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22ndCenturyMedia.com active aging<br />
22nd century media | March 1, 2018 | 19<br />
Dryer Vent Wi<strong>za</strong>rd<br />
works to make<br />
clothes dryers safer<br />
Hidden buildup in clothes<br />
dryer vent is fire ha<strong>za</strong>rd<br />
DON’T LET YOUR DRYER<br />
START A<br />
FIRE!<br />
Most people know they need to clean<br />
out their dryer lint tray between each<br />
cycle, but what lurks behind the wall is<br />
just as important for safety, avoiding<br />
fire traps, as well as fully efficient dryer<br />
performance. Joe Enzenberger, owner<br />
of Dryer Vent Wi<strong>za</strong>rd, opened his New<br />
Lenox-based business in 2009, and he can<br />
help fix those dryer issues.<br />
Lint is the villain – lint that has been<br />
allowed to build up and linger too long in<br />
the dryer exhaust vent. It is estimated by<br />
the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission<br />
and the U.S. Fire Administration<br />
that 15,500 fires associated with clothes<br />
dryers occur annually. These fires account<br />
for an average of 20 deaths, 370 injuries<br />
and more than $88 million in property<br />
damage. “Failure to clean the dryer vent”<br />
was the leading factor cited in U.S. Fire<br />
Administration reports,” Enzenberger,<br />
whose company specializes in dryer vent<br />
cleaning, repair, alteration and installation,<br />
said,<br />
“It is something very few people know<br />
about or think about. It is the leading<br />
cause of dryer fires.”<br />
Lint accumulation also can cause dryers<br />
to stop working or to work inefficiently.<br />
A dryer vent clogged with lint can add as<br />
much as $18 to $24 per month to energy<br />
costs.<br />
“Improper venting causes problems,<br />
as well,” Enzenberger said. “The dryer<br />
exhaust duct and connections should be<br />
made of rigid metal or semi-rigid metal<br />
and secured with metal heat-resistant tape<br />
rather than duct tape. I often find plastic<br />
or foil accordion-type material, which can<br />
easily trap lint and is more susceptible to<br />
kinks and crushing.”<br />
Warning signs include:<br />
• Clothes are taking more than one cycle<br />
to dry, especially jeans and towels.<br />
• No lint visible on lint screen.<br />
• Dryer repeatedly stops during a cycle.<br />
• Clothes have moldy smell after dry cycle.<br />
• Clothes are very hot after a dry cycle<br />
• The top of your dryer is hot to the touch<br />
while running.<br />
• There’s excess lint left on your clothing.<br />
“This has been a consumer education<br />
process, but it’s hard to get the word out,”<br />
Enzenberger said. “Most don’t call until<br />
they have a serious problem with their<br />
dryer.”<br />
He suggests people treat clothes dryers<br />
as a household item in need of regular<br />
maintenance. Consumers can protect<br />
dryer performance and promote safety<br />
by cleaning the lint screen between each<br />
use, ensuring the connection between the<br />
dryer and wall is made of compliant material<br />
and remains unkinked, and having<br />
the dryer exhaust duct cleaned regularly.<br />
Dryer manufacturers recommend inspection<br />
and cleaning at least annually.<br />
Something to watch for in spring: Birds<br />
will begin to build nests, and a popular<br />
nesting site for birds is inside dryer vent<br />
lines. Spring is an important time to have<br />
an inspection and cleaning of clothes dryers<br />
and dryer vent systems.<br />
Another important tip: Never let your<br />
clothes dryer run when you are out of the<br />
house or asleep.<br />
Submitted by Dryer Vent Wi<strong>za</strong>rd, 1505 Cherrywood<br />
Lane, New Lenox. For more information,<br />
call (815) 215-2090 or visit www.<br />
willcountydryervent.com.<br />
Before<br />
WARNING!<br />
If your dryer takes longer than one cycle<br />
to dry your clothes, then you may have a<br />
fire ha<strong>za</strong>rd in your vent.<br />
Dryer Vent Cleaning<br />
Installation<br />
Alteration<br />
Repair<br />
WE ACCEPT<br />
SAVE $ 10<br />
ANY SERVICE!<br />
815-215-2090<br />
www.dryerventwi<strong>za</strong>rd.com<br />
Call Today!<br />
After<br />
815-215-2090<br />
www.dryerventwi<strong>za</strong>rd.com