SW_HL_ZB_011620

22ndCenturyMedia.com healthy living
22nd century media | January 16, 2020 | 17
New Lenox-based
business works to make
clothes dryers safer
Hidden buildup in a
clothes dryer vent
is fire hazard
DON’T LET YOUR DRYER
START A
FIRE!
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
Lenox-based 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,”
he said. “The dryer exhaust
duct and connections
should be made of rigid
metal or semi-rigid metal
and secured with metal
heat-resistant 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
• 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 your dryer hot
to the touch while running.
• There’s excess lint left on
your 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
unkinked, and having the
dryer exhaust duct cleaned
regularly. Dryer manufacturers
recommend inspection
and cleaning at least
annually.
Now that the Holidays
are over, it is a great time
to have an inspection and
cleaning of clothes dryers
and dryer vent systems.
Another important tip –
never let clothes dryer run
when you are out of the
house or asleep.
Submitted by Dryer Vent Wizard.
For more information,
visit dryerventwizard.com or
call (815) 215-2090.
Before
WARNING!
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
SAVE $ 10
ANY SERVICE!
815-215-2090
www.dryerventwizard.com
Call Today!
After
815-215-2090
www.dryerventwizard.com