Items including cardboard boxes, paint and cleaning supplies can be a fire hazard…they should be stored away from heat producing appliances
Arlington VA – The Arlington Dryer Vent Cleaning Wizard, Doug Bittner, warns his customers 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 Bittner, other causes of dryer related fires include poorly installed dryer vent systems and combustibles being stored near the dryer.
The Wizard 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; a shelf above the dryer was lined with chemicals including cleaners, paint thinner and lighter fluid.
In addition to cleaning dryer vents, the Wizard educates their customers on dryer fire prevention through proper dryer maintenance. Dryer fires cause injuries, deaths nearly $200 million per year in property damage. Service by Dryer Vent Wizard (http://sterling.dryerventcleaningnow.com/) will help eliminate a several dryer related hazards.
Dryer Vent Wizard is a nation wide chain of dryer vent cleaning, repair and alteration specialists with more than 60 locations in the U.S. Doug and Janice Bittner serve residents in Northern Virginia, Sterling, Herndon, Alexandria and neighboring cities and communities. Visit http://www.dryerventcleaningarlingtonva.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.