Georgia, South Carolina & North Carolina
Dryer Vent Cleaning
Dryer vent cleaning clears the lint packed inside the duct that runs from your dryer to the outside vent hood, so hot, damp air can leave the house the way it should. A typical visit takes about an hour, and NFPA recommends cleaning the vent once a year, or sooner if clothes start taking longer to dry.
Exact price by phone or text in minutes.
Calls and texts answered during business hours — usually within minutes.
- Licensed & insured
- Upfront price before we start
- Photos of every job
Your lint screen catches most of the lint, not all of it. The rest rides the hot, damp air into the vent and settles along the duct walls, at every bend and in the hood outside, until air can’t get out and the dryer runs longer and hotter. We clean the full run from the dryer to the outside hood, clear the flap, run the dryer to confirm air is moving freely, and show you before-and-after photos of what came out.
The visit
What dryer vent cleaning includes
What’s included
- The full vent run cleaned from the back of the dryer to the outside hood, bends included
- Lint collected as it comes out, so it doesn’t land on your floor or in your flower beds
- Your dryer pulled out with care, and the connection at the back taken off and put back on
- Lint cleared from behind and under the dryer
- The outside hood and flap cleaned, so the flap opens when the dryer runs and closes when it stops
- Nesting material and debris pulled out of the vent opening
- A final run of the dryer to confirm strong air is coming out at the hood
- Before-and-after photos, plus a plain note on anything worth fixing, like a crushed hose or a stuck flap
What it doesn’t include
- We don’t repair dryers or work on gas lines or wiring. Call a qualified appliance technician for that.
- We don’t reroute, replace or install vent duct inside walls, ceilings or attics.
- We don’t open walls or ceilings to reach a hidden section of duct.
- We don’t clean inside the dryer cabinet. CPSC recommends a qualified appliance technician for that.
Price
What it costs
Dryer Vent Cleaning
Exact price by phone or text in minutes.
| Wall vent, ground floor | Call or text |
|---|---|
| Second-story wall vent | Call or text |
| Roof ventRoof pitch and access can change the price. | Call or text |
| Bird or rodent nest removalAdded to the cleaning when we find one. | Call or text |
| Replace foil or plastic transition hoseSemi-rigid metal, cut to length. | Call or text |
Long runs, extra elbows and hard-to-reach terminations take longer. You get the exact price before we start.
Signs
Signs you need dryer vent cleaning
Clothes need more than one cycle
Towels and jeans still damp at the end of a normal cycle are the most common sign. CPSC lists damp clothes and longer drying times as signs the lint screen or exhaust duct may be blocked.
Clothes come out hotter than usual
The U.S. Fire Administration says heavy items that take a long time to dry, or clothes that feel hotter than usual at the end of the cycle, point to a clogged vent.
A burning or hot-lint smell
Stop using the dryer until the vent is cleared. Lint burns easily, and it builds up both inside the dryer and in the vent.
Weak air at the outside hood
Run the dryer and go feel the hood. If little or no air is coming out, CPSC says the vent or duct may be blocked.
The flap is stuck open or shut
A flap that won’t open traps lint in the duct. One that won’t close lets in rain, leaves and animals.
Birds or nesting material at the vent
Chirping, twigs or grass at the hood mean something may be living in your vent. The U.S. Fire Administration notes that nests of small birds and animals can block a dryer vent.
It’s been more than a year
NFPA recommends cleaning lint out of the vent once a year, even when the dryer seems fine.
How it works
How we do it
Protect the laundry area
We put down a drop cloth, slide the dryer out with care and take the connection off the back.
Find both ends of the run
We trace where the vent leaves the dryer and where it comes out, whether that’s a side wall, the foundation or the roof, so the whole length gets cleaned.
Clean the full length
Brushes work through the duct and around each bend while the loosened lint is collected, from the dryer end all the way to the hood.
Clear the hood and flap
Lint, nesting material and debris come out of the hood, and we make sure the flap swings freely.
Reconnect and run the dryer
The connection goes back on, the dryer slides back without crushing the hose, and we run it to confirm strong air at the hood.
Show you what we found
You get before-and-after photos and a plain note on anything worth fixing.
Why dryer vents clog, and why it matters
Every load sends warm, damp air out through the vent. The lint screen stops most lint, but some rides along with that moist air into the duct. It sticks to the walls, builds up at bends and packs into the hood outside. As it builds, air moves more slowly, the dryer runs longer and the vent runs hotter.
That buildup is a fire risk. The U.S. Fire Administration estimates 2,900 clothes dryer fires in residential buildings are reported each year, causing an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries and $35 million in property loss. Failure to clean was the leading factor behind those fires, at 34%. Those figures come from 2008–2010 data, the most recent in that report.
Home dryer fires also rise in fall and winter and peak in January, according to the same report. That’s a good reason to have the vent cleaned before the heavy-laundry months, not after.
Dryer vent code: length, turns, fans, screens and hose
If you’re building, remodeling or wondering whether your vent was installed right, these are the main rules in the 2021 International Residential Code, Section M1502. States and local governments adopt the code on their own schedules and with their own amendments, so check your local amendments and your dryer maker’s installation instructions before you change a vent.
We clean the vent you have, and if something we see doesn’t line up with these rules, we point it out so you can decide what to do.
- Length: a dryer exhaust duct can run up to 35 feet, minus 5 feet for each 90-degree turn and 2.5 feet for each 45-degree turn, unless the dryer maker’s instructions allow a different length.
- Label: where the equivalent length is more than 35 feet, the code calls for a permanent label showing the length.
- Booster fans: domestic booster fans are not allowed. A listed dryer exhaust duct power ventilator (UL 705), installed to its maker’s instructions, is.
- Screens: no screens at the outside termination. The hood needs a backdraft damper instead.
- Transition hose: the flexible piece behind the dryer must be one listed length (UL 2158A), no longer than 8 feet, and not hidden inside a wall or ceiling.
- Separate system: the dryer exhaust must be independent of all other systems and ducts.
- Plastic or foil accordion duct: CPSC recommends replacing it with rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct.
Roof and second-story dryer vents
When the laundry room is upstairs or in the middle of the house, the vent often runs a long way or goes up and out through the roof. The U.S. Fire Administration notes that when a vent is too long or has many bends, moisture condenses inside it and attracts lint. In a vertical run, lint that breaks loose can also fall back down toward the dryer.
Roof caps bring their own trouble: a flap that sticks, a cap packed with lint, or a screen that shouldn’t be there. Tell us where your vent comes out when you call or text, ideally with a photo, so we come ready for it.
Birds, nests and critters in the vent
A flap that stays open is an invitation. Birds and small animals build nests in dryer vents, and the U.S. Fire Administration notes those nests can block airflow and keep the vent from exhausting to the outside the way it should.
If we find nesting material, we pull it out of the opening and show you photos. If you want a cover to keep animals out afterward, choose one with a working damper and no screen, since the code doesn’t allow screens at the termination.
Dryer vent cleaning is not air duct cleaning
Your dryer vent is one duct that carries hot, lint-filled air from the dryer to the outside. Your air ducts are a separate network that moves heated and cooled air to your rooms. The code requires the dryer exhaust to be independent of all other systems, so cleaning one never cleans the other.
If you’re thinking about both, ask us to quote them together and do them in the same visit.
An estimated 2,900 clothes dryer fires in residential buildings are reported to U.S. fire departments each year, causing an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries and $35 million in property loss.
Failure to clean was the leading factor contributing to ignition in residential clothes dryer fires, at 34%.
Residential clothes dryer fires rise in fall and winter and peak in January, at 10.6% of the year’s fires.
NFPA recommends cleaning lint out of the vent pipe once a year, or more often if clothes take longer than normal to dry.
Our guarantee
If anything we cleaned isn’t right, tell us within 30 days and we come back and make it right — no charge.
Request a quote
Takes 30 seconds. We get back to you with an exact price.
Where
Dryer Vent Cleaning near you
- Dryer Vent Cleaning in Buford, GA North Metro Atlanta
- Dryer Vent Cleaning in Peachtree City, GA South Metro Atlanta
- Dryer Vent Cleaning in Athens, GA Athens & Northeast Georgia
- Dryer Vent Cleaning in Macon, GA Macon & Middle Georgia
- Dryer Vent Cleaning in Savannah, GA Savannah & Coastal Georgia
- Dryer Vent Cleaning in Greenville, SC Upstate South Carolina
- Dryer Vent Cleaning in Charlotte, NC Charlotte Metro
- Dryer Vent Cleaning in Greensboro, NC Piedmont Triad
- Dryer Vent Cleaning in Raleigh, NC Raleigh–Durham Triangle
Georgia
North Metro Atlanta
Cherokee County
- Canton
Cobb County
- Marietta
- Smyrna
- Kennesaw
- Acworth
DeKalb County
- Decatur
- Stone Mountain
Forsyth County
- Cumming
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- Atlanta
- Buckhead
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- Flowery Branch
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South Metro Atlanta
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- Carrollton
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- Jonesboro
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Macon & Middle Georgia
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Savannah & Coastal Georgia
Chatham County
South Carolina
Upstate South Carolina
Anderson County
- Anderson
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- Greenville
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- Spartanburg
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North Carolina
Charlotte Metro
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Raleigh–Durham Triangle
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Wake County
- Raleigh
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- Wake Forest
Questions
Dryer Vent Cleaning questions
How often should dryer vents be cleaned?
Once a year for most homes. NFPA recommends cleaning lint out of the vent once a year, or more often if clothes start taking longer than normal to dry.
How long does dryer vent cleaning take?
About an hour for most homes. Long runs, roof or second-story vents, heavy buildup or a nest in the vent can take longer, and we’ll tell you up front if we expect that.
How do I know if my dryer vent is clogged?
The most common sign is clothes still damp at the end of a normal cycle, or drying that takes longer than it used to. CPSC also suggests checking the outside vent while the dryer runs: if exhaust air isn’t coming out, the vent or duct may be blocked.
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Publication 5022
Can a clogged dryer vent cause a fire?
Yes. The U.S. Fire Administration estimates 2,900 clothes dryer fires in residential buildings are reported each year, and failure to clean was the leading factor, at 34% (2008–2010 data). Those fires rise in fall and winter and peak in January.
Source: U.S. Fire Administration, Clothes Dryer Fires in Residential Buildings (2008–2010)
Why does my dryer smell like burning?
Stop using the dryer until the vent and lint areas are cleared. Dust, fiber and lint were the leading items first ignited in residential dryer fires, at 28% (U.S. Fire Administration, 2008–2010 data), so a hot-lint smell is worth taking seriously. If you ever see smoke or flames, get out and call 911.
Source: U.S. Fire Administration, Clothes Dryer Fires in Residential Buildings (2008–2010)
Can I clean my own dryer vent?
You can clean a short, easy-to-reach vent. CPSC recommends cleaning the vent and exhaust duct periodically and notes you may need to disconnect the duct from the dryer to clear a blockage. Long runs, vents with several turns and roof vents are where a professional cleaning makes sense.
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Publication 5022
Is foil dryer vent hose safe?
Not as your vent. CPSC recommends replacing plastic or foil accordion-type duct with rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct, because the flexible kind traps lint more easily and kinks or crushes. The 2021 International Residential Code allows one listed transition hose (UL 2158A) behind the dryer, no longer than 8 feet and not hidden in a wall; check your local amendments.
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Publication 5022
What is the maximum length for a dryer vent?
Under the 2021 International Residential Code, a dryer exhaust duct can run up to 35 feet, minus 5 feet for each 90-degree turn and 2.5 feet for each 45-degree turn, unless the dryer maker’s instructions allow a different length. Local amendments can change this, so check with your local building department. Our dryer vent code guide walks through an example.
Are dryer vent booster fans allowed?
Domestic booster fans are not allowed under the 2021 International Residential Code. A listed dryer exhaust duct power ventilator (UL 705), installed to its maker’s instructions, is allowed. Check your local amendments before installing either.
Should a dryer vent cover have a screen?
No. The 2021 International Residential Code prohibits screens at the dryer vent termination and requires a backdraft damper instead. A screen catches lint and clogs, so look for a cover with a working flap and no mesh, and check your local amendments.
Is dryer vent cleaning the same as air duct cleaning?
No. The dryer vent is a single duct from your dryer to the outside, and the code requires it to be independent of all other systems, so air duct cleaning doesn’t touch it. See air duct cleaning if you’re thinking about both.
Are gas dryers more dangerous than electric dryers?
Slightly. NFPA reports that the risk of fire is slightly higher for gas-fueled clothes dryers than for electric ones, and recommends having a gas dryer checked by a qualified professional to make sure the gas line and connection are intact and free of leaks. We clean vents on both kinds, but we don’t work on gas lines.
Source: NFPA, Clothes Dryers and Washing Machines Fact Sheet
Who do I call for dryer vent cleaning?
A dryer vent cleaning company, like us. Appliance technicians repair the dryer itself, but cleaning the vent from the dryer to the outside hood is its own job. Call or text us a photo of where your vent comes out and we’ll give you a price.
Do you clean dryer vents that exit on the roof?
Yes. Roof and second-story vents take more setup than a ground-level wall vent, so tell us where yours comes out when you call or text, ideally with a photo.
What if there’s a bird nest in my dryer vent?
Stop using the dryer until it’s cleared, because nests of small birds and animals can block the vent. We pull out the nesting material, clean the run and show you photos. Afterward, use a vent cover with a working damper and no screen, since the code doesn’t allow screens at the termination.
Source: U.S. Fire Administration, Clothes Dryer Fires in Residential Buildings (2008–2010)
Related
Other things we clean
Get an exact price in minutes
Call or text us. Send a photo of your vent or your return grille and we’ll tell you what it takes.