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.

The job, step by step

1. Inspection and firm quote. The tech locates the full route of your duct — behind the dryer, through the wall or floor, to the exterior hood — and quotes 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. Building code allows dryer ducts up to roughly 35 feet with deductions for each bend, and plenty of local homes are near that limit — long runs are exactly where buildup concentrates.

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

5. Proof. Airflow measured before and after, and photos of what came out of the duct.

What it costs

Most single-family homes in the area land between $100 and $250. The variables that move the price: total duct length, number of elbows, whether the vent exits through the roof (roof terminations take ladder work), and how long it has been since the last cleaning. Condos and townhomes with shared or extra-long runs are quoted individually. No one we refer charges before quoting.

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; where we find it concealed in walls or floors, you will get a replacement recommendation with 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.

Red flags when you're shopping this service

This trade has a coupon problem. The patterns worth avoiding: 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 every pro we refer works to — it is why we refer them.

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 the pros we work with will tell you so instead of selling you a second cleaning.