Monday, December 21, 2009

Cleaning Dryer Vents and Hanging Christmas Lights

Cleaning dryer vents helps save energy, prolongs the life of your dryer and eliminates a fire hazard. Dryer Vent Wizard provides dryer exhaust services to make clothes dryers safer and more efficient. Educating customers on dryer fire prevention is an important part of their service as they explain what they are doing and why it is important.

Like dryer vents, Christmas lights can also be a fire hazard which many people are unaware of. When air flow is blocked, dryer vents overheat and lead to a fire. Old Christmas lights with frayed cords and damaged sockets can also over heat and cause a fire.

Dryer vent cleaning is the number one way to prevent dryer fires. Here are some tips for avoiding fire hazards with Christmas lights:

Make sure your lights are safety tested by a reputable laboratory, for example UL (Underwriters Laboratories) or ETL (Electrical Testing Laboratories). This information will be noted on the packaging the lights come in if they are deemed safe by these laboratories.

Use the mini lights; the older style, larger bulbs burn much hotter. Choose lights that have fuses in the plugs.

Check your lights before you hang them, looking for damage such as broken sockets, loose connections and frayed or bare wire.

Check the wattage when replacing burned out bulbs.

For outdoor decorating, check the package to be sure the lights are rated for outdoor use. Plug outdoor decorations into a GFCI outlet and secure lights with insulated holders, not tacks or nails.

Dryer vents and Christmas lights have more in common than one would think. Both can be fire hazards. Never leave the house or go to sleep when the dryer is running and the Christmas lights are on. Clean dryer vents annually and check Christmas light strands for damage and wear before using. Dryer Vent Wizard wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday season.

Emilie Benvegna, owner of Dryer Vent Wizard, provides dryer vent cleaning, dryer vent repair, dryer vent installation and dryer exhaust services for homes and businesses in North Carolina, Concord, Kannapolis, Harrisburg, 28025, 28026, 28027, 28081, 28082, 28083, 28075 and neighboring cities and communities.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Dryer Vent Cleaning: Advice from the Wizard of Concord, NC

When you’re doing your annual spring cleaning, and you pull out the washer and dryer to sweep behind it and retrieve socks and other items that have fallen back there, do you also see a lot of lint and dust? Where does it all come from? I thought all the lint was caught by the lint screen which I clean after each load of laundry! Well, if there is a large pile of lint behind the dryer, think how much could be built-up and trapped in the dryer ducts that should have went outdoors through the dryer vent.

Cleaning the lint screen after each load of laundry is very important, but it is just a start. Some lint escapes the screen and goes out through the dryer ducts and vent. Unfortunately, some of the lint does not make it all the way outdoors; it becomes trapped in the dryer ducts where it eventually builds up and causes problems with air-flow which is necessary for the dryer to function properly.

The dryer vent system removes heat, moisture and lint from your clothing and vents it outdoors. Some dryer vent systems are very efficient; however, all can become trapped with lint build-up over time. As moist lint sticks to the sides of your dryer duct, more lint is attracted to this area and it builds up. As the lint dries, it forms a hard crust; therefore, it becomes trapped here, and reduces air flow. The reduced air flow just allows more lint to build up; without proper air flow, the lint will not be able to travel the entire length of your duct to the vent outdoors.

As lint continues to build up and air flow is restricted, heat and moisture cannot escape from the dryer drum. This is the reason your dryer can be taking two or three cycles to properly dry a load of clothes. The dryer is working much harder to complete its task; therefore, using more energy. When an appliance is overworked, it is most likely to break down. In the case of extreme lint build-up, you will be lucky if your only problem is a broken-down clothes dryer.

Lint is highly flammable; if a dryer continues to operate when the ducts are clogged with lint, it can start a fire that will burn very hot and spread very quickly. You can get special equipment for cleaning out your dryer duct system, or have a professional come in once a year to do a good cleaning. The service fee for dryer vent cleaning is minimal compared to the cost of your home and all you could lose in a fire. A clean dryer vent system will allow the clothes dryer to operate more efficiently, without being overworked; therefore you will save on energy bills and avoid expensive appliance repair bills.

This article was written by Emilie Benvegna, owner of Dryer Vent Wizard of Charlotte, North Carolina. With years of experience in the construction industry, Emilie and her husband, Jim provides dryer vent cleaning, repair and installation services homes and businesses in Mecklenburg County, Charlotte, Davidson, Concord, Huntersville, Pineville, Cornelius, Salisbury, and neighboring cities and communities.

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Saturday, August 8, 2009

Clean Clogged Dryer Vents to Prevent Fires and Reduce Dryer Repair Calls

The number one cause of dryer fires is reduced airflow from lint build-up inside the dryer and in the dryer ducts. As the dryer labors to force heat and moisture through the clogged dryer vent system, a spark is thrown; the flammable lint ignites and creates perfect fuel for a rapidly spreading fire.

Proper air flow keeps drying time down, which keeps operating costs down. Proper dryer vent cleaning and maintenance ensures your dryer is operating safely and efficiently.

Be sure your dryer duct system meets local codes. Vinyl and flexible foil venting are not up to code; use semi rigid or rigid metal to achieve maximum air flow, extend the life of your dryer and reduce wear on your clothing.

Your clothes dryer was built to last; not too much can go wrong with it if the dryer vent system is installed properly and is properly maintained. Many people call a dryer repair service when they notice increased drying times. They think something in the dryer is wearing out; this is rarely the case.

Increased drying time is due to a lack of air-flow. A dryer vent cleaning technician is who you need to call; not a dryer repair service. In fact, most dryer ailments are caused by lint build-up; cleaning dryer vents cures most dryer ailments.

Emilie Benvegna owns Dryer Vent Wizard of Charlotte, NC. DVW specializes in all dryer exhaust issues; they provide dryer vent cleaning, repair and installation to make clothes dryers operate safely and efficiently.

Dryer Vent Wizard of Charlotte, NC provides dryer vent cleaning, dryer vent repair, dryer vent installation, dryer vent inspections and all dryer vent services for homes and businesses in Cabarrus and Mecklenburg Counties, Charlotte, Concord, Huntersville, Kannapolis, Harrisburg, Matthews, Pineville, Mooresville, Gastonia, Cornelius, Salisbury, Lake Norman, South Park, Ballentyne and neighboring cities and communities.

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Clean Dryer Vents are Green Dryer Vents Says the Wizard of Concord, NC

Attention Residents with Clothes Dryers in Concord, North Carlolina

Your clothes dryer is among the top 5 energy consumers in your home. Here are some tips for saving energy when drying laundry. Whether your dryer is gas or electric, both operate the same, drying your laundry by heating and tumbling. Both require proper air flow to avoid over-working and to accomplish this task efficiently.

Dryer Vent Cleaning tips for Concord, North Carolina Consumers

Proper dryer vent cleaning and maintenance ensures proper air-flow, which is most vital to avoid overworking the clothes dryer and to prevent a potential fire hazard. When the dryer vent system is clogged with lint, it will obstruct air-flow, cause severe overheating, and eventually, a fire. Dryer vent cleaning, by a dryer vent specialist, is recommended at least once a year; more often if you have a large family.

Maintain the Lint Filter, says Dryer Vent Wizard of Concord, NC

Most everyone knows to clean the lint filter after every load; however, few are aware that the lint screen should be washed in warm, soapy water periodically. The use of fabric softener sheets, like Bounce, can cause a film to build up on the lint screen. This will restrict air flow needed for your dryer to work efficiently.

Do Full Loads – Don’t Over-load, as advised by Concord Dryer Vent Cleaning Company

Try to only do full loads of laundry; small loads waste a lot of energy that could be used for washing and drying a full load. Be careful not to over load as this will cause the washer and dryer to overwork; additional wear and tear leads to the expense of repairing and/or replacing your appliances.

Separate Light and Heavy Weights

Heavier items, such as jeans and towels naturally take longer to dry than lighter weight items like T-shirts. It has been suggested to dry the different weights separately, but you can also start them together, and stop the dryer to remove the lighter items that are dry, and then take advantage of the already heated drum to dry the rest. This way, you aren’t allowing a cool down between loads; you save the energy that would otherwise be used to heat the drum again.

About Dryer Sensors and Energy Saving Features on Newer Clothes Dryers

Clothes dryers have become more energy efficient as most new models have dryness sensors so that the dryer automatically moves on to the cool-down cycle or turns off when laundry is dry. The sensors prevent over-drying of clothes which prolongs the life of your clothing while saving energy.

Solar Drying is Free in Concord, North Carolina
When the weather is right, hang laundry outdoors and let Mother Nature’s sun and breeze dry your laundry free. This can be inconvenient for some, but even if you just hang a small amount, like sheets and towels, you will be saving energy.

Clothing Rods are Popular Money Savers in Concord, North Carolina

Clothing rods are good for use indoors or outdoors. The clothing rod is a great money saver. You can dry your laundry for a short time, to remove wrinkles, remove your laundry when it is still damp and hang to finish drying.

Your clothes dryer is one of the top energy consumers in your home. Reducing the energy cost of doing laundry will help save money on utility bills. Proper appliance maintenance is also a major money saver, saving on utility bills, and appliance repair bills. A well maintained appliance will work more efficiently and have less risk of failure.


Please watch this video provided by Dryer Vent Wizard of Concord, NC

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/26507771#26507771

Dryer Vent Wizard of Charlotte, NC provides dryer vent cleaning, dryer vent repair, dryer vent installation, dryer vent inspections and all dryer vent services for homes and businesses in Cabarrus and Mecklenburg Counties, Charlotte, Concord, Huntersville, Kannapolis, Harrisburg, Matthews, Pineville, Mooresville, Gastonia, Cornelius, Salisbury, Lake Norman, South Park, Ballentyne and neighboring cities and communities.

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