How long does dryer vent cleaning take?

What happens during a 45-minute visit

Most of the visit is the cleaning itself, but the parts around it are what tell you it worked. Here is the order we work in, and roughly where the time goes.

1. 1

   We measure airflow first

   With the dryer running, we take an airflow reading. That number is the before, and it goes on your report.

2. 2

   We clean the full vent run

   We clean the duct end to end, from the back of the dryer to the outside, whatever its length. This is most of the 45 minutes.

3. 3

   We clear the outside vent

   We clean the exterior vent opening and check that its flap opens and closes freely, so lint and pests have no easy way in.

4. 4

   We measure again

   We run the dryer and take the same reading, so you can compare the two numbers yourself rather than take our word for it.

5. 5

   You get a written report

   Before we leave, you get a report with both readings and anything we found that needs attention, like a crushed duct behind the dryer.

Premium adds a deep clean inside the dryer, around the bottom pan and the motor where lint slips past the screen, plus a bore-scope camera look inside the duct. Allow a little longer for those.

What can make a cleaning take longer

About 45 minutes is the usual visit, not a promise for every vent. A few things add time:

• A long run. Some vents travel across a ceiling or through several turns before they reach an outside wall.
• A heavy blockage. A vent that has not been cleaned in years can be packed tight, and it comes out in stages.
• Something at the outside end. Birds and rodents like a warm, sheltered vent opening, and a nest takes time to clear.
• A hard-to-reach dryer. A stacked unit or a dryer in a tight closet takes longer to pull out safely and put back.
• A condo or high-rise unit. These vents often run a long way inside the unit before they reach the wall or the building shaft.

None of these changes what you pay with us. Basic is $150 and Premium is $250 for the full vent run, and condo and high-rise units add $100, the condo and high-rise surcharge. Our pricing page has the details.

How to get ready for the visit

A little preparation keeps the visit close to 45 minutes and lets us spend the time on the vent itself.

• Clear a path to the dryer and a little floor space in front of it.
• Finish your last load beforehand, so the dryer is empty and has cooled down.
• Make sure we can reach the outside vent. Unlock a side gate, and tell us where the vent comes out if you know.
• In a condo, check whether your building wants notice before a contractor arrives.

You do not need to stay in the room the whole time. At the end we will go through the before and after readings with you, because that is the part that shows the cleaning worked.

Why a proper cleaning takes 45 minutes and not 15

A quick pass with a brush at the outside opening can be done in a few minutes, and it leaves most of the lint where it was. In a lot of Boca Raton homes and condos the dryer sits well inside the home, so most of the duct is out of sight behind walls and ceilings.

Cleaning all of it, and proving it with two readings, is what takes the time. If you are comparing companies, ask two questions: how long does the visit usually take, and how will you show me the vent is clear? A much shorter visit is worth asking about.

How often you will need it

Most homes need a cleaning about once a year, and a busy household or a long vent run may need it sooner. The most common sign that a vent is due is a dryer that has started taking longer to dry a normal load.

Here is how often Florida homes should clean their dryer vents, and what to watch for between cleanings.

Booking a cleaning in Boca Raton

You can book online in a couple of minutes. Pick Basic or Premium, choose an arrival window, and you will see the total before you confirm.

We clean dryer vents across Boca Raton and the nearby cities, in houses, townhouses and condos. Every visit ends with the before and after readings and a written report.

Common questions