As it turns out, dryer fires are becoming more commonplace. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are approximately 16,000 fires each year associated with dryers. Most fires occur when lint builds up in the duct to the point that it reduces airflow. Because lint is highly flammable any overheating of the dryer, a spark, or backup of lint into the dryer can easily ignite it.

Dryer vents should be considered a fire hazard if they haven’ t been inspected or cleaned within the past year. Condo buildings and apartments are even more at risk due to common walls, poor condo conversion design, and long-lengths of dryer ducting. In the past ten years Southern California has seen a rise in old apartment buildings being converted into condos with washers and dryers.

DRYERS AND FIRES: A Preventable Tragedy

www. ventpros. com

norm. Surprisingly, most duct cleaning companies are not licensed by the State of California to perform the work. It is highly recommended to use a company that is licensed and certified.

To check a company’ s license status: Log on to the Contractors State License Board’ s website( www. cslb. ca. gov). Click on“ Consumers”, then“ Check License”, then“ Contractor Name”. Type in name of company in question and see if their company information shows on the list and verify if license status is current. HOA

Christopher Piccione, director of operations for Vent Pros, Inc., heads a staff of seven well trained, dedicated workers. His 18 years experience began back in 1994 working for a large vent cleaning company in Los Angeles. Through the years he and his staff have cleaned ventilation systems in homes, buildings, hospitals, schools, military bases, jails, yachts, naval ships and even oil rigs.

Chris holds two contractor’ s licenses with the State of California, one for Duct Cleaning and the other for Heating & Air Conditioning. He has been a NADCA( National Air Duct Cleaners Assoc.) Certified Ventilation Inspector for 4 years, and an Air Systems Cleaning Specialist for 14 years. He is also a Certified Exhaust Cleaning Specialist with IKECA( International Kitchen Exhaust Cleaners Assoc.), as well as an EPA Certified Heating & Air Conditioning technician.

Vent Pros, Inc 303 W. 35th Street, # B National City, CA 91950( 619) 585-4860 ChrisP @ VentPros. com www. VentPros. com

Most condos are quickly built with the laundry closet typically placed in the middle of the condo. While it makes good access for the user, it makes a poor design for routing of the dryer ducting. The longer the duct has to travel from behind the dryer to the exterior of the building, the less airflow it has to vent the heat out and more likelihood of fire. The problem has worsened to the point that in 2003, the State of California prompted a change in the mechanical code. The code( section 504.3.2.2) now states that the dryer ducting cannot exceed 14 feet in length. This is far stricter than the International Mechanical Code which mandates a 25 foot maximum. Other design flaws include too many turns, incorrect type of ducting, wrong type of vent hoods and wire mesh screens that clog up.

• Clean behind and in the dryer. Have a qualified appliance repairman clean the interior of the dryer itself periodically to minimize the amount of lint accumulation on electrical components. Keep the area around the dryer clean and free of clutter and chemicals.

• Replace plastic, accordion type hose with rigid or corrugated aluminum. Most manufacturers specify the use of a rigid or corrugated aluminum duct, which provides maximum airflow. Plastic ducting can also melt if the dryer gets too hot.

Here are a few simple tips homeowners can take to reduce their chance of fire:

• Clean the lint screen / filter before or after drying each load of clothes. If clothes are still damp at the end of a typical drying cycle or drying requires longer times than normal, this may be a sign that the exhaust duct is blocked and needs cleaning.

• Have the Dryer Vent and Exhaust Duct cleaned & inspected annually by a licensed contractor.

• Take special care when drying clothes that have been soiled with volatile chemicals such as gasoline, cooking oils, cleaning agents, or finishing oils and stains. If possible, wash the clothing more than once to minimize the amount of volatile chemicals on the clothes and, preferably, hang the clothes to dry.

In the duct cleaning industry not all companies have the same standards. Whereas, in the electrical, plumbing and other more regulated trades, a contractor’ s license, schooling and certification is the