When it comes to appliance maintenance, many people neglect the clothes dryer. Do you know your clothes dryer is more likely to cause a fire than your furnace or stove? It's true, but unfortunately, most consumers are not aware of this. The good news is that this type of fire is very easily preventable.
Dryer Vent Wizard of New Hampshire and Massachusetts specializes in dryer vent cleaning, repair, alterations and installation. We will inspect your system to be sure it meets city, state and manufacturing codes and check for lint build-up, which is the number one cause of over 15,000 dryer fires in the US.
Please watch this short video about dryer fire prevention:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/26507771#26507771
Contact:
Dryer Vent Wizard
Webb Dickson
Phone: 978-692-6396
Email: M-E-DryerVentWizard@comcast.net
Website: http://www.massdryervent.com/
Gena Brown, 48, Died after saving her four children
Email|Link|Comments (16) Posted by David Dahl, Regional Editor September 16, 2008 01:00 PM
Gena R. Brown, a Lexington woman known for her devotion to her children and for enjoying rides on a motorcycle, died Saturday Sept. 13 after saving her two daughters from a dryer fire that ignited their home.
Brown, 48, yelled for her daughters to get out, as the fire tore through the house on Paul Revere Road in the early hours of the morning. Jordan and Kendal Brown, ages 10 and 12, climbed out a second floor window and warned neighbors to call 911. Brown was unable to escape before firefighters arrived at 5 a.m. The fire is believed to be the result of lint buildup in a clothes dryer.
A mother of three, Brown was active and involved, taking her children to hockey, cheerleading and dance. She was also known to surprise her children, making spontaneous travel plans to go Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket for the weekend.
"Her children were her life," said longtime friend Dawn MacKerron of Belmont.
Brown's close-knit group of friends, whom she called the "Friday Night Girls," describe her as an outgoing, vivacious, and energetic personality. She rode a Harley Davidson motorcycle and played softball with the Moms on the Mound in Lexington. Brown loved to cook and throw dinner parties, said friend MacKerron. Her favorite dish was an Armenian dessert called "kadayif."
An avid golfer and gardener, Brown was a "friend who would give any part of herself to those she loved," said Jeanne E. Borelli. "In this tragic case, she gave herself to her children like the great mother she always was."
Brown had worked as a sonographer, or ultrasound technician, at Newton-Wellesley Hospital since January, where co-workers described her as a team player who cared deeply for her patients.
Brown was born on Oct. 19, 1959, in Dayton, Ohio to Gerald Newkirk and the late Peggy Newkirk. She grew up Schererville, Indiana where she attended Lake Central High School. She graduated from Indiana University in 1981 with a degree in marketing.
After college, Brown moved to California where she worked as a sales person for Pitney-Bowes and later as a loan originator. She moved to Massachusetts in the late 1980s and married Jim Brown of Belmont, in the early 90s. After their divorce, she went back to school at Middlesex Community College and in 2005 she earned her license as a diagnostic medical sonographer.
She moved to Lexington with her two girls in 2001. Her 15-year-old son Jake lives with his father Jim, in Belmont.
Brown is survived by her three children, Jake, Kendal, and Jordan, her father, Gerald Newkirk, her stepsister, Dede Lush, ex-husband Jim Brown, nieces and nephews, and many loving friends.
A memorial service in Gena's honor will be held Friday, Sept. 19, at 11 a.m. at Grace Chapel, 59 Worthen Rd., Lexington, with arrangements by Bedrosian Funeral Home.
Donations in Brown's memory may be made to the Gena R. Brown Children's Education Fund, c/o Belmont Savings Bank, 2 Leonard St., Belmont, MA 02478. Proceeds will go toward financing the education of her three children.
-- Erin Cahill
Webb Dickson, owner of Dryer Vent Wizard, serving New Hampshire and Massachusetts, along with its fellow nationwide franchisees is committed to preventing such tragedies by educating the public about the dangers of not maintaining the dryer venting system http://www.massdryervent.com/ cleans, maintains, alters, installs and tests dryer vent systems according to the most recent standards and building codes!
Contact:
Dryer Vent Wizard
Webb Dickson
Phone: 978-692-6396
Email: M-E-DryerVentWizard@comcast.net
Website: http://www.massdryervent.com/
Website: http://www.nhdryervent.com
If you have mice in your house, you have probably called exterminators or tried your own critter traps to get rid of the pests. But this is just a temporary solution until more critters come in. The only effective way to get rid of them for good is to stop them from getting into your home in the first place. The one major path of entry that mice have into your home is the dryer vent.
Go outside and check the dryer vent cover to be sure it is securely attached. There should be a mesh material or screen to keep small animals from getting into the dryer duct. Mice love to chew through things to see what is on the other side. Chipmunks and other small critters have also been known for their curiosity or they're drawn to the warmth of your dryer vent. Once they chew through to make a way in, others will follow.
Not only do the critters have a way into your home, but they also have a warm, cozy place to build a nest. Birds have also been known to build a nest in a dryer vent. The nest is in the path of air-flow and lint traveling out of the dryer. When air-flow is limited, lint builds up and accumulates to the point of complete obstruction, leading to the system overheating and causing a fire. Lint is very combustible; it doesn't take much for it to ignite.
Some dryer vent systems have very long dryer ducts leading out of the house because of the location of the laundry room. Maybe it isn't on an outside wall, or you may have second floor laundry. These systems may be difficult for the average homeowner to access all the duct work for a complete cleaning. It may be necessary to have a professional dryer vent cleaning service give your system a complete inspection and cleaning. Call a professional who specializes in dryer vent repair and cleaning. They have special tools to do an effective dryer vent cleaning, easily and if anything isn't up to code, the can fix it while they are there.
Dryer Vent Maintenance prevents fires, helps your dryer work more efficiently, saving on energy cost; prolongs the life of your dryer and keeps small critters out of your home.
This article was written by Webb Dixon, owner of Dryer Vent Wizard, a dryer vent cleaning and dryer vent repair professional. Webb believes it is important to increase public awareness of dryer vent safety to prevent dryer fires and save on energy costs. He talks to all of his clients about their dryer vent system, sharing tips on cleaning and maintenance in the time between his annual visits. Webb services New Hampshire, Claremont, Lebanon, Nashua, Portsmouth, and Rochester-Dover and Middlesex and Essex Counties in Massachusetts, Amesbury, Bedford, Carlisle, Dunstable, Essex, Groveland, Hamilton, Littleton, Marblehead, Middleton, Natick, Reading, Shirley, Wayland and neighboring cities and communities. For more information and tips on dryer vent cleaning and fire safety, visit http://www.dryerventwizard.com
"Don't Let Your Dryer Start a Fire, Keep Your Home Safe & Sound" are part of Dryer Vent Wizard's ongoing campaign promoting dryer vent safety & fire protection
Franklin, NH--According to the US Fire Administration, dryer fires account for an average of $15,000 dryer fires annually. Webb Dickson, owner of Dryer Vent Wizard of New Hampshire said, "Failure to properly maintain dryer vents is a major contributor to clothes dryer fires." Dickson is franchise owner/operator of Dryer Vent Wizard (DVW), Dry Clothes, Safe Homes, a home service franchise serving all of New Hampshire and Middlesex and Essex Counties in Massachusetts.
Dryer Vent Wizard provides advice to consumers to minimize the risk of dryer fires. They advise consumers to be sure the dryer vent systems are up to code with the city, state and manufacturer by replacing any plastic or foil vent systems with semi-rigid or solid metal venting. "I make sure my customers understand how their dryer vent system works and that they are aware of warning signs of trouble," said Dickson in a recent interview. "My job is not complete until the dryer vent system is up to code and working efficiently and the customer knows how to maintain the vent system between annual dryer vent cleaning."
The warning signs Webb mentioned are clothes taking more than one cycle to dry, especially jeans and towels, no visible lint on the lint screen, dryer repeatedly stops during a cycle, clothing having a moldy smell after a dry cycle, and clothing being very hot after a dry cycle. Webb explained that all of these are warnings of a fire hazard.
Dryer Vent Wizard is your single source for all your dryer vent needs. They provide dryer vent inspection, cleaning, repair, and installation. Dryer vent cleaning and repair service is all they do, so they are the experts! DVW is licensed and insured, an accredited member of the BBB and he is listed on Angie's List. He services New Hampshire, Berlin, Franklin, Manchester, Middlesex County and Essex County Massachusetts, Action, Byfield, Chestnut Hill, Devens, George Town, Haverhill, Hudson, Ipswitch, Lawrence, Lincoln, Manchester, Newbury, Peabody, Salem, Townsend, Waverly, Wilmington, and neighboring cities and communities.
Contact:
Dryer Vent Wizard
Webb Dickson
26 Poplar Rd
Westford, MA 01886
Phone: 978-692-6396
Email: M-E-DryerVentWizard@comcast.net
Website: http://www.nhdryervent.com
Webb Dickson provides "dryer vent cleaning" and "dryer vent repair" services while educating his customers on fire safety and "dryer vent maintenance"
Concord, MA -. Webb Dickson traded in his career for a logo-ed uniform to own and operate a Dryer Vent Wizard, Safe Homes, Dry Clothes (DVW) franchise servicing New Hampshire and Middlesex and Essex Counties in Massachusetts.
DVW services prevent dryer fires, keep dryers functioning properly and provide energy savings through dryer and dryer vent cleaning, maintenance, repair, replacement and alterations.
When Dickson decided he didn't want to remain in his present career and he was not ready to retire, he looked into franchising. He researched several concepts and found Dryer Vent Wizard Dry Clothes, Safe Homes to be his career of choice. Webb found the concept intriguing and the career to be rewarding.
"I like that DVW provides much needed solutions to consumers' dryer and dryer vent problems which ultimately prevents dryer fires," says Dickson. "I make sure all my customers understand their dryer vent system and the importance of proper maintenance, before my job is complete. My customers appreciate my concern for their safety."
In an effort to make consumers more aware, Webb Dickson shares these maintenance "tips" to prevent dryer fires and keep dryers running efficiently. He urges consumers to be sure their dryer vent systems are up to code with the city, state and manufacturer, to replace any plastic or foil vents with semi-rigid or solid metal venting material, to keep lint trays clean and free of lint between loads, wash lint screens every few months to remove residue build-up from fabric softeners, and to have the dryer vent system professionally cleaned and inspected at least once a year. Webb also makes sure all his customers know not to leave the house or go to sleep with the dryer running.
Webb advises his customers to watch for certain warning signs of potential fire hazards, like clothes taking more than one cycle to dry, no visible lint on the screen between loads, dryer repeatedly stopping during a cycle and clothes having a moldy smell after drying.
Webb Dickson of Dryer Vent Wizard is your single source for all your dryer vent needs. They provide dryer vent inspection, cleaning, repair, and installation. Dryer vent cleaning and repair service is all they do, so they are the experts! DVW is licensed and insured, an accredited member of the BBB and he is listed on Angie's List. He services all of New Hampshire, Rockingham County, Raymond, Portsmouth, Hampton, Derry, Hillsborough County, Bedford Manchester, Milford, Nashua, Hudson, Merrimack County, Concord, Cheshire County, Keene, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Billerica, Burlington, Westford, Concord, Stow, Marlborough, Natick, Hopkinton, Lowell, Medford, Framingham, Newton, and Essex County, Massachusetts, Gloucester, Middleton, Newburyport, Haverhill, Lawrence, Beverly
Contact:
Dryer Vent Wizard
Webb Dickson
26 Poplar Rd
Westford, MA 01886
Phone: 978-692-6396
Email: M-E-DryerVentWizard@comcast.net
Website: http://www.massdryervent.com/
Dryer Vent Wizard is the largest chain of dryer vent cleaning, repair, replacement and alteration specialists in the US with nearly 50 franchisees in major markets.
Pride with Our Dryer Vent Cleaning
At Dryer Vent Wizard, we take pride that we are helping homeowners and apartment managers prevent dryer vent fires and other dryer vent hazards. At the same time, we are keeping their utility bills down with a semi-annual dryer vent cleaning.
Pride with our Quality Service and Professionalism with Customers
We pride ourselves on our quality service and professionalism. Our goal is 100% customer satisfaction.
Causes of Dryer Vent Hazards and Dryer Vent Fires:
* Problems can also occur if consumers place improper items in their dryers, such as foam backed rugs or athletic shoes, or vent their appliances with plastic, vinyl or aluminum foil exhaust materials.
A simple solution
Dryer Vent Wizard is here to assist you with all your dryer venting needs.
Dryer Vent Wizard is Fully Insured and At Your Service!
Dryer Vent Wizard is your single source for all your dryer vent needs. We provide dryer vent inspection ,cleaning, repair, and installation. Dryer vent service is all we do, so we are the experts! And our primary goal is safety so when we arrive at the customers home, we will perform a 10 point inspection(including air flow and temperature measurements) to assess the current situation. We will then write up our findings and review them in depth with the customer to ensure that they understand what we found and what we propose be done. Each technician comes fully trained, and each van fully stocked, so we can solve any dryer vent problem from a simple cleaning to the installation of a completely new dryer vent system. We have been in business for 2 years and are licensed and insured. We are an accredited member of the BBB and are listed on Angie's List.
Our services include:
We service the entire state of New Hampshire, Berlin, Claremont, Concord, Franklin, Keene, Laconia, Lebanon, Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth, and Rochester-Dover; and Middlesex and Essex Counties in Massachusetts: Action, Amesbury, Andover, Ashby, Ashland, Auburndale, Ayer, Bedford, Beverly, Billerica, Boxborough, Burlington, Byfield, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Chestnut Hill, Concord, Danvers, Devens, Dracut, Dunstable, Essex, Framingham, George Town, Gloucester, Groton, Groveland, Hamilton, Hanscom AFB, Hathorne, Haverhill, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Ipswich, Lawrence, Lincoln, Littleton, Lowell, Lynn, Lynnfield, Manchester, Marblehead, Marlborough, Maynard, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, Nahant, Natick, Newbury, Newburyport, North Reading, North Waltham, Nutting Lake, Pebody, Pepperell, Pinehurst, Prides Crossing, Reading, Rockport, Rowley, Salem, Sherborn, Shirley, South Hamilton, Stow, Sudbury, Swampscott, Tewksbury, Topsfield, Townsend, Tyngsboro, Waban, Waverley, Wayland, Wenham, Westford, Weston, Wilmington and Woodville
Great Dryer Vent Cleaning!
The following was sent to about 175 people by a satisfied customer:
"Okay, you are going to think I am crazy e-mailing you about your dryer - BUT - when we moved here over a year ago, I finally got a great set. Only when we used it, I noticed that after a few months I had to run it twice to get my loads dry. (I thought nothing of it b/c it seemed no matter where I lived, my dryers ran twice on heavy loads.) I just figured this is how it is with all dryers."
Well, the past few weeks, we have had to run our dryer even up to 4 times on a heavy load. There was even a "moldy" type smell in our towels. I called a dryer repair guy b/c I figured the heating element was going out. He told me that on dryers, if it is drying, even a little, it is more likely to be my dryer vent. He told me to hire someone to come and clean the vent that goes through the house.
I thought I could do it myself, so I went downstairs and pulled the vent out of the wall to find an extreme amount of build-up!!! It was damp and had that "moldy" smell that my towels have had. I tried to clean it out and the more I reached in the more clogged it was. I knew if it was clogged here, that the inside pipe had to be backed up.
I called a place called "Dryer Vent Wizard". It runs normally about $150 to come out, inspect and clean. That is for a normal 20 foot pipe. Ours ran 36 feet and was up and down and all around - causing our vent build-up. Even though it was over $150 for our case to clean it, let me tell you IT WAS WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!!
After he cleaned it out filling a 5 gallon tub full of lint, I ran my dryer for a load and it dried PERFECTLY in a shorter amount if time. I have honestly NEVER had my clothes dry so fast. It seems like common sense that the vent needs to be cleaned, but thinking about it, this house was never cleaned in over 20 years and no other house I ever lived in was ever cleaned - so it was never my dryers, but probably my vents all along!!!
Anyway, they charge $39 to come out and take a look. (For a membership type thing of like $29 they will come out once a year and not charge the $39 fee.)
I HIGHLY recommend it!! Just thought I´d pass this along! We spend time and money on ‘big purchases' like our oil changes, etc. - why not keep other important things maintained? Not to mention it is a huge fire hazard!
Dryer Vent Wizard´s # is: 1-866-498-safe (7233) for someone in your area. (Alabama)
Dryer Vent Cleaning Made my Dryer Feel Like New Again!
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