Quick AnswerIf your clothes take more than one cycle to dry, or the dryer feels hot to the touch on the outside, lint is likely restricting your exhaust duct - and that's a fire hazard, not just an inconvenience. The lint trap only catches a fraction of what a dryer produces; the rest travels down the vent line and collects at bends, transitions, and the exterior cap. Most homes should have this done once a year, more often for longer duct runs or households doing frequent laundry loads.
What’s Included
Dryer vent cleaning clears lint out of the entire exhaust path, not just the trap you empty after every load. We work from the dryer connection through the full duct run to the exterior vent cap, since lint collects unevenly along bends and transitions and a clogged cap outside is just as much of a problem as buildup inside the wall.
- Disconnection and inspection of the dryer's exhaust connection, checking the flexible or rigid duct hookup right behind the machine where lint often packs in first.
- Full-length duct cleaning using brushes and a vacuum sized to your duct diameter, clearing lint from every bend, elbow, and transition along the vent run.
- Exterior vent cap cleaning and inspection, since a damaged or lint-clogged cap outside the house restricts airflow just as badly as a blocked interior duct.
- Airflow test after cleaning to confirm exhaust is moving freely from the dryer to the exterior, giving you a before-and-after sense of the difference.
- Reconnection of the dryer and duct sections, with a check for loose clamps, crushed sections of duct, or overly long runs that hurt airflow long-term.
- A quick assessment of duct material and length, since older homes in Cleveland's older housing stock often still have vinyl or foil duct that should be upgraded to rigid metal.
Signs You Need This
- Clothes take longer than one cycle to fully dry.
- The outside of the dryer or the vent hose feels hot during a cycle.
- You notice a burning smell when the dryer is running.
- Lint is visible around the dryer connection or exterior vent cap.
- It's been over a year since the duct was last cleaned.
Our Process
Disconnect & Inspect
We disconnect the dryer and inspect the exhaust connection for existing lint buildup.
Full Duct Cleaning
We clear lint from the entire duct run, including every bend and transition.
Exterior Cap Cleaning
We clean and inspect the exterior vent cap to make sure exhaust flows freely outside.
Reconnect & Airflow Test
We reconnect everything and run an airflow test to confirm the fix worked.
How Much Does It Cost?
Dryer vent cleaning is a flat-fee service, priced mainly by duct length and how many bends or transitions the run has, since a longer or more complicated duct simply takes more time to clear. You'll get that price in writing before we start unhooking anything. If the inspection turns up damaged, crushed, or outdated duct material that should be replaced rather than just cleaned, we'll quote that separately so you can decide if you want it done the same visit.
FAQs
Most homes should have it done annually. Homes with long duct runs, several bends, or heavy laundry use - larger families, for instance - often benefit from cleaning twice a year.
Yes. Lint is highly flammable, and a restricted duct traps heat near the dryer's heating element. It's one of the more common causes of house fires that start in the laundry room.
Almost always. Clearing the duct restores proper airflow, which usually means shorter drying times and lower energy costs since the dryer isn't working against a blockage.