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Bryan Linz

Dryer Vent Cleaning Specialist Warns Consumers in York, PA of the Danger of Dryer Fires

10-17-08
Bryan Linz

Bryan Linz asks: Do you know what is lurking in your dryer vent?

York, PA -- An imminent and growing danger may be lurking in your crawl space, basement, or laundry room: the potential for a dryer vent fire. Up to 15000 dryer vent fires occur in the U.S. each year with devastating results. Dryer Vent Wizard, a dryer vent cleaning and repair franchise serving Central Pennsylvania, specializes in the cleaning and repair of dryer vents, in residential and commercial buildings, to reduce and eliminate dryer vent fires.

"I am happy to bring this important service to the community where my family and friends live," said Bryan Linz, owner of the new Dryer Vent Wizard of Central Pennsylvania. "By providing this service, we are doing our part to help keep our community safe from clothes dryer fires. Purchasing a Dryer Vent Wizard franchise has been a very rewarding career change for me"


According to Bryan, many dryer vents are not up to code because they are made of vinyl, plastic or foil. These flexible dryer vents sag, or are bent and crushed when people attempt to push their dryers closer to the wall. This results in restricted air flow when moist lint and hot air cannot escape to the vent outdoors. As the lint builds up over time, it creates a highly flammable clog that could ignite from the extreme heat of a running dryer. "If your dryer is taking more than one cycle to dry your clothes, this is a warning sign of a fire hazard," explained Linz. "A fire can be easily prevented by having a dryer vent specialist inspect your dryer vent system and replace old plastic or foil vents with new, rigid metal vents that comply with current building codes and UL safety standards. This will also save money in energy consumption costs as a proper vent system will allow a dryer to function more efficiently."


Dryer Vent Wizard is a franchise operation that provides cleaning, repair and maintenance of dryer vents, both residential and commercial, with the goal of preventing dryer vent fires. It was founded by David Lavalle on August 12, 2004 in Chelmsford, Mass., and has quickly grown to include over 50 franchises across the nation. Dryer Vent Wizard operates out of mobile office vans that contain all the equipment needed to perform dryer vent services and bring customers' dryer vents up to code standards. For more information, visit http://www.dryerventwizard.com or call 888.498.SAFE (7233).

Contact:

Bryan Linz

Dryer Vent Wizard of Central Pennsylvania

Phone: 717-858-4989

Email: blinz@dryerventwizard.com

Dryer Vent Cleaning Specialist in York, PA Discusses Air Diverters for Clothes Dryers

10-14-08
Bryan Linz

Energy costs are soaring! So why are we allowing our clothes dryers to vent all this precious heat and moisture to the outside? Our furnace dries the air, causing upper respiratory problems. It just makes sense that the heat and moisture from our clothes dryer could be beneficial and energy saving at the same time. Why not disconnect the dryer vent hose to add heat and humidity to the air in the winter?

Air Diverters are devices that have been used in the past for allowing dryer heat to be filtered into the home. When we experienced an energy crisis in the seventies, people purchased this type of combination air filter/valve that was installed between the clothes dryer exhaust vent and the outside dryer vent. It was a type of valve that allowed you to switch to either direct the heated air to the outside or divert it through a filter into your home.

Since a lot of people live in colder areas and need to add heat and moisture to the air in their homes, this could be helpful. But read on for some warnings and decide for yourself if it is worth the risk when there are other options for heating your home and adding humidity to the air.

Gas Dryers: These air diverters are not intended for use on gas dryers. Gas dryers produce more than just heat and moisture. The dryer ducts on a gas dryer also remove the carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide from your home. These byproducts of burnt gas should not be allowed to vent into your home and they cannot be filtered.

Filters: Lint traps catch most of the lint that is removed from laundry during drying, but some of the lint does escape into the dryer duct system to hopefully make it to the vent outside. Allowing this to vent back into your home can be a health hazard for some people. It is also messy; you don't want moist lint sticking to the walls and floors of your home. Be sure to use a good filter with this device to catch the lint and check it often to be sure it is not plugged when lint builds up or you are creating a fire hazard.

Mildew: Using a diverter device will allow a huge amount of moisture into your home; more than what is really needed to avoid the respiratory problems caused by dry air. You will likely experience excessive condensation on your windows and door frames. When this condensation runs down and soaks into your wood trim, it will cause moisture damage and allow mold and mildew to grow. Like dry air, mold also causes respiratory problems with most people, especially children.

There was a time when it was quite common for people to heat and humidify the air in their homes with their clothes dryers, but this idea has been proven to not be worth the risk of carbon monoxide poising or over moisturizing the air. Too much moisture and mildew are also causes of health and upper respiratory problems. Moisture can easily be added to the air by placing a shallow pan or bowl of water by heat vents or installing a humidifier on your furnace. Just adding humidity to the air will make your home feel warmer. So the decision is yours; risk health issues and damage to your home to save on energy costs, or talk to your heating specialist about installing a humidifier on your furnace and maybe investing in some good weather stripping around doors and windows.

This article was written by Bryan Linz, owner of Dryer Vent Wizard of Central Pennsylvania. http://www.dryerventwizard offers a host of tips, tools, news reports, and links to help you keep your family and home safe from dryer fires. Dryer Vent Wizards inspects, cleans, repairs, and replaces dryer vent systems for home and business owners.

“Dryer Vent Cleaning” “Dryer Vent Repair” Chambersburg, Pennsylvania

09-20-08
Bryan Linz

Don't let your dryer start a fire; keep your home safe and sound. Dryer Vent Wizard professionally inspects and cleans clothing dryers for homeowners and in commercially-owned buildings. Poorly maintained dryer vents cause fire hazards and cost substantially more to operate.

Why Dryer Vent Cleaning is so Important!

•· Dryer vents clogged with lint cost $18-24 more per month.

•· There are 15,500 fires every year caused by dryer vents.

•· Dryer manufacturers recommend you clean your dryer vent every year.

•· Regular dryer vent maintenance prolongs the life of your dryer.

Our services include:

•· Dryer vent cleaning

•· Dryer vent repair

•· Dryer vent alterations

•· Dryer vent tube installations

•· http://www.dryerventwizard.com

Contact:

Bryan Linz

Dryer Vent Wizard of Central Pennsylvania

Phone: 717-858-4989

Email: blinz@dryerventwizard.com