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16 | November 22, 2017 | 22nd century media holiday guide
22ndCenturyMedia.com
Before
If your dryer takes longer than one cycle
to dry your clothes, then you may have a
fire hazard in your vent.
Dryer Vent Cleaning
Installation
Alteration
Repair
WE ACCEPT
DON’T LET YOUR DRYER
START A
FIRE!
WARNING!
SAVE $ 10
ANY SERVICE!
815-215-2090
www.dryerventwizard.com
Call Today!
After
815-215-2090
www.dryerventwizard.com
New Lenox-based
business works to make
clothes dryers safer
Most people know they
need to clean out their
dryer lint tray between
each cycle, but what lurks
behind the wall is just as
important for safety and
avoiding fire traps, as well
as fully efficient dryer performance.
Joe Enzenberger, owner
of Dryer Vent Wizard,
opened his New Lenoxbased
business in 2009.
Lint is the villain —
lint that has been allowed
to build up and linger too
long in the dryer exhaust
vent.
It is estimated by the
U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission and
the U.S. Fire Administration
that 15,500 fires associated
with clothes dryers
occur annually. These fires
account for an average of
20 deaths, 370 injuries and
more than $88 million in
property damage.
“Failure to clean the
dryer vent” was the leading
factor cited in U.S. Fire
Administration reports.
“It is something very
few people know about or
think about,” said Enzenberger,
whose company
specializes in dryer vent
cleaning, repair, alteration
and installation. “It is
the leading cause of dryer
fires.”
Lint accumulation also
can cause dryers to stop
working or to work inefficiently.
A dryer vent
clogged with lint can add
as much as $18 to $24 per
month to energy costs.
“Improper venting
causes problems, as well,”
Enzenberger said. “The
dryer exhaust duct and
connections should be
made of rigid metal or
semi-rigid metal and secured
with metal, heatresistant
tape, rather than
duct tape. I often find
plastic or foil accordiontype
material, which can
easily trap lint and is more
susceptible to kinks and
crushing.”
Warning signs include the
following.
• Clothes are taking more
than one cycle to dry,
especially jeans and
towels
• No lint visible on lint
screen
• Dryer repeatedly stops
during a cycle
• Clothes have moldy
smell after dry cycle
• Clothes are very hot after
a dry cycle
• The top of the dryer hot
to the touch while running
• There is excess lint left
on clothing
“This has been a consumer
education process,
but it’s hard to get the
word out,” Enzenberger
said . “Most don’t call
until they have a serious
problem with their dryer.”
He suggests people
treat clothes dryers as a
household item in need of
regular maintenance. Consumers
can protect dryer
performance and promote
safety by cleaning the lint
screen between each use,
ensuring the connection
between the dryer and
wall is made of compliant
material and remains
un-kinked, and having the
dryer exhaust duct cleaned
regularly. Dryer manufacturers
recommend inspection
and cleaning at least
annually.
Those who are taking
some time off for the holidays
find it is the perfect
time to have an inspection
and cleaning of clothes
dryers and dryer vent systems.
Another important tip:
Never let your clothes dryer
run when you are out of
the house or asleep.
Submitted by Dryer Vent Wizard.
For more information,
visit www.dryerventwizard.
com or call (815) 215-2090.