My wife insists that if you leave a towel, clothes or something over a heating vent you could start a fire.

Is there anyone out there that can help me settle this issue.

Thanks,

Tad

If you have electric heat, then I say no way.

If you have a gas furnace, then the key word is "could". Yes, I suppose that in some remote circumstance it could start a fire... but I've been drying things on my register vents for a couple decades - and have never seen anything on the register more than just a little warm... so have never worried about it.

If you have an old gravity feed furnace then the chance would increase just slightly.

If she won't take my experience as gospel, then I'd call a local fire station and ask the guys if they've ever run into or heard of a fire caused by someone drying a towel or clothes on the register ;)

Is your furnace gas or electric? And if gas, is it gravity or forced air?

Paper burns at 451 degrees F. Cloth will be about similar. Not many furnaces, even gravity will exceed 210 F. It is very unlikely it could possibly ignite or your wood and vinyl floors would ba a hazard. But you are restricting airflow and reducing efficiency.
And wouldn't that be painfull to step on such a hot floor register that it can ignite a towel. Oh and don't hang your toilet paper over it, lol.

1. No matter what the facts are, if your wife says it is so, then it is,
Just tell her you are sorry and take her to dinner.

If you win, you still lose.

My wife insists that if you leave a towel, clothes or something over a heating vent you could start a fire.

Is there anyone out there that can help me settle this issue.

Thanks,

Tad
Yes it can start a fire because of the heat that's coming out of it. Very Very hot...

*scratches head* Whoa, really?

Thanks for the answers RickJ and thanks for asking tmajerek; not only can you possibly start a fire, but it will surely get a bit cold if anything is blocking the vent, for sure!

What temperature do you guys set your main limits at? Your not putting clothing right on the heat exchanger are you? Like I said... don't step on a register hot enough to burn paper or a towel.

1. no matter what the facts are, if your wife says it is so, then it is,
just tell her you are sorry and take her to dinner.

if you win, you still lose.

This is so true... I say just pick up the towels! ;)