Keep forgetting to clean your dryer lint trap? A Michigan teen’s invention could help

Published 2:25 pm Tuesday, August 16, 2016

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Washers or dryers account for about 17,000 fires in the U.S. every year, and the National Fire Protection Agency says dryers accounted for most of the 51 deaths, 380 injuries and $236 million in direct property damage reported in 2010.

Kyle Sitkins was startled by those statistics, so he took action to make a difference and hopefully earn some cash for college along the way.

Sitkins, 18, graduated from Traverse City West Senior High School this year and was recently named as a second-place finalist in The Paradigm Challenge, a youth innovation competition that this year aimed to generate new ideas to prevent injuries and fatalities caused by home fires.

His suggestion: the Dryer Lint Reminder.

Sitkins describes his prototype as a “spring sandwich.” It pops open the lint trap on a dryer to remind the user that it needs to be cleaned.

About one third of dryer fires start from lint buildup, the NFPA reports. Sitkins said taking the simple step of making sure the trap is well-ventilated can save lives.

Sitkins originally planned to design a built-in oven extinguisher, but he quickly realized the invention already existed. Targeting dryer fires was an obvious next step, he said.

“I knew dryer fires were very common and it can be an easy thing to forget,” Sitkins told the Traverse City, Michigan Record-Eagle. “I thought it would be nice to have something that would always remind somebody.”

Sitkins edged out more than 25,000 competitors from across the nation to take second place in his age bracket. His father, Fred Sitkins, said that he couldn’t be more proud. His son is naturally intelligent, but Fred said he’s most appreciative of Kyle’s desire to help people.

“What it boils down to is improving the lives of others,” Fred Sitkins said. “The dryer reminder is designed to help save lives. He sees that ability to improve things and he got involved.”

Sitkins will be awarded $2,500 that he plans to apply to tuition payments at Michigan Technological University to study engineering next year. Competition organizers will also work with Kyle to establish a patent on his concept.

Kaminski writes for the Traverse City, Michigan Record-Eagle.