There are warning signs that the vent needs maintenance.

• Poor dry times
• Dryer cabinet is unusually hot
• Excessive lint behind the dryer
• Dryer will not turn on at all

When a dryer takes multiple cycles to dry a normal load of laundry it is a telltale sign that the vent needs cleaning.  Lint buildup in a dryer vent causes hot moist air to push back into the dryer, rewetting the clothes.  If the machine runs like this long enough it will short out a thermal fuse inside the dryer and lead to a costly visit from the appliance repairman.

If your dryer will not turn on at all, call us anyway.  The appliance repairman will only restore power to the dryer.  You will still need to get the vents cleaned out.  If you call us chances are we can address the broken dryer and clean the vents in the same visit.  This saves time and a lot of money.

Dryer vents should only be constructed of 4″ round rigid ductwork.  If the main run in your walls, crawlspace or attic is flexible aluminum, bendable metal, PVC or white plastic it needs to be replaced asap.  These materials are not fire resistant, against building codes, and allow lint to build up rapidly creating a giant fuse throughout your house.

The only place it is ok to use a flexible aluminum vent is for the transition from the back of the dryer to the start of the rigid duct.  If doing this we recommend using the least amount possible and not letting it curl up behind the dryer.

Preparation

The first step to any cleaning is the inspection of the dryer vent to make sure it is safe to clean.  We will make sure the vent is secured, taped and made of out safe material before starting any cleaning.

Once we are sure the vent qualifies for cleaning we prepare the work area to ensure the safety of the appliances and customer’s property.  The dryer is pulled out on either a plastic glide matt or lifted out of place using an air powered appliance mover.  Our goal is to protect the customer’s walls and floors while uninstalling any appliance.

Vacuum & Brushes

With the dryer safely uninstalled we start the cleaning with a high powered vacuum designed specifically for lint removal.  Our vacuums have three independent motors and five different methods of air filtration.  They will contain any lint coming out of the wall and will not create dust in the home.  A normal shop vac doesn’t come close.

We assist the vacuum by running a set of brushes through the entire length of the dryer duct.  This knocks away any caked on lint and sends it back to the vacuum for containment.  Our rods are commercial quality and will bend around any turns or obstacles without breaking.  We have dozens of brushes and attachments that can be used to knock out any obstacles from large buildups to nesting and rodent issues.

Air Compressor

Sometimes the buildup is so bad or the turns in the pipe will not allow our brushes and vacuum to do the trick.  In these cases, we may run compressed air through the pipe knocking away any obstructions.  Our air compressors are not your typical residential machines.  We carry a large gas powered air compressor powered by a 5 HP Honda engine.  These compressors are rated at 200 PSI and can take care of any blockage.

Cleanup

After we are satisfied that the dryer vent is cleaned to peak efficiency we vacuum and clean up any debris behind the dryer and in the laundry room.  It is our goal to leave our work area cleaner than we found it.  Once all of our equipment is packed up we do a final sweep around the dryer to make sure nothing was left behind and everything is cleaned up to our satisfaction.