Laundry room clutter like cardboard boxes, paint and cleaning supplies can be a fire hazard
Fairfax VA – The Fairfax Dryer Vent Cleaning Wizard has an important message for homeowners about laundry room clutter. Combustibles like cardboard boxes, paint and cleaning supplies should not be stored around heat producing appliances like dryers, water heaters and furnaces. Even if the clutter is not the cause of a fire, it does provide ample fuel to allow it to spread more quickly.
More than 17,000 fires caused by clothes dryers are reported each year with failure to clean dryer vents being the number one cause. According to the Wizard other causes of dryer related fires include improper dryer vent installation or use of inferior dryer duct material and combustibles being stored near the dryer.
Doug Bittner, owner of Dryer Vent Wizard (http://fairfax.dryerventcleaningnow.com/) recalls reading about a home fire that originated in a clogged dryer vent. The clutter in the laundry area added fuel for the fire to spread rapidly throughout the home. Cardboard boxes were stacked beside the dryer and a shelf above the dryer was lined with chemicals including cleaners, paint thinner and lighter fluid.
In addition to cleaning dryer vents, the Wizard works to educate his customers about dryer fire prevention through proper dryer maintenance. Dryer fires cause nearly $200 million per year in property damages. Many deaths and injuries occur each year in home fires that can easily be prevented.
Dryer Vent Wizard is a nation wide chain of dryer vent cleaning, repair and alteration specialists with over 60 locations in the U.S. Doug Bittner serves residents and business owners in Northern Virginia, Sterling, Fairfax, Alexandria and neighboring cities and communities. Visit http://dryerventcleaningfairfax.blogspot.com/ to learn more.
About Dryer Vent Wizard:
Dryer Vent Wizard is a member of the National Fire Protection Association and the largest chain of dryer vent cleaning, repair, replacement and alternation specialists in the U.S. with over 60 franchisees in major markets. Dryer Vent Wizard franchisees work to promote public awareness on the importance of dryer vent cleaning to prevent dryer fires and save energy. Consumer education while making clothes dryers safer and greener are the main focus of DVW franchisees. Dryer Vent Wizard was founded in 2004 by Dave Lavalle who is also the founder of the Mr. Handyman franchise.