Big disappointments make small victories better

I sat on the patio enjoying temperature in the mid-60s and the change of the season while reflecting on the Chicago Cubs' miserable baseball season. Another disappointing October because of unexpected injuries. What a shock.

Tomorrow, who knows what will make my day? A full roll of toilet paper in the bathroom? Or 10 minutes spent listening to the crickets in the backyard signal the end of the day as the last pink hues drenching the clouds fade into darkness.That�s it � your done. It�s really not that difficult after all. Now you can sit back and admire your handy work.Because of the high incidence of dryer fires, never leave the house if the dryer is on and never go to bed with the dryer running either. We are all a nation of multitaskers and what better way to multitask than to put wet clothes into the dryer, run some errands and come home to a load of dry laundry. This is really taking chances and just not safe to do.You can�t use this style vent cap on the roof. You need a cap that sheds the rain water and has flashing built in. They aren�t expensive at all. You can vent through the roof but experience says that there are usually better alternatives than the roof. Think about it � what an awful place to have to go to clean trapped lint. You can see why looking for other options is a good idea.Here�s tip #1 � do it right! There�s nothing more distressing then coming across a dryer that�s been vented wrong. Not only does it create quite a mess it can also create a major fire hazard.So if you are in need of this being done, just think about how much money you will be saving and how much joy it will put back into doing the laundry! Well, maybe that�s a slight exaggeration, but at least it will be a little less of a chore.The flexible connector hose between the dryer and the wall should be made from aluminum and not from flammable plastic. It should not be kinked or crushed, since this will also restrict the dryer�s ability to vent properly and will cause the dryer to overheat. It�s preferable that the connector hose only be long enough to go between the dryer and the wall with just a little bit of slack so that if the dryer is pulled out, the hose still stays connected.If you need to hang your dryer pipe use the plastic J hooks which are designed for 4 inch plumbing pipe. They are pre-punched and heavy duty. You can easily attach them where ever you need to. Simple and affordable.The solution may be simpler than you think. And less expensive.Tape the seam and the area around the screw once it is tightened. This will prevent lint from building up over the years. Remember duct tape is your friend.

Vicki Estes is a Topeka freelance writer. She can be reached at vaestes@sbcglobal.net.