Round Rock, Texas

Dryer vent cleaning in Round Rock

Clothes taking two cycles to dry? Tell me what the dryer is doing and where the vent exits. I’ll help you find a local company to clean it.

Text Terry about your dryer vent

OnHand Home is not a vent cleaning company. I help you find one, and you get their business name before you agree to anything. There is no charge for my help. You pay the vent cleaning company for the work.

What the work involves

A dryer pushes hot, damp air and lint out through a duct to the outside. Lint builds up in that duct over time. Cleaning means removing the lint from the duct, the vent hood on the outside wall, and often the area behind the dryer.

The crew disconnects the duct, uses brushes or a rotating tool and a vacuum to clear the run, and then checks that the air flows out freely. Ask whether they also clean the dryer’s own cabinet or exit port.

Long runs, bends and roof exits are harder than a short run through the wall. Tell the company which one you have.

Signs the vent needs attention

Clothes are still damp after a normal cycle, or a load takes much longer than it used to
The dryer or the laundry room gets very hot
Lint collects around the outside flap, or the flap hardly moves while the dryer runs
You smell something burning, or a hot smell of old lint. If so, stop using the dryer.
The vent is a long run, or exits through the roof
Birds or small animals have nested in the vent hood
You moved in and do not know when the vent was last cleaned

Cleaning, repair or reroute?

Cleaning fixes lint. It does not fix a bad duct.

Lint only. A standard clean is enough if the duct is sound and the run is not too long.
Foil or plastic accordion duct. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says to replace plastic or foil accordion duct with rigid or semi-rigid metal duct. Ask the company to look.
Crushed, kinked or disconnected duct. This blocks the air even after cleaning. It needs repair, and sometimes a new run.
A nest in the hood. Birds or animals in the vent need to be cleared, and the hood may need a guard. Ask what the company does.

What changes the price

Dryer vent cleaning is priced by the vent run and its access. Ask for the scope in writing.

The length of the run and the number of bends
Where the vent exits: a side wall, the roof or another floor
Whether the company needs a ladder or roof access
Heavy buildup or a blocked or nested hood
Repairs or replacement of the duct or the hood
Cleaning behind the dryer or inside the cabinet
Gas versus electric dryer, since a gas dryer adds a gas connection to work around

Questions to ask the vent cleaning company

Use these to compare quotes side by side.

How do you clean the whole run, including the outside hood?Some companies only clear the part near the dryer.
Do you clean the roof or high exit, and how?Ask about roof access and who handles it.
What kind of duct do I have, and should it be replaced?Rigid or semi-rigid metal is the safer choice over foil or plastic.
Will you check the airflow at the outside vent when you finish?This is how you know the run is open.
Do you clean around gas connections, and do you reconnect everything?A gas dryer needs care. Ask who reconnects it.
What do you do if you find a nest or damage?Ask what is included and what is extra.
Do you clean the inside of the dryer too?The lint filter is not the only place lint collects.

If you smell something burning

Stop the dryer and unplug it. If you smell gas, leave the house and call 911 from outside. Do not switch anything on or off on the way out. OnHand Home is not an emergency service.

What federal agencies say

The U.S. Fire Administration says to clean lint filters every time you use the dryer and to clean the dryer vent ductwork every year.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission says to prevent dryer fires by cleaning the dryer vent, exhaust duct and lint screen or filter periodically.

What the fire agencies say

The U.S. Fire Administration advises cleaning the lint filter every time you use the dryer and the dryer vent ductwork every year.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission advises cleaning the dryer vent, exhaust duct and lint screen or filter periodically to prevent dryer fires.

What happens after you text

You text meSay what is going on, add a photo if you can, and include your ZIP code. The message is already started for you, and you can change it.
I ask a question or twoI check the details a vent cleaning company will need and confirm you are in our area. We are starting in Round Rock.
I look for a vent cleaning companyI check who can take the job. You get the business name before you agree to anything. If I cannot find someone, I tell you.
They quote and do the workThe vent cleaning company confirms the time and the price with you. You pay them for the work. I follow up afterward.

Tell me what is going on.

Text me a short description and your ZIP code. A photo helps.