Since we at Ashbusters have told you about the Chimney Safety Institute of America’s (CSIA) chimney sweep certification, we would like to tell you about the organization’s dryer vent technician certified credential (C-DET), what it means, and why it is so important to hire a CSIA-certified technician to clean and service the venting system of your clothes dryer. An annual professional dryer vent cleaning is recommended by the CSIA, the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), and other fire safety groups because the U.S. Fire Administration recorded 15,000 structure fires, 15 deaths, and 400 injuries each year between 2002 and 2004 — all caused by clothes dryers. While a small percentage of these fires, deaths, and injuries were caused by electrical issues, the major cause of these clothes dryer-related incidents is failure to clean. At Ashbusters, we are proud to have CSIA-certified dryer exhaust technicians to professionally clean your clothes dryer vents and prevent a devastating fire. We would like to share more about the certification process with you.
What is a C-DET?
The C-DET, or CSIA-Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician program focuses on a comprehensive examination which is given and scored by the CSIA. This exam tests a dryer vent technician’s knowledge and understanding of the basic information they must master to become competent dryer exhaust safety and fire prevention specialists.
What topics does the C-DET exam cover?
Technicians must know all applicable building codes, the National Fire Prevention Association standards 54 and 211, and all facets of inspecting and cleaning residential and commercial dryer exhaust systems.
How does one prepare for a C-DET exam?
The CSIA offers two different ways to review for the certification exam. You can go to a two-day workshop training session at the CSIA Technology Center in Plainfield, IL, or you can go to a one-day training session sponsored by CSIA in various cities across the country. The in-person training systems focus on educating technicians on tools, performance testing, and repairs for residential systems. The two-day workshops also provide training with commercial systems as well as installation and routing demonstrations.
If you cannot make it to one of the locations for the in-person training sessions, you can register for the CSIA’s online training session, which will be available to you for a week. In the online training session, you will have daily reading assignments from the CSIA-Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician study manual, along with four online lessons and interactive quizzes geared to help you pass the C-DET exam.
How does one officially earn the C-DET credential?
Applicants must score 80 percent or higher on the exam to earn this certified credential from the CSIA. If you score below 80 percent, you will have a chance to retake the exam at a lower cost if you retake the exam within six months. This credential must be renewed every three years by either retaking the exam or participating in a review session.
Have more questions about the C-DET credential? Click here to contact Ashbusters today to find out why you can trust us to properly and safely clean your dryer vent exhaust system.