In our neck of the woods here in Hawaii and being based on the Island of Maui, I think we have a pretty darn good bunch of tradesman (or women!) serving our communities in this specialized field of clothes dryer exhaust service. And yes, I include our own backyard competition in this statement. I mean, heck cleaning a clothes dryer exhaust vent can't be rocket science right? Heck, 26 years ago, when we started our humble business, there was ZERO companies that specialized in the dryer vent service field in Hawaii, much less on our home Island of Maui! As a matter of fact, in the early 1990's, (pre-internet, smart phone, social media explosion) there wasn't even a "Dryer Vent Cleaning" category in our "go to" yellow pages of the time and the specialty trade of dryer exhaust vent cleaner was in its infancy, unlike the older trade of chimney sweeping.
Yep, 26 years ago, many home owners and uco-buno Property Managers, condo owners, apartment AOAO's and the like never cleaned their dryer vent exhausts or at least until a problem emerged i.e...dryer appliances shut down due to clogged ventilation, long dry cycles to get a small load of clothes dry, bird nests popping out of vent jacks, burnt out their heating elements and near disasters with smoking dryers or flaming lint. (some things never change :-)
Education and proper dryer venting to include service, installation and codification became very important. Dryer Appliance manufacturers gave specific instructions on the proper type of venting to install, to include the correct materials, sizing, lengths, elbows which allowed for an ideal installation. The National Fire Protection Association Code 211 included a codification standard for clothes dryer exhausts. In 1999, The Chimney Safety Institute of America, which created the first national certification standard for chimneys sweeps, then created a nationally recognized certification standard for Clothes Dryer Exhaust Service technicians, and we have a small role in that history as your guest blogger & founder contributed some idea's to the 1st edition C-DET certification manual after writing and
selling our own dryer exhaust cleaning manual.
Fast forward to the year 2020. Man landed on the Moon in 1969, but man still doesn't know how to ALWAYS properly install an efficient, codified, easy to service dryer exhaust vent! Holy cosmonaut batman. That's right. And in the year 2020 of our dear Lord, we are still dealing with hundreds of homes, apartments, condos built in the 1970's,80's 90's and on, that did NOT install their dryer exhaust systems properly. (dime a dozen!) It's one thing to use the "right tools", have great google reviews and claim to be "the most trusted".....or the "best".... But honestly folks, there is always the academic part of the equation. Companies who will take the time to learn the right tools, utilize the right equipment in relationship to the unique circumstances found in dryer exhaust systems of all types, learn from practical experience AND EDUCATE their team and meet a minimum level of academic knowledge in the specialized field of clothes dryer exhaust dryer vent cleaning and chimney sweeping....Well, mirror, mirror on the wall.....that is why we encourage and promote and proudly display our C-DET national certification standard. It simply shouts:
I am someone who took the time and made the effort and studied, and studied, and keeps on studying, while I learned and learned practical trade tips, methods and applications in the field and then I passed this test, so YOU the customer knows that I your personal dryer vent cleaning technician (or CSIA ceritfied chimney sweep!) understands and has learned the basic science of clothes dryer exhaust venting (or chimney science) and will know if your vent was installed according to the modern codes and/or your dryer appliance's vent installation mandates! Imua practical experience. Imua journeyman knowledge. Imua academic standards of quality.
Shakasweepers carries that badge of honor into your home, condo, apartment, or to wherever in the galaxy your dryer appliance is venting. We are your vent cleaning detectives.
We get excited when we find codified vents and yes, we get excited when we find non-code unsafe vents because we can now save you from a potential fire hazard or big electric bills! Our job is safety, not just "cleaning". We also remain, your chimney sweeps for life. Oh yah.... don't forget: When you call us, you are also getting the "supercalifragilistic phenomenon", FREE GOOD LUCK!
GOOD LUCK TO THIS HOUSE AND ALL WHO RESIDE, GOOD HEALTH AND GOOD FRIENDS FOREVER SHALL TIE....GOOD LUCK I BESTOW FOREVER YOU'LL KEEP..IF YOU SHAKE ( if u insist, we can kiss too) THE HAND OF ITS CHIMNEY SWEEP! ( Yes we can do a virtual hand shake too!)
Be well. Be kind. Be unselfish, and remember the Cowboy way:
If it's not true, don't say it
If it's not yours, don't take it
If it's not right, don't do it
Kekuhaupi'o Keku Akana/Guest Blogger C-DET #332