Saturday, December 1, 2007

A Dry Subject for a Wet Day

E-mail readers, click on "A Dry Subject..." title above for full story.

I have some extra time on my hands so I'm trying to catch up on things around the house. One thing I've been noticing is how much longer it's taking me to dry clothes lately - a sure sign that the lint has been building up in my dryer vents. And the design of some of our units leads to long vents with several turns along the way. Such a design can contribute to faster lint build-up.

So yesterday, I called out a company to get those cleaned out. It's not the cheapest thing in the world, but the costs of not doing so are something to consider. Did you know that dryer fires have surpassed chimney fires in terms of number of incidents in the US? They are also the cause of several high-profile events right here in Orange County. Click here for all you ever wanted to know about the anatomy of a dryer vent fire. And don't ever leave the dryer on while you're away.

Furthermore, getting those vents cleaned out is a great way to save on your gas and electric bill. My clothes drying time just got cut in half.

This is not an endorsement of any company, but if you've been meaning to get those vents cleaned and just needed a push, here are some local companies that do so:

Oliver Twist Chimney Sweep - 714.843.9944

Nuflo Dryer Vent Cleaning - 714.231.4326

Or in easy cases, you might be able to do an adequate job yourself. With the holidays coming up, let's all keep an eye on potential dangers and keep them safe for us all!

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