Epiphany - Public Service Announcement

We have been having this dryer issue here our house.

Like most things it started out as no big deal...

The dryer was taking longer and longer to dry our clothes.

We'd put the full load in and set the dryer to it's highest temperature and length of time. When the dryer would buzz we'd check the clothes, they'd still be wet so we'd extend the time.

All the while we were talking about how we really needed to buy a new dryer. But since I like to buy things in sets (so they match) and the washer was working just fine I kept putting off. Besides, I really have my heart set on the new energy efficient front loaders with the pedestal drawers!

So, we just kept extending the length of dryer time. By this time last week we were at 3 clycles (hours) to dry 1 load of laundry!!!

Well, we also got our electric bill last week. It was a whooping $400.00!!! Have you have heard that saying "money talks". Well let me tell you IT's TRUE!

After we picked ourselves up off the floor we realized we might really want to look into this dryer thing.

Brian immediately pulls the dryer out, checks all that he can. He pulls the vent out from the wall and tests the dryer. It works beautifully with the exception of all the stream and moisture it flooded the room with. But the clothes were dry in minutes (not hours!).

He tried to vacuum the wall duct - huh - word of advise - don't bother.

He opened the phone book and discovered there is an entire section dedicated to dryer vent duct cleaning services. REALLY? Who knew?

So I called one of them the next morning and they came that day!!!

Can I just say he extracted enough lint to make a years worth of clothes for all the children in the WORLD!!! Seriously, he said that our vent had more lint than any other he'd had ever cleaned before!!

Then he told me that clogged vents weren't just the cause of obnoxious FPL bills it was also the #1 cause of house fires!!

Thank heavens we and our home were spared such a disaster.

I couldn't help but post this little PSA - PLEASE have your dryer vent cleaned at least every other year. Your life literally depends on it.

BTW, I still have my heart set on those front loaders and I expect with ALL the money I will save on my new FPL bills they will actually be obtainable :-)