Lifelong Resident of Guelph Follows in Family's Entrepreneurial Path
Following a family legacy of entrepreneurs, Patrick Stradiotto, a lifelong resident of Guelph, has opened Dryer Vent Wizard (DVW) to serve the Golden Triangle area, including Acton, Arthur, Cambridge, Elora, Fergus, Georgetown, Guelph, Orangeville, and Kitchener-Waterloo.
Founded in 2004, DVW is a fast-growing franchise in Canada and the U.S. that specializes in dryer vent repair, replacement, alteration, cleaning and maintenance for residential and commercial clients.
Stradiotto, who has more than 20 years' experience in the retail appliance and electronics industries, shared that he invested in Dryer Vent Wizard for several reasons.
"I recognized that there are few, if any, dryer vent professionals available to serve this portion of the industry," said Stradiotto. "A lot of consumers have little idea of the fire hazards, along with mold and mildew issues, that can occur when dryer vents are not regularly cleaned and maintained."
Data provided by the Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management indicated that Ontario had 961 dryer fires resulting in 51 injuries and more than 17 million dollars in property loss from 2008 through 2012. On average, there are 192 reported dryer fires resulting in 1.4 million dollars in loss in Ontario annually. In the U.S. alone, it is estimated that poorly maintained or clogged dryer vents are the leading cause of appliance fires, resulting in more than 15,500 dryer fires every year. These are only the reported cases.
Because Stradiotto and his family are environmentally conscientious, he also likes helping other families reduce their carbon footprint and benefit from the energy savings of properly maintained dryers. "Customers can greatly improve on energy dryer expenses by ensuring their system is regularly cleaned, runs efficiently and remains unclogged."
Before Stradiotto worked in sales and customer service, he got his start in construction and skilled trades. He added, "My dad was an Italian immigrant and started his own bricklaying company. Though I'm serving a different industry now, I'm happy to work with my hands, use my customer service skills and carry on the family entrepreneurial tradition." Stradiotto lives in Guelph with his wife and two children.
