Dryer Vent Cleaning in Rockford, IL

The numbers

USFA's report on residential dryer fires: about 2,900 a year, causing an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries and $35 million in property loss. Failure to clean was the leading factor at 34 percent; dust, fiber and lint were the leading items first ignited. Dryer fires peak in fall and winter, highest in January (USFA).

NFPA's rules

• Clean the lint filter before or after each load, and remove lint collected around the drum.
• Use rigid or flexible metal venting to keep proper airflow and drying time.
• Make sure the exhaust is not restricted and the outdoor flap opens when the dryer runs. Once a year, or sooner if drying takes longer than normal, clean lint out of the vent pipe or have a lint removal service do it.
• Have gas dryers inspected to make sure the gas line and connection are intact and free of leaks.
• Check the outdoor vent flap is not covered by snow.

Source: NFPA Clothes Dryer Safety tip sheet.

Basement vent runs

A basement laundry can mean a long vent run with several elbows to reach an outside wall. Whirlpool rates every dryer for a maximum vent length and number of elbows, and says the duct must keep air moving at 1,200 feet per minute to carry lint, which in a 4-inch pipe means at least 105 cubic feet per minute (Whirlpool). LG dryers with Flow Sense warn at d90 and d95 when they detect a 90 or 95 percent blockage (LG).

What it costs

• Basement or first-floor vent: $80 to $150
• Second-floor vent: $110 to $185
• Roof vent: $150 to $250
• Vent inspection: $30 to $60
• New vent installation or rerouting: $200 to $500

From Angi. InterNACHI gives a steel dryer vent about 20 years and a plastic one about 5 (InterNACHI).