April2017

The Importance of Dryer Vent and Chimney Inspections and Cleanings By Karen Antczak, Antczak’s Complete Service Company, LLC

(right) Clean the lint trap in your dryer after every load of laundry dried.

(below) Lint captured in the dryer's lint trap after one load.

© iStockphoto.com

Y ou may think it’s a hassle to have your dryer vent and chimney inspected and cleaned. However, this crit- ical cleaning and inspection will not only save your property, it potentially can save your life! Make sure you hire or recommend only a licensed, insured and certified company to do the job. And the only certification in the United States is the CSIA. Look up Certified contractors by going to www.csia.org. You can’t afford a cheap alterna- tive when dealing with dryer vent and chimney inspections. Why Inspect My Dryer Vents? Did you know, on average in the United States, there are more than 15,000 dryer fires a year? In 2010 alone, (latest data available) there were an estimated 16,800 home structure fires involving clothes dryers or washing machines that killed 51 people, injured 380 and caused $236 million dollars in property damage. 1 Think about it. You could do everything right and have your dryer vent cleaned and inspected. But if your neighbor doesn’t have it done or done properly, your unit could burn down and cause potential harm to life and property. The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) recommends dryer vents, and fireplace chimneys are inspected once per

(right) Bird guards are excellent for not permitting birds and nests in, but lint does get trapped. This is a good sign that your vent is properly working, however this must be maintained routinely to allow for proper air flow.

CONT I NU E S ON PAGE 34

32

A P R I L , 2 0 1 7