Vent Busters VS The Competition
Here we will take a look at three dryer vents we serviced that were previously cleaned or repaired by another dryer vent company. We don’t want to point fingers but we also hate seeing homeowners taken advantage of. Don’t fall for cheap rates, addon services from people in other industries or a part timer looking to make commission on the side.
The $45 Leaf Blower Guy
Our first call was from a homeowner in Oak Ridge, NC that called someone with an enticing Facebook Marketplace advertisement. $45 and he will clean out the dryer vent. Sounds simple enough. The homeowner said the technician arrived in a beat up sedan, armed with a leaf blower and nothing else. He hooked up the blower behind the dryer, some lint shot outside and he collected $100 because the vent was longer than expected. He was gone in 10 minutes.
The homeowner noticed the dry times actually got worse and now the flap on the outside wasn’t opening at all. A quick google search and they found Vent Busters. We found that there was actually a bird nest trapped in the vent. When the facebook guy used his leaf blower all he did was compact the lint and nesting together causing a 100% clog.
Vent Busters removed the compacted bird nest from the dryer vent, cleaned it up and installed a dryer safe bird guard and vent cover to eliminate future infestation. Our invoice was exactly what we quoted on the website and no surprise fees.
The Carpet Cleaner Addon
Our next homeowner was told by their carpet cleaner that he could also clean out the dryer vents. The homeowner was a little skeptical but the carpet cleaning guys were already at the house so why not? The servicer used a brush kit from Amazon and ran it up to the roof from behind the dryer. After 15 minutes they were done and told the vent is clean. Once again there was little change to the dry times and still had to run multiple cycles. Vent Busters to the rescue!
We found that some of the lint was removed from the vent but there was still immense back pressure and overheating. The previous servicer being a carpet cleaner failed to access the vent on the roof. A dryer venting to the roof can cause enough buildup in the cap itself that it will block the entire vent, especially if a screen is installed. Even with a “clean vent” having a roof cap clogged is like trying to blow through a straw with your thumb over it. This is a very common result if the person cleaning this type of dryer vent does not climb onto the roof or address the cap itself.
Vent Busters found there was a bird screen left on roof vent and all of the lint was pushed into the roof cap from the previous cleaning. With the mesh removed the lint was able to be extracted and the dryer returned to normal operation after weeks of frustration!
The Part Timer
Our final homeowner in Greensboro this week had a guy that cleans out dryer vents on the side part time. Is this even a dryer vent company? A cheap rate and good natured, what could go wrong? The technician did clean the vent and sold some extras racking up a $300 invoice. After turning the dryer back on there was little change to the air flow and the machine continued to overheat. The servicer collected their money and advised the actual dryer needs to be serviced and he doesn’t know how to do that. More appointments and more money!
The dryer itself can become stuffed with lint and what is actually at risk of catching fire. Vent Busters has been involved in the appliance industry for over 20 years. Our full service cleanings include clearing the lint trap and blower housing. We also offer tuneup and full disassembly cleaning as well. In this example the dryer’s lint trap was so stuffed at the intake the machine was just recirculating its own air and moisture. What we found here is included with our flat rate pricing.
Dryer Vents – It is All We Do!
Vent Busters has cleaned out thousands of dryer vents near Greensboro, Winston Salem, High Point and surrounding areas. We have been voted Next Door Neighborhood Favorite in dozens of communities. Trust our experience and reputation to do a great job for you at a fair price. Check out our flat rate pricing or give us a call @ 336-899-8001.