Dryer Vent Cleaning, Done Properly

A proper cleaning is not a leaf blower in the duct. It is a rotary brush that scrubs the full length of the run while a high-volume vacuum pulls the loosened lint out, followed by an airflow check that proves the difference. Here is what that means for your home, and what changes the price.

Warning signs your vent is overdue

• Loads that need a second cycle to fully dry
• The dryer top or the room itself feels noticeably hot while running
• The laundry room gets humid or steamy during a cycle
• A faint burning or hot-dust smell on longer loads
• The exterior vent flap barely moves, or does not move at all, when the dryer runs
• Visible lint around the outside hood, or a gray dust streak on the siding below it
• You cannot remember the last time it was cleaned

These are not just comfort issues. The U.S. Fire Administration's Topical Fire Report Series on residential clothes dryer fires puts the annual toll at an estimated 2,900 home clothes dryer fires, and names failure to clean as the leading contributing factor, cited in about a third of them. Lint is one of the most flammable materials in the house, and a blocked duct feeds it a steady supply of hot air.

The job, step by step

1. Inspection and firm quote. We locate the full route of your duct — behind the dryer, through the wall or floor, to the exterior hood — and quote the whole job before touching anything.

2. The transition hose. The flexible hose behind the dryer collects the densest lint. It gets disconnected, cleared, and re-seated (or replaced if it is foil — foil transition hoses trap lint aggressively and are worth upgrading to semi-rigid metal).

3. The full duct run. Rotary brushing through every foot and every elbow. Section M1502.4.5 of the International Residential Code caps a dryer exhaust duct at 35 feet of equivalent length, and every bend counts against that budget — in the 2021 edition, 2.5 feet for a 45-degree elbow and 5 feet for a 90-degree one. Plenty of local homes sit near the limit once the elbows are counted, and long runs are exactly where buildup concentrates. Villages here have adopted different code editions, so check which one applies to your address before treating those figures as final.

4. The termination. The exterior hood gets cleared of lint, and of the bird nests and clogged screens that turn up every spring. A flap that will not swing freely chokes the whole system.

Owners of rental property can ask us to document each unit separately rather than the building as a whole — Evanston in particular registers and inspects rentals annually, and our guide for landlords there covers what that paperwork should show. The same record earns its keep at closing: Niles runs a point-of-sale inspection, and a dated cleaning belongs on any pre-listing checklist there.

5. Proof. Airflow measured before and after, and photos of what came out of the duct. Most single-family jobs run 45 to 90 minutes start to finish; long runs, roof terminations, or a vent that has never been cleaned take longer.

What it costs

Most single-family homes land in the $129 to $222 range, averaging around $173. The full spread runs from $95 on the simplest jobs up to $350 on the longest, hardest-to-reach vents. Condos and townhomes with shared or extra-long runs are quoted individually. We quote firm before any work starts, never guessing over the phone.

The single biggest factor is where the vent terminates, because that decides how much of the run is exposed and how hard the termination itself is to reach:

• Basement or first-floor termination: typically $80 to $185. The run is short and the hood sits at ground level, so there is less duct to brush and no ladder work involved.
• Second-floor termination: typically $110 to $185. More duct to cover, usually more elbows along the way, and a hood high enough on the wall that needs ladder access to reach it.
• Roof termination: typically $150 to $250. The longest runs, the most elbows, and a hood that only roof access can reach — the most time-consuming and highest-risk job of the three.

Total duct length, elbow count, and how long it has been since the last cleaning move the price within each of those bands. We confirm the exact number with a firm quote before any work starts — request a quote and tell us which of those factors applies to your home.

Know your duct: what's behind the wall matters

Rigid smooth-wall metal is what code requires for the concealed run, and what every duct should be: smooth inside, minimal lint grab, brushable. Semi-rigid aluminum is acceptable for the short visible transition behind the dryer. Ribbed foil — the shiny slinky — traps lint at every ridge and tears during cleaning; when we find it concealed in walls or floors, expect a replacement recommendation alongside the cleaning, because cleaning foil is treating the symptom. White vinyl duct, still found in some older installs, is a genuine fire hazard and should be replaced on sight. Our full guide to duct materials covers where each of these belongs and where it never does.

Red flags when you're shopping this service

This trade has a coupon problem — our cost guide breaks down the patterns in more detail, but the short version: a $19-49 advertised price (the real bill arrives mid-job), "whole house special" pitches that bundle services you did not ask about, techs who cannot show you before/after airflow numbers or photos, and anyone who wants to clean a dryer vent with a leaf blower. A legitimate cleaning has a firm quote up front, a rotary brush with vacuum extraction, and proof at the end. That is the standard we hold ourselves to.

When to also think about the dryer side

If loads are still slow after a verified-clear vent, the problem is usually inside the machine — a failing thermostat, heating element, or blower. That is appliance repair territory, and we will tell you so rather than sell you a second cleaning. If instead you are noticing dust circulating through the house's registers rather than laundry-specific symptoms, that is a different system — see air duct cleaning for what that job involves.

Where we cover this service

We cover the near-north suburbs. Pick your town for pricing notes and housing-stock details specific to it:

Frequently asked questions

How much does dryer vent cleaning cost?

Most single-family homes land in the $129 to $222 range, averaging around $173. Full jobs can run from $95 on the low end up to $350 on the longest, hardest-to-reach vents. The variables that move the price are total duct length, number of elbows, whether the vent exits through the roof, and how long it has been since the last cleaning. We quote firm before any work starts.

How long does dryer vent cleaning take?

Most single-family cleanings take 45 to 90 minutes from inspection to final airflow check. Long runs, roof terminations, or a vent that has never been cleaned can push that longer.

How often does a dryer vent need to be cleaned?

Once a year for most households. Homes that run daily loads, have pets, or have long runs to a roof or second-story termination should consider every 6 to 9 months.

How can I tell my dryer vent is overdue for cleaning?

Loads needing a second cycle, a dryer top too hot to touch, a humid laundry room, a burning smell, or an exterior vent flap that barely moves are the classic signs. The full warning-signs list is further up this page.

Can I clean a dryer vent myself?

You can safely clear the transition hose behind the dryer yourself with a vent brush. The concealed duct run through walls or floors, and anything terminating at the roof, is a different job — rotary brushing and high-volume vacuum extraction take equipment and access most homeowners do not have on hand, and roof work carries fall risk. That is the part worth calling us for.

What does a professional dryer vent cleaning include?

We run a rotary brush the full length of the run — transition hose, concealed duct, elbows, and exterior termination — while a high-volume vacuum pulls the loosened lint out. The visit ends with an airflow reading before and after, plus photos of what came out of the duct.

My dryer vent runs through the roof or a second floor. Does that change anything?

Yes. Roof terminations and second-floor laundry rooms usually mean longer runs with more elbows, which trap lint faster and require ladder work to reach and clear. Those jobs take longer and are quoted individually.

My dryer is still slow after the vent was cleaned. What now?

If loads are still slow after a verified-clear vent, the problem is usually inside the machine — a failing thermostat, heating element, or blower. That is appliance repair territory, and we will tell you so rather than sell you a second cleaning.