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Ducts · Dryer VentsDryer Vent Cleaning
Dryer vent cleaning clears lint from the whole exhaust run — the hose behind the dryer, the duct in the wall or ceiling, and the hood outside — and is worth booking once a year, or right away if a normal load needs two cycles to dry. Added to a duct cleaning visit it costs $100–$200. A blocked vent is a fire risk on any dryer and a carbon monoxide risk on a gas one, so it is not a job to leave until spring.
Lint is fuel. The screen in the dryer door catches most of it, and the rest rides the damp exhaust into the duct, where it sticks to every elbow, seam and screw tip. As the layer builds, airflow drops, the dryer runs hotter and longer, and the heating element or burner is working beside a pipe lined with tinder. That is how dryer fires start, and it is why the warning signs are worth acting on: long dry times, a laundry room that feels hot and humid, and an outside flap that barely lifts when the dryer is running.
A proper cleaning covers the full run, not the first arm's length. We pull the dryer out, disconnect the transition hose, and send a rotary brush on flexible rods through the duct while a vacuum collects what comes loose, then clean the hood and its damper from outside. Short runs through a basement rim joist take little time. The long ones are the reason to call: second-floor laundry rooms in 2000s+ builds in Milton and Alton Village, interior townhouse units that can only vent out the front, the back or the roof, and condo suites where the duct crosses a ceiling to reach the outside wall.
Two faults turn up at the same visit often enough that we plan for them. Birds nest in hoods with a broken or missing flap, and a nest blocks a vent completely; we remove it and replace the hood with one that has a working damper. Behind the dryer, the foil transition hose gets crushed flat when the machine is pushed back against the wall, or it is the white vinyl kind that dryer manufacturers no longer allow. Both get corrected with a short, properly supported metal connector before the dryer goes back.
If the duct itself is the problem — foil flex buried in a ceiling, a run with too many elbows, a vent that ends in the attic or garage — cleaning will not fix it and we will say so. That work is dryer vent installation and rerouting. Most people add the dryer vent to a duct cleaning appointment since the truck and brushes are already at the house. To book, request a time and mention where the dryer sits and where the vent comes out.
Book a dryer vent cleaning when
- A normal load takes more than one cycle, or towels come out hot but still damp
- The laundry room gets hot and humid, or the top of the dryer is too hot to rest a hand on
- The flap on the outside hood does not open, or opens only a crack, with the dryer running
- Lint collects around the hood, behind the dryer or on the wall, or you notice a burning smell
- The vent has not been cleaned in over a year, or you have just moved in and do not know its history
How it works
When you call, say where the dryer is, whether it is gas or electric, and where the vent leaves the house: a wall hood, the roof or a soffit. That tells us which rods, ladder and replacement hood to bring.
The dryer comes out, the transition hose comes off, and the whole duct is brushed and vacuumed from the dryer end and the hood end. Nests, lint mats and stuck dampers are cleared at the exterior, including roof caps where the roof is safe to work on.
A crushed or vinyl hose is replaced with a short metal connector, the dryer is pushed back without kinking it, and we run it to confirm the flap opens fully. On a gas dryer we also check that the exhaust is leaving the house and not spilling into the room.
Common questions
How often should a dryer vent be cleaned?
Once a year suits most households. Go to every six months if the run is long, ends at the roof, serves a large family doing laundry daily, or if pets shed into every load. The practical test is dry time: when a normal load starts needing a second cycle, the vent is restricted and should be cleaned now, whatever the calendar says.
Is a clogged dryer vent actually dangerous?
Yes. Lint ignites easily, and a restricted vent makes the dryer run hotter right beside it. On a gas dryer the same duct carries the burner's combustion products, including carbon monoxide, so a blockage can push them back into the laundry room. If you smell burning, stop the dryer and leave it off until the vent is checked. The common warnings are listed in signs of a blocked dryer vent.
Can I clean the dryer vent myself?
You can do the easy parts: empty the lint screen every load, vacuum behind the dryer, and check that the outside flap swings freely. A short straight run can be brushed with a hardware-store kit. Long runs, roof terminations and ducts with several elbows are where a homemade attempt leaves a packed plug of lint mid-run or pulls a joint apart inside a ceiling, and those are the ones to hand over.
Do you clean dryer vents in condos and townhouses?
Yes, with two cautions. In a condo the exterior termination and any shared ductwork usually belong to the corporation, so check with property management about access before booking; we clean the in-suite run from the dryer to where it leaves your unit. Townhouse runs are often long and end at the roof, which makes them slower to clean and more important to keep clear.
Will cleaning shorten my drying time?
If lint was the restriction, yes, and the difference shows on the first load. If dry times stay long after a full cleaning, the cause is the duct design (too long, too many elbows, crushed sections) or the dryer itself, such as a failed heating element or a clogged internal lint path. We tell you which before you spend money on an appliance repair you may not need.