Fire brigade reveals mistake that could cost you your house

Photo taken during Black Summer in Dalmeny on the outskirts of Narooma. Photo / Jonathan Poyner/News Corp Australia

Ahead of Australia's fire season, the NSW Rural Fire Service have sent out a warning about one of the biggest causes of a house fire.

Long story short: clean out the lint in your dryer, folks.

The RFS are calling on Australians to clean out their lint after every load, claiming it's one of the top 10 reasons a person's house might go up in flames.

To drive the point home, the warning was accompanied by a picture of a fire inside someone's combination washing/drying machine.

"This is why we keep the lint trap clean on the dryer. This is one of the top 10 causes for house fires," the NSW RFS posted on social media.

"How often do you clean out the lint trap?

"Clean after every load!"

It's a problem that hasn't changed much over the years.

Nine years ago a survey found that nearly a third of Australians risk household fires by not emptying the lint filter on their clothes dryer with every use.

Appliance website About.com warns about the dangers of not cleaning lint filters.

Don't do what this person did. Photo / Facebook

"When your lint filter becomes plugged, it restricts the outflow of heated air, which can cause your dryer to become overheated," the website says.

"This can increase the risk of fire starting in your dryer."

The RFS' advice is especially timely given Australia is just a year out of its Black Summer fires, which devastated thousands of Australians this time last year.