John points to current trends in homes, leading to dryer vent problems and fire hazards Long Beach, NY -- Theres a dirty secret lurking inside your laundry room, and most people have no idea that it can cost them thousands of dollars in property damage and even their own lives. "Its hard for people to think of their clothes dryer as a fire hazard," says John Ryley, Dryer Vent Wizard (DVW) franchise owner, whose company specializes in maintaining, cleaning, repairing, replacing and altering dryer vents for residential and commercial consumers. Clothes dryer fires account for 15,600 structure fires, 15 deaths and 400 injuries annually, according to the National Fire Data Center in Emmitsburg, MD. Failure to clean lint out of the dryer vent is the leading cause. "Most people dont realize that New York State Building Codes changed in 1999 to indicate all dryer vent systems should be of a rigid metal piping, because of the fire hazard," says Ryley. Even dryer manufacturers call for a rigid metal piping and an annual cleaning to prohibit lint build up that leads to fire, but still people are unaware. Servicing the Long Island area, Ryley sees fire hazards and lack of maintenance every day. Most homes he services have white plastic, flexible hose or the silver foil, flexible hose that are not up to code. "It seems that once a homeowner has the dryer hooked up they never look at the back of the dryer after its installed," says Ryley. "Theyll often make the mistake of hooking up a new dryer to an old venting system just because the hose is there. As long as the clothes are drying, they leave things alone," he says. Ryley points to trends in homes creating dryer and venting problems. "Homeowners want the laundry area to be out of sight and near bedrooms and bathrooms," says Ryley. "While no one wants to drag laundry up and down the stairs, the result is longer venting which causes dryers to work harder, take longer to dry clothes, uses more energy and creates a fire hazard," he says. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), any vent over 25 feet is considered a fire hazard and installation of a booster fan is recommended. Booster fan installation helps dryers to function safely and more efficiently and is one of the services DVW also provides. Ryley believes the solution to the problem is creating consumer awareness in maintaining their dryer and dryer vents. He believes his role is as much about educating consumers as it is doing the work itself. He warns consumers that the most common sign of a venting problem is the clothes taking too long to dry. "If it takes more than one dryer cycle to get the towels dry, you may have a dryer vent problem," says Ryley. He offers these tips to help consumers keep their dryers up and running, prevent dryer fires and reduce energy consumption. The following are useful tips; be sure that dryer vent systems are up to code with city, state and manufacturer, replace any plastic or foil vent with semi-rigid or solid metal venting, clean screen lint trays before and after drying a load, wash lint screens with soap and water every few months to remove residue left behind by fabric softeners, have dryer vents professionally cleaned and inspected annually. The following are warning signs to look for; 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. "Consumers who follow these guidelines," says Ryley, "create a safe environment in their home, prolong the life of their dryer and will lower their energy bills." Dryer Vent Wizard, Safe Homes, Dry Clothes is the only national franchise to specialize exclusively in full service dryer venting solutions. For more information call 866 498 7233, www.dryerventwizard.com John Ryley – Long Island, NY 82 Belle Terre Ave Miller Place, NY 11764 631-744-1552 jryley@dryerventwizard.com
This press release was submitted by Right Now Marketing Group, LLC
