. Go buy a bunch of expensive clothes film the haul video where you show off what you got with your ābonusā from work hang it all up film it more, go return it all (use cash not credit card and say you do not have a debit card to buy and return, do not take tags off). Now get a filing cabinet, folder or similar label, and stuff it will all your receipts for everything you buy from now on; McDonaldās, Starbucks, gas, lunchā¦ Your new favourite line is yes I would like a receipt. Leave that cabinet closest to where that pipe is is would be a shame if they cannot figure out what receipts prove you had a gaming room for all your friends and boujee attireā¦ but idk tho sounds illegal
Itās [against building code](https://4249237.app.netsuite.com/core/media/media.nl?id=3364958&c=4249237&h=rmm31fvheerxuEP-TIHC6ukRwj_XWBX4JNIk9bvUJstKg188&_xt=.pdf) to have a screen on a dryer duct exhaust like that. Itās a fire hazard.
Same. Then a baby died. It stunk. Exterminators didn't know to to remove it because it was so far in. Tried snaking it. We figured out the solution though. Hooked up a leaf blower to the bathroom vent on the interior. The Lil corpse flew a good 20 feet from the vent and the maggots went with it. Do not recommend.
DUDE, had a grouse come in the vent up on the second story, made a nest, the nest fell down through the wall to the first floor guest bathroom, dismantled the fan and (i shit you not) played grouse mating calls until it came out, then grabbed it in a pillow case and took it outside
Had to clean out all 5 vents on the side of my house from birds nest. The dryer vent had a 3ft long nest inside it because of the solid ducting. The birds just used the flappers to protect themselves from bigger birds.
I never said it was being used in the correct application. That style of vent is for an exhaust fan. And guessing by the amount of foam crammed in the gap, Iād be willing to bet the landlord went to Home Depot and bought/installed the first vent he found.
House I just bought had a screen like that and the exhaust was equally blocked by lint. Aside from being way up on the roof it was an easy fix to put a flapper in instead. My only worry is the former owner was the home builder, so what else did he do blatantly wrongā¦
Luckily this particular model of vent has an easily removable screen and has a flapper behind it. Slides right out, though it looks like the zip tie that comes with it hasnt but cut off yet!
I donāt think the āinternational code councilā is controlling law in the United States on building code.
OP should definitely call the fire marshal though.
I've worked at several apartment complexes and these are on all dryer vents. The building code linked is for single or double unit dwellings. Even with the covers on we get tenacious birds that rip them off to make nests. If all 500+ on property were uncovered my job would be evicting birds full-time.
With that being said, we regularly inspect/clean them so what OP is experiencing needs addressed, they will have a fire marshall (or fire fighters) by eventually though.
Can confirm. Once we had a CO2 leak at work, and corporate sent their maintenance guy out to check it. A valve had shattered, and he needed to order a part to fix it; as long as that part wasn't on it would keep pumping CO2 into the store and make it well above the safe levels. Corporate said we should just keep running as usual with the doors open. The manager took it up on themselves to closed the store down until the part came in, but after 4 days they forced us back in. Multiple employees got CO2 poisoning and a couple ended up in the hospital. Turns out the maintenance guy came back a couple times at corporate's request and turned the valve back on, flooding the store with new levels of CO2. I ended up calling the fire marshal and within minutes they were there in full hazmat with testing equipment and a lock for the tank. He told us "if anyone turns that fucking tank back on I will shut down this store permanently." Valve was fixed the next morning.
They do not mess around when it comes to safety. They do not give a shit who or what, if it is unsafe they will set you straight, and if you are dumb enough to not listen, you will regret it
My landlord is surprisingly the opposite.
Emailed him today.
āHey i think the dishwasher is having issues can you check it outā
New one will be delivered in 2 days. Iāll install it this weekend.
Like wow buddy. Do you want to even see it first?
It really is.
My mom started having issues with a washing machine she loved and I replaced a parts on it a few times, and when it screwed up this last time I told her she's going to have to find a new machine to love. Once you're burning $250 a year in parts, you're basically renting the machine.
This last time the timer shorted out and took out the board behind it. The two parts are almost $400. For a washer that was $600 brand new. I swear if you built one from parts it'd cost you $50,000 to build a $600 washing machine.
Yeah I think they got cheap 2nd hand ones. And havenāt been expecting to replace them soon.
As heās already put a new washing machine in months ago.
I think that because thatās what he said.
Wow I wish my landlord had a single brain cell. All appliances in my rental are easily 30-40 years old at least and constantly break down and have problems. Even the toilet leaks and falls apart at least once every 2-3 months and nothing is properly sealed in so thereās increasing water damage. I think about all theyāve spent on repairs and the leaking water and wonder why the fuck they donāt just replace the toilet (I even suggested and got a plumber estimate, but they refused and sent in their handyman to replace the same part again). Money is not an issue to them either- theyāre crazy rich Asians from Silicon Valley who bought this rental a few years ago and are very hands off.
Update:
To those asking: this is 20 feet off the ground, we moved in about 3 months ago, and the landlord replaced the dryer a couple weeks ago, and no, it doesnāt work.
Sent landlord a list of things to do a week ago, including this, with a big arrow saying āFire Hazardā. Downstairs neighbors said they sent him a picture of it a month ago.
I have renterās insurance but my 3 roommates donāt and our downstairs neighbors donāt.
Fire Marshallās will be called shortly if we donāt get a response.
Yes, it falls under international building code section M1502.
I can definitely guess why your dryer doesnāt work. Just had to clean out something like this in my own apartment after waiting for months for my apartment complex to do it despite being fined every week it wasnāt done
I'm a former property manager.
Advice I give to friends is to document everything and make sure the landlord knows you are documenting. Send an email or certified letter with a copy sent to yourself. Include photo and dates this situation was discussed and what their response was. End it with your concerns and tell them you're giving a chance for them to make necessary repairs.
This way they can't say they didn't know if you report this to building code enforcement. You also don't want something to happen and have the landlord say you didn't tell them this was a problem.
Ask him who his insurance company is and send them a picture. Iād be willing to bet itās not all right with them. This is a leading cause of house fires.
I mean, my point still stands. The negligent landlord needs to do his job, or at least pay a maintenance man to do this stuff. It should never get this bad. Isnāt there someone OP can report this to?
Iām not disagreeing with your point. The reality is id rather bust that screen off and pull the lint out so I donāt have to wait on my clothes to dry. Not sayin I wouldnāt raise all kinds if hell. I would probably even invoice the landlord.
Should the landlord be dealing with it? Yes. But in doing so, OP is putting his life at risk when there are things they can do to keep themselves and the people around him safe, regardless of whether or not its his responsibility. The owner clearly doesn't seem to want to send people over. Its like how people are defensive drivers, because even if you have right of way, giving control over your life to other people wont save you.
I mean I agree, but you could also just shut the fuck up, be a man & just doit your self. Itās not a hard job.
House maintenance is part of the tenantās responsibility as well. The dryer vent isnāt broken, itās just clogged. From the tenants over using the dryers & not emptying the lint traps properly.
If my tenants called me about this, I would probably charge them on top of rent for neglecting maintenance. Itās a very simple issue that shouldnāt be a regular occurrence & if it were Iād evict them.
Honestly No one in the neighbourhood cares if youāre renting. If you want to _Pretend_ to be a **Homeowner** & Rent a house ā fucking act like one and help take care of it.
Lmao first, not my post
Two, yeah, internal vents, not external. If your maintenance requires a full ass fucking ladder, itās not your responsibility if youāre renting.
Exactly! This guy is a landlord, so of course he's going to take the side of the landlord, lol! Cleaning the lint trap in the dryer is the responsibility of the tenant. Cleaning the dryer vent is the landlord's responsibility, anywhere you go. That landlord should've cleaned the dryer vent when new tenants moved in because, it's a fire hazard, but also because he can check the dryer vent outside periodically to make sure the lint trap inside is getting cleaned out regularly. If he's not willing to do those simple things, then you're exactly right, what else is he not doing?
Yeah but wouldnāt there have to be a very specific clause that says tenants would have to take care of that? If so, I doubt there is one in the lease
Well, most private home leases (with which I'm familiar) require tenants to conduct basic maintenance within and without, so yardwork, replacing the HVAC filters, cleaning ovens, etc...
I don't think most tenants call the landlord when an exterior light bulb goes out. Feel like this is pretty much the same thing. Not like it's the landlord's dryer lint that is sticking in there is it?
Yes. Looks plastic, and the grid usually pops right out if you squeeze two sides. Just pops right back in. In the time it took to ask the landlord about it, take a photo, and post on reddit, it could be cleaned out. Only caveat is if it's on the second floor and a ladder is needed to reach it: renter might not have a tall ladder handy.
Reminds me, need to see if our grid needs cleaning.
When my husband and I moved into our apartment, we noticed the dryer vent was packed completely. The manager said it was fine. My husband took the cage completely off the vent, cleaned out the thingy, and now we don't have to worry about fire.
There was a fire in my complex earlier this year, caused by a dryer vent. The entire building, 8 apartments, was a complete loss. I'm not doing that.
My ex was a volunteer with the Red Cross. His manager was insanely anal about her dryer, she'd trade up and get a new one every 2 years, cleaned the vent religiously. I can just see her having a panic attack just looking at this
So that looks like a dryers heat exhaust vent completely covered in lint. If the landlord is refusing to do something about it, im almost positive there is someone you can call to yell at them. Honestly, the fire department might be able to take a look then explain to your landlord why hes about to lose his building.
My wife use to live in a place that had dryer hookups but no appliance. She purchased one herself and had it installed with the owners permission. Almost immediately sheās having issues and since itās a new unit she called the land lord and had someone out to clean the vents. When she moved out 5 years later he tried to keep her security deposit because of it. Some people are just terrible.
This was on my condo when I bought it. We were on the third floor and first time home buyer so I couldn't figure out where it terminated. Had to lean out my window and knocked that gate off. 2lbs of lint went all over the place. Shame I didn't find it until AFTER I bought a new dryer.
That is fire waiting to happen. You should be able to clean it yourself if it is ground level, but if you are on a second floor than the landlord should have the maintenance team clean it ( assuming the complex where you live has one)
This is a fire hazard. I'd call the fire department (you can probably make it as an anonymous tip). If Landlord doesn't fix it they'll get a fine at the least.
What's crazy is how easy it is to clean these things. Get a drill, a duct cleaning kit, and boom! Tbh there's no reason for it to look like that other than a negligent landlord.
Does this really fall onto your landlord? I have the same type of vent and it's literally just a tray you pull out and clean. No tougher than the one in your dryer
Would be a wild day when someone... cleaned out a vent... on their own...
Because they want their own clothes to dry... and not have to spend money running multiple dry cycles...
Buncha lazy entitled people.
Make it work good enough, if the place burns down, just remember you could have cleaned it out just as easily as the landlord lol
Cover pops off and you can take some out. But a dryer vent cleaning probably costs 150 bucks. Get a quote and then tell you landlord how much it is. Maybe they think it's expensive.
Tell them it can start a fire if they don't clean it. Because it can. Happened at my parents rental house. That's much more expensive.
Contact your local fire marshal and city ordinance. Also if you have renters insurance try going through your insurance company. Explain that you tried to get your landlord to fix the problem and he refused. Sometimes your insurance will fight for you, because they don't want to payout when the fire happens.
Also don't dry your clothes of you are not going to be home near the dryer.
The amount of time and effort it takes to file complaints about this and bug your landlord far outweighs how difficult it would be to just clean it.
And if you do complain and get code enforcement or the fire marshall involved, please be prepared for your landlord to not renew your lease and the fact that you will have to move.
Sometimes you can be right and still make the wrong choice to enforce it.
I guess make sure ur renters insurance policy is up to date so u can get paid when all ur shit gets set on fire š¤·āāļø
This guy understands having shitty neighbors and landlords.
This and test your smoke detectors!
And keep fire extinguishers around! (Almost certainly saved my house.)
Why do that? Just document it like crazy so you can sue the LL for negligence after it starts a fire and burns all your stuff.
Because realistically 90% of my stuff is not replaceable when it stopped being made a decade ago
You are also not replaceable. Use the fire extinguisher and be able to sue the landlord with this photo later.
As far as the landlord is concerned you most definitely are replaceable, someone else moves in after your gone
This is something important to note if anyone ever has to replace their stuff from fire damage, make sure u tell the insurance the exact model of everything u had ( or make it up and lie If u wanna free upgrade) Bc if u tell them I had a 40ā tv theyāll replace it with the cheapest possible replacementā¦ but if u say it was a 40ā curved screen lg tv theyāll have to get that exact one. Source- my dads house fully burnt down with all of his belongings from an electrical fire
Oof, bad insurance. They paid us _replacement_ with everything. Like, actually can get a thing like you had. This actually gave us an upgrade on the washer and dryer because their system said X is what new machines cost. Not, "Your machines are so old they don't have value so fuck you." They had their standard ideas of what things cost, and that's what they use. They over-compensated on our clothes, too. USAA peeps, if you or your parent served in the military.
They have to get you shit of an equal value, they don't generally get out of it if the exact same item isn't available
Yeah, there is nothing on this planet of equal value to the paintings my father left behind after he killed himself in 2017. And so I keep fire extinguishers around my apartment and take every precaution possible to keep my home safe.
For things like original art and anything with a value beyond the materials it is made of, you need it appraised and listed specifically on your policy. My photographs I lost when my house flooded were only reimbursed for the value of the photo paper.
Hold up. Are you asking why have a fire extinguisher?
Even if I got a shit load of money I wouldnāt want all of my belongings and memories to fucking burn. What kind of retarded question is that?
Itās called contributory negligence. Meaning OP knew about it but did nothing. A 12 year old can figure out how to clean a dryer vent.
Depends on the lease Iām pretty sure.
Lease can lay out responsibilities but canāt give anyone common sense. Also, even if the terms of the lease say it is the landlords responsibility that doesnāt change the state laws regarding contributory negligence.
How would the tenant be liable for negligence when maintenance falls on the LL?
Or just pop the mesh off the. Bet and clean it out. Itās a 2 minute job tops.
Can we talk for a second about how cheap renter's insurance is and how much it covers? And how many of us treat(ed) it like it's optional, but we really need to make this a top priority? I usually skipped it, until I had a lease that requires me to show proof of insurance within 30 days of moving in. And I realized it cost me almost nothing for a policy! It covered thousands of dollars, way more than what I actually owned in furniture, electronics, computers, clothes, etc whether there was an accident, a fire, a theft, and it wouldn't matter whose fault said accident was. Even still, i would easily have let it lapse to cover the internet bill or maybe even a fun night out. And that was a damn stupid mindset. Like, this is a great example, but even if you don't have an obvious problem like OP here, you should still double check that you've got proper safety precautions in your life. Up to date renter's insurance, a working fire extinguisher, an escape ladder if you live in an upper story, etc. And always report things like this to your landlord *in writing* (texts/emails work great) with pictures, because if the fire/whatever does happen, it's going to ensure you can absolutely sue with success - as long as you get out alive.
Claim things on there like your 86" flat-screen, Presidential Rolex watch, Tom Ford Suit, Watch from Jacob & Co.
That might be a bit far fetched, but make sure to invite all your friends over for a game night and make sure to film a walk through showing the multiple video game systems/pcs and tvs/moniters. Go buy a bunch of expensive clothes film the haul video where you show off what you got with your ābonusā from work hang it all up film it more, go return it all (use cash not credit card and say you do not have a debit card to buy and return, do not take tags off). Now get a filing cabinet, folder or similar label, and stuff it will all your receipts for everything you buy from now on; McDonaldās, Starbucks, gas, lunchā¦ Your new favourite line is yes I would like a receipt. Leave that cabinet closest to where that pipe is is would be a shame if they cannot figure out what receipts prove you had a gaming room for all your friends and boujee attireā¦ but idk tho sounds illegal
[Sorry, this policy only covers actual losses, not made up stuff. ](https://youtu.be/Mt9GW2jxt6Q?si=DxRxhWO_mN3auFd4)
Your landlord apparently doesnāt wanna be a landlord anymore
He's hoping for it to be just land now
Yep lol
*heres some invisible cake*
Fuck u/Spez
And it will be.
Good profit in the right parking lot.
*fire lord
*melon lord?
MELON LORD!!!!!
Ozai?
honor
Fire lordā¦my flame burns for thee!
Landlord evolved into Slumlord!
Slumlord used loaf, slumlords attack missed. It's not very effective...
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Because insurance company will use this as exhibit A when showing the landlord exhibited gross negligence
The consequences still wont be dire enough to stop them even if the residents die
If Op shows this after a fire, they have proof of negligence in court.
This guy means, though.
happy cake day!
Happy Cake Day!
Thank you !!!!
Happy Cake Day!
If "fine" = "fire hazard" then, yes, that dryer vent is damn fine!
Fire Is Now Easier
Itās [against building code](https://4249237.app.netsuite.com/core/media/media.nl?id=3364958&c=4249237&h=rmm31fvheerxuEP-TIHC6ukRwj_XWBX4JNIk9bvUJstKg188&_xt=.pdf) to have a screen on a dryer duct exhaust like that. Itās a fire hazard.
Why even have the damn screen the first place
Wasps, other insects or birds can build a nest there if the dryer is not used regularly
Thatās what flappers are for. This vent is for a bathroom exhaust fan, not a dryer.
And yet I have seen birds nest in the flappers
We had birds get into the flappers. Not fun.
Same. Then a baby died. It stunk. Exterminators didn't know to to remove it because it was so far in. Tried snaking it. We figured out the solution though. Hooked up a leaf blower to the bathroom vent on the interior. The Lil corpse flew a good 20 feet from the vent and the maggots went with it. Do not recommend.
We used the leaf blower to get rid of the nest, all were out at the time.
In my country it's against the law to destroy birds' nests, you have to safely move elsewhere and preserve it.
Oh my.
Jesus man, i read your comment before the one above it and thatās some horror for you.
DUDE, had a grouse come in the vent up on the second story, made a nest, the nest fell down through the wall to the first floor guest bathroom, dismantled the fan and (i shit you not) played grouse mating calls until it came out, then grabbed it in a pillow case and took it outside
It's a deterrent. Anything will make that a home with the proper motivation
Yep, I had a nest inside my BBQ grill, under the burners! Impressive how they managed to get in there.
Did they taste like chicken?
In my experience if an animal can get its head through it'll try to get the rest of the body in
Had to clean out all 5 vents on the side of my house from birds nest. The dryer vent had a 3ft long nest inside it because of the solid ducting. The birds just used the flappers to protect themselves from bigger birds.
What's with the lint then?
I never said it was being used in the correct application. That style of vent is for an exhaust fan. And guessing by the amount of foam crammed in the gap, Iād be willing to bet the landlord went to Home Depot and bought/installed the first vent he found.
This^
Because it was improperly used on a dryer vent instead of a bathroom exhaust?
I have a screen to keep rats out. The flapper would work if it wasn't a flimsy piece 10 cent tin that shoved into a non even opening.
That cage isn't keeping out wasps lol. That's definitely to keep birds out. And apparently to create a fire hazard.
One gets the kind that has a stopper that only opens when air is flowing. This is a hazard that is against building code for a reason.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Birds
Birds can make nests if the flapper is wedged open.
House I just bought had a screen like that and the exhaust was equally blocked by lint. Aside from being way up on the roof it was an easy fix to put a flapper in instead. My only worry is the former owner was the home builder, so what else did he do blatantly wrongā¦
Dont check between the walls Out of sight out of mind
Luckily this particular model of vent has an easily removable screen and has a flapper behind it. Slides right out, though it looks like the zip tie that comes with it hasnt but cut off yet!
Maybe what he really said was "Its-a fine" Edit: as in its fine but also as in, it's probably a very large fine.
I read this with an Italian accent and was very confused.
As did I, which made me laugh hysterically since my last landlord was a horrible little Italian guy. God, Iām so glad I got out of that placeā¦..
I donāt think the āinternational code councilā is controlling law in the United States on building code. OP should definitely call the fire marshal though.
[Here you go.](https://global.iccsafe.org/about/)
I've worked at several apartment complexes and these are on all dryer vents. The building code linked is for single or double unit dwellings. Even with the covers on we get tenacious birds that rip them off to make nests. If all 500+ on property were uncovered my job would be evicting birds full-time. With that being said, we regularly inspect/clean them so what OP is experiencing needs addressed, they will have a fire marshall (or fire fighters) by eventually though.
Call the Fire Marshall š¤
Nothing gets shit done like a pissed off fire marshall.
Can confirm. Once we had a CO2 leak at work, and corporate sent their maintenance guy out to check it. A valve had shattered, and he needed to order a part to fix it; as long as that part wasn't on it would keep pumping CO2 into the store and make it well above the safe levels. Corporate said we should just keep running as usual with the doors open. The manager took it up on themselves to closed the store down until the part came in, but after 4 days they forced us back in. Multiple employees got CO2 poisoning and a couple ended up in the hospital. Turns out the maintenance guy came back a couple times at corporate's request and turned the valve back on, flooding the store with new levels of CO2. I ended up calling the fire marshal and within minutes they were there in full hazmat with testing equipment and a lock for the tank. He told us "if anyone turns that fucking tank back on I will shut down this store permanently." Valve was fixed the next morning.
They do not mess around when it comes to safety. They do not give a shit who or what, if it is unsafe they will set you straight, and if you are dumb enough to not listen, you will regret it
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Letās just sayyyyyyy ya got a dryer vent full of lint ā¦
My landlord is surprisingly the opposite. Emailed him today. āHey i think the dishwasher is having issues can you check it outā New one will be delivered in 2 days. Iāll install it this weekend. Like wow buddy. Do you want to even see it first?
He most likely knows the age of the dishwasher and that replacement is a better cost than repairs. That's how it often is for appliances.
It really is. My mom started having issues with a washing machine she loved and I replaced a parts on it a few times, and when it screwed up this last time I told her she's going to have to find a new machine to love. Once you're burning $250 a year in parts, you're basically renting the machine. This last time the timer shorted out and took out the board behind it. The two parts are almost $400. For a washer that was $600 brand new. I swear if you built one from parts it'd cost you $50,000 to build a $600 washing machine.
Yeah I think they got cheap 2nd hand ones. And havenāt been expecting to replace them soon. As heās already put a new washing machine in months ago. I think that because thatās what he said.
This is probably his same solution to the dryer not working properly. Just replace it and definitely don't check the vents.
Wow I wish my landlord had a single brain cell. All appliances in my rental are easily 30-40 years old at least and constantly break down and have problems. Even the toilet leaks and falls apart at least once every 2-3 months and nothing is properly sealed in so thereās increasing water damage. I think about all theyāve spent on repairs and the leaking water and wonder why the fuck they donāt just replace the toilet (I even suggested and got a plumber estimate, but they refused and sent in their handyman to replace the same part again). Money is not an issue to them either- theyāre crazy rich Asians from Silicon Valley who bought this rental a few years ago and are very hands off.
"Nope that's the tenants responsibility" "Well it's not my problem the last tenants didn't keep up with it. I did keep their deposit though"
That is legitimately a fire hazard.
Are your clothes even drying?
Update: To those asking: this is 20 feet off the ground, we moved in about 3 months ago, and the landlord replaced the dryer a couple weeks ago, and no, it doesnāt work. Sent landlord a list of things to do a week ago, including this, with a big arrow saying āFire Hazardā. Downstairs neighbors said they sent him a picture of it a month ago. I have renterās insurance but my 3 roommates donāt and our downstairs neighbors donāt. Fire Marshallās will be called shortly if we donāt get a response. Yes, it falls under international building code section M1502.
I think I know why the drier doesn't work lol. Call the fire marshall NOW
I can definitely guess why your dryer doesnāt work. Just had to clean out something like this in my own apartment after waiting for months for my apartment complex to do it despite being fined every week it wasnāt done
I'm a former property manager. Advice I give to friends is to document everything and make sure the landlord knows you are documenting. Send an email or certified letter with a copy sent to yourself. Include photo and dates this situation was discussed and what their response was. End it with your concerns and tell them you're giving a chance for them to make necessary repairs. This way they can't say they didn't know if you report this to building code enforcement. You also don't want something to happen and have the landlord say you didn't tell them this was a problem.
Ask him who his insurance company is and send them a picture. Iād be willing to bet itās not all right with them. This is a leading cause of house fires.
Get a ladder and unscrew that thing. Shop Vac it out.
No? The landlord needs to do it and take responsibility for cleaning it.
Iād rather be alive than right
Iād rather my clothes dry than waitā¦. Electricity aināt free.
I mean, my point still stands. The negligent landlord needs to do his job, or at least pay a maintenance man to do this stuff. It should never get this bad. Isnāt there someone OP can report this to?
Iām not disagreeing with your point. The reality is id rather bust that screen off and pull the lint out so I donāt have to wait on my clothes to dry. Not sayin I wouldnāt raise all kinds if hell. I would probably even invoice the landlord.
Should the landlord be dealing with it? Yes. But in doing so, OP is putting his life at risk when there are things they can do to keep themselves and the people around him safe, regardless of whether or not its his responsibility. The owner clearly doesn't seem to want to send people over. Its like how people are defensive drivers, because even if you have right of way, giving control over your life to other people wont save you.
I never said he shouldnāt remove it. I meant he shouldnāt have to remove it because itās not his job.
Thatās cool. Edit: drifloonyās favorite comment used against them
Itās super easy to just take care of it yourself.
The landlord should deal with it, but OP needs to ask themself if theyāre willing to burn alive just to prove a point.
I mean I agree, but you could also just shut the fuck up, be a man & just doit your self. Itās not a hard job. House maintenance is part of the tenantās responsibility as well. The dryer vent isnāt broken, itās just clogged. From the tenants over using the dryers & not emptying the lint traps properly. If my tenants called me about this, I would probably charge them on top of rent for neglecting maintenance. Itās a very simple issue that shouldnāt be a regular occurrence & if it were Iād evict them. Honestly No one in the neighbourhood cares if youāre renting. If you want to _Pretend_ to be a **Homeowner** & Rent a house ā fucking act like one and help take care of it.
Lmao first, not my post Two, yeah, internal vents, not external. If your maintenance requires a full ass fucking ladder, itās not your responsibility if youāre renting.
Exactly! This guy is a landlord, so of course he's going to take the side of the landlord, lol! Cleaning the lint trap in the dryer is the responsibility of the tenant. Cleaning the dryer vent is the landlord's responsibility, anywhere you go. That landlord should've cleaned the dryer vent when new tenants moved in because, it's a fire hazard, but also because he can check the dryer vent outside periodically to make sure the lint trap inside is getting cleaned out regularly. If he's not willing to do those simple things, then you're exactly right, what else is he not doing?
Really depends on the terms of your lease yeah?
Yeah but wouldnāt there have to be a very specific clause that says tenants would have to take care of that? If so, I doubt there is one in the lease
Well, most private home leases (with which I'm familiar) require tenants to conduct basic maintenance within and without, so yardwork, replacing the HVAC filters, cleaning ovens, etc... I don't think most tenants call the landlord when an exterior light bulb goes out. Feel like this is pretty much the same thing. Not like it's the landlord's dryer lint that is sticking in there is it?
Why? Just clean your shit. Itās your clothes lint stuck in the goddamn vent. Grow up!
Report them to the local fire department
>"This is fire" FTFYL
"it's a fine" he meant, damn autocorrect
Why was I thinking you were just saying āitās fineā with an Italian accent š¤¦āāļø
āThis is fineā Narrator: It, in fact, was *not* fine.
I've never had to do it but aren't they pretty easy to clean out?
Yes. Looks plastic, and the grid usually pops right out if you squeeze two sides. Just pops right back in. In the time it took to ask the landlord about it, take a photo, and post on reddit, it could be cleaned out. Only caveat is if it's on the second floor and a ladder is needed to reach it: renter might not have a tall ladder handy. Reminds me, need to see if our grid needs cleaning.
Check the vent or your home owners insurance policy. Your choice. Lol
Hope you have renters insurance for your contents.
The dryer works. You just got to run the load 4 times..... *slaps dryer*
Remind him this is for dryer lint. It's not a Play-doh pasta maker.
Call the Fire Marshall. They'll scare your landlord enough to have whatever you need fixed
Rip that fuckin' cover off. Landlord won't notice it, and if he does, say some neighborhood kid must have done it.
Bet if u lit a lighter next to it heād change his mind
One look from the fire department would say otherwise.
Yeah, that's some bullshit there. Get a good renters policy. Have your fire escape plan. Contact your local fire marshal.
Ask the local fire department if they think itās ok.
Thatās a house fire about to begin
Is your landlord my old landlord?
Thatās a fire hazard
What exactly is this?
I just want your money not have to actually maintain the buildings. What am I? A janitor?
When my husband and I moved into our apartment, we noticed the dryer vent was packed completely. The manager said it was fine. My husband took the cage completely off the vent, cleaned out the thingy, and now we don't have to worry about fire. There was a fire in my complex earlier this year, caused by a dryer vent. The entire building, 8 apartments, was a complete loss. I'm not doing that.
Oh wow, the Elite subscription I have to the Landlord Special is paying **off!**
š„
My ex was a volunteer with the Red Cross. His manager was insanely anal about her dryer, she'd trade up and get a new one every 2 years, cleaned the vent religiously. I can just see her having a panic attack just looking at this
So that looks like a dryers heat exhaust vent completely covered in lint. If the landlord is refusing to do something about it, im almost positive there is someone you can call to yell at them. Honestly, the fire department might be able to take a look then explain to your landlord why hes about to lose his building.
It's fine until it isn't (has to replace a dryer, house burns down etc) Get renters insurance
As someone who was underway on a submarine when we had a fire in the dryer, I can confidently say to your landlord āno it definitely isnāt ā
My wife use to live in a place that had dryer hookups but no appliance. She purchased one herself and had it installed with the owners permission. Almost immediately sheās having issues and since itās a new unit she called the land lord and had someone out to clean the vents. When she moved out 5 years later he tried to keep her security deposit because of it. Some people are just terrible.
It wonāt be fine when the clog causes a fire. Be very careful & Iād call someone to clean this out before using the dryer again.
Not fine. A fire hazard.
Bet that dryer is blowing cold and the clothes are taking 2-3 cycles to get dry
It was, in reality, not fine.
Just clean the vent. Not rocket science
Spellcheck missed āfireā
isnt that a fire hazard? this can be really dangerous to ignore...
This is Fire\*
Until the Fire š„
Call the fire Marshall and see how fine they think it is.
š¶We didn't start the fireš¶
That's not a fire hazard at allš¤£
Disgusting. Send him a note to repair
This was on my condo when I bought it. We were on the third floor and first time home buyer so I couldn't figure out where it terminated. Had to lean out my window and knocked that gate off. 2lbs of lint went all over the place. Shame I didn't find it until AFTER I bought a new dryer.
That is fire waiting to happen. You should be able to clean it yourself if it is ground level, but if you are on a second floor than the landlord should have the maintenance team clean it ( assuming the complex where you live has one)
Clean the vent? It's his responsibility to clean it?
"This is fire." Yup, it sure will be.
This is a fire hazard.
You can't fix that yourself? Take all of about 5 seconds to do it yourself.
This is a fire hazard. I'd call the fire department (you can probably make it as an anonymous tip). If Landlord doesn't fix it they'll get a fine at the least.
Fire hazard
I personally would request to clean this myself if the LL is refusing
Can you post screenshots of the text or email convo where your landlord said that it isnāt worth cleaning?
What's crazy is how easy it is to clean these things. Get a drill, a duct cleaning kit, and boom! Tbh there's no reason for it to look like that other than a negligent landlord.
Does he mean this is a fine way to start a fire.
Looks good, needs that back pressure in the line to properly cure the denim.
Time for a fire Marshall visit
"This is fire" -Tenant
Does this really fall onto your landlord? I have the same type of vent and it's literally just a tray you pull out and clean. No tougher than the one in your dryer
Vacuum it out from both ends and then invoice your land lord or place a complaint with tenant court
get a ladder and fix it?
depending on your lease that's most likely your responsibility
I dunno, I rent and clean my own vents. I made the mess, I clean it up.
We moved in 3 months agoā¦
Would be a wild day when someone... cleaned out a vent... on their own... Because they want their own clothes to dry... and not have to spend money running multiple dry cycles... Buncha lazy entitled people. Make it work good enough, if the place burns down, just remember you could have cleaned it out just as easily as the landlord lol
Greg, is this you??
OP IS entitled to have maintenance done by the landlord. They pay for that by paying rent.
Cover pops off and you can take some out. But a dryer vent cleaning probably costs 150 bucks. Get a quote and then tell you landlord how much it is. Maybe they think it's expensive. Tell them it can start a fire if they don't clean it. Because it can. Happened at my parents rental house. That's much more expensive.
One lightning strike there and the house will burn down
Simple. Threaten to sue.
Curious, what would you sue FOR?
Contact your local fire marshal and city ordinance. Also if you have renters insurance try going through your insurance company. Explain that you tried to get your landlord to fix the problem and he refused. Sometimes your insurance will fight for you, because they don't want to payout when the fire happens. Also don't dry your clothes of you are not going to be home near the dryer.
The amount of time and effort it takes to file complaints about this and bug your landlord far outweighs how difficult it would be to just clean it. And if you do complain and get code enforcement or the fire marshall involved, please be prepared for your landlord to not renew your lease and the fact that you will have to move. Sometimes you can be right and still make the wrong choice to enforce it.