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.