Tag Archives: Dryer Fire Prevention

Dryer Vent Wizard Raises over $5,000 for Children’s Burn Foundation

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“Prevent a fire, clean your dryer” was the message on purple wristbands distributed across the country by Dryer Vent Wizard (DVW) in October, during National Fire Prevention Month.

DVW franchisees throughout the United States participated in fire department open houses, community events, on-air interviews, and more to help raise public awareness that poorly maintained or clogged dryer vents are the leading cause of over 15,500 dryer fires every year.

Dryer Vent Wizard partnered with the Children’s Burn Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps child burn survivors by providing both medical and psychological care and activities.

“We raised more than $5,000 through donations,” said Terry Reuer, DVW president. “We actually exceeded our goal and donated 100% of the proceeds to this very worthwhile organization.”

Reuer also acknowledged some of DVW’s franchisees who took time from normal business hours to benefit local communities.

Gina Fazil, DVW franchisee in Sacramento California, was featured on Good Day Sacramento, a TV show on CW 31. She provided an in-home demonstration of potential dryer vent hazards.

On the East Coast, John Ryley, DVW franchisee of Suffolk County, New York attended a local fire open house in Manorville, distributing dryer fire safety information.

Larry Butterfield, DVW owner of Southeast Michigan, participated in a local fire station open house in Chelsea, Mich. He provided an educational display, held a prize drawing for visitors, and answered questions along with the home office staff.

Upon learning the outcome of DVW’s fundraising efforts, Children’s Burn Foundation Executive Director Carol Horvitz said, “Dryer Vent Wizard’s support will give new hope for children suffering from burns and will help continue our mutual mission to prevent burn injuries. We hold a special place in our hearts for all who participated.”

Maureen Longe Presents Dryer Fire Safety to AAA

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To help educate on dryer fire prevention during National Fire Prevention month in October, Dryer Vent Wizard (DVW) Maureen Longe presented the importance of having your dryer vent inspected and cleaned every year to AAA.

It is estimated that poorly maintained or clogged dryer vents are the leading cause of appliance fires and cause nearly 17,000 dryer fires every year (source) and over $194 million in property damages.

“There are common warning signs that can indicate a clog or obstruction in your dryer vent, alerting you to a possible dryer fire,” says Longe. They are:

• Clothes taking longer than one cycle to dry a load, especially jeans and towels
• Dryer repeatedly stopping during a cycle
• No lint on the lint screen
• Clothes having a moldy smell after the dry cycle

If you experience any of these signs, make sure to have your dryer vent inspected and cleaned by a professional once a year to reduce the risk of a dryer fire and increase the efficiency of your dryer.

Dryer Vent Wizard Gina Fazil on Good Day Sacramento

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Dryer Vent Wizard, Gina Fazil, was recently featured on Good Day Sacramento to help prevent dryer fires during National Fire Prevention month in October.

There are nearly 17,000 dryer fires every year (source) and the leading factor is failure to clean. Having the dryer vent cleaned is something most homeowners don’t think about, yet major appliance manufacturers recommend having your dryer vent cleaned every year to reduce the risk of fires and keep your dryer running efficiently.

Clogged dryer vents aren’t the only danger, improper venting materials such as foil and vinyl increase the risk of fire in a home. “There is a sticker on the dryer that says WARNING: Do not use metal foil. Do not use plastic, because it can cause a dryer fire,” says Fazil. “Foil and vinyl venting material can collapse and block dryer lint in the vent.” It’s important that dryer vents be made from code compliant materials, such as rigid metal.

To help further the efforts of fire prevention and safety, Dryer Vent Wizard is also raising funds for the Children’s Burn Foundation the month of October.

Larry Butterfield Joins Chelsea Area Fire Authority to Prevent Fires

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To help educate on dryer fire safety and prevention during National Fire Prevention month in October, Dryer Vent Wizard (DVW) Larry Butterfield and the Dryer Vent Wizard home office joined the Chelsea Area Fire Authority Open House and discussed dryer vent safety.

Poorly maintained dryer vents are the leading cause of appliance fires, cause nearly 17,000 dryer fires every year (source) and over $194 million in property damages. Educating on proper maintenance (having the dryer vent cleaned once a year) as well as displaying proper vs. improper venting materials puts the Chelsea community one step closer to preventing another dryer fire.

Dryer fire warning signs include:
• Clothes taking longer than one cycle to dry a load, especially jeans and towels
• Dryer repeatedly stopping during a cycle
• No lint on the lint screen
• Clothes having a moldy smell after the dry cycle

Make sure to have your dryer vent inspected and cleaned by a professional once a year to reduce the risk of a dryer fire and increase the efficiency of your dryer.

Dryer Vent Wizard Glen Mayfield on Appliance Doctor

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Dryer Vent Wizard, Glen Mayfield visited Joe Gagnon The Appliance Doctor on WAAM Talk 1600, who has been an active consumer advocate and appliance repair guru for more than 20 years, to discuss dryer fire safety. Dryer Vent Wizard inspects, cleans, repairs, installs and reroutes dryer vents.

In an effort to prevent future dryer fires, and keep homes safe Mayfield, a Dryer Vent Wizard professional in Indiana, explains how important it is to continuously educate consumers on proper dryer maintenance. Mayfield went on to say that the number one issue that his customers call about is their clothes not drying, which is the first indicator that there is a problem with the vent line.

When asked about a true story from the field, Mayfield detailed one occasion in which a customer had a tin foil vent (improper venting material) that had came loose and deposited lint above the ceiling of the dryer, which also contained an exposed wire. The exposed wire generated a spark while Mayfield was in the home and caught fire to the lint, spreading rapidly. Luckily he was there to assist in putting out the fire and called the fire department to make sure the home was safe. Once he got the “okay” he was able to replace/repair the dryer vent, and get the lint out!

The customers were so grateful that Mayfield was there to correct the problem, and that the fire hadn’t taken place while their son was home, as it was a room he had often played in, that they have regularly scheduled maintenance visits from Dryer Vent Wizard to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

To hear more from Glen Mayfield on his discussion of dryer vent safety and how to keep your home safe, listen to the audio file from Joe Gagnon, The Appliance Doctor WAAM Talk 1600 show or view the transcript.

Call Dryer Vent Wizard to schedule an appointment today at 866-498-7233.

Dryer Fire Prevention

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You may think of doing your laundry as a relatively low impact and low danger activity. But if your dryer is not properly installed and maintained, it could well be a disaster waiting to happen.

Dryer Vent Wizard

There are thousands of house fires started every year by clothes dryers. These happen in a couple of ways.

Too Much Lint in the Machine

Cleaning out your lint trap and other lint in the laundry line is important for more than just making your dryer run more efficiently. Dryer lint left unchecked can translate to a build up of lint inside the machine. While you may not realize this, that lint is extremely flammable. It’s essentially very airy cloth remnants and doesn’t take much to ignite.  Just a spark or two from your machine can start a fire that can quickly get out of hand.

In addition to your regular cleaning of the lint trap, you also should make sure to have a professional come out at least once a year to completely clean the lint out of the machine.

Lint and Debris in the Line

Not all lint gets caught up in the machine. Some of it continues out of your dryer and into the chutes and tubes leading from the dryer to the outside of your home. There are numerous points along the path where it can get stuck, on the walls, around a curve or even at the termination point in the vent. This is another area you need to have regularly cleaned by a professional to keep build up to a minimum.

Lint Near and Ignition Point

If you have a gas-powered clothes dryer, you need to be even more aware of the threats of fire connected to this appliance and keeping it clean. Since natural gas appliances have pilot lights, that means there is already a flame waiting for any lint to catch on fire.

More Than Lint

It’s not just lint that may be clogging up your dryer vent and ducts, but this is an area that bugs and rodents love. If they can create an access from the outside portion of the vent, they will be happy to move in to the line and set up shop. Many a homeowner has been surprised to find a mouse nest or even a bird nest inside their dryer vent.

The Fix

The easiest way to make sure your home is safe from a fire threat related to your dryer is to make sure the dryer and the line are well maintained. You should look for a certified dryer exhaust duct technician to take care of this for you. Also, if you have gas appliances, let them know in advance, so they can be prepared to clean all aspects of that piece of machinery.

Dryer Vent Wizard, Get the Lint Out is a member of the National Fire Protection Association and the largest chain of dryer vent cleaning, repair, replacement and alternation specialists in the U.S. with nearly 60 franchisees in major markets in the U.S.