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HVAC air ducts and dryer vents are different systems
Searches for HVAC air duct and dryer vent cleaning often lump the two together, but they have almost nothing in common. Your furnace and air conditioner move conditioned air around the house through a network of supply and return ducts. The dryer has a single exhaust duct that pushes hot, wet, lint-filled air out of the house. The two should never be connected.
| Feature | HVAC air ducts | Dryer exhaust duct |
|---|---|---|
| Job | Circulate heated or cooled air indoors | Send dryer exhaust outdoors |
| What builds up | Dust and debris | Lint, moisture, sometimes nests |
| Main risk when neglected | Dust and reduced airflow | Overheating, long dry times, fire risk |
| Where it ends | Registers inside the home | An exterior wall cover or roof termination |
Job
- HVAC air ducts
- Circulate heated or cooled air indoors
- Dryer exhaust duct
- Send dryer exhaust outdoors
What builds up
- HVAC air ducts
- Dust and debris
- Dryer exhaust duct
- Lint, moisture, sometimes nests
Main risk when neglected
- HVAC air ducts
- Dust and reduced airflow
- Dryer exhaust duct
- Overheating, long dry times, fire risk
Where it ends
- HVAC air ducts
- Registers inside the home
- Dryer exhaust duct
- An exterior wall cover or roof termination
What we clean
Our work here is the dryer exhaust duct, from the back of the machine to the outside exit. We don't clean furnace or air-conditioning ductwork. For that, you'd want an HVAC duct specialist.
What air duct dryer vent cleaning covers in Connecticut homes
When we clean a dryer vent, we work the whole run, not just the part you can reach from the laundry room:
- The transition connector behind the dryer
- The full duct run through walls, floors, ceilings or attic
- Elbows and joints where lint collects
- The exterior cover or roof termination, including stuck flaps and nests
- Any blockage that stops airflow
For the full scope of a standard visit, see our dryer vent cleaning service. If a run is hidden behind finished walls or keeps giving trouble, a dryer vent camera inspection shows what's inside before and after cleaning. Apartment buildings, laundromats and other businesses are covered under commercial dryer vent cleaning.
If your home also has a wood-burning fireplace, the chimney deserves the same attention. Our guide to signs That Your Chimney Needs Cleaning covers what to look for.
Is it the dryer vent or the HVAC?
These clues point to the dryer side rather than your heating and cooling system:
- The problem shows up only when the dryer is running
- Clothes take longer to dry than they used to
- The laundry room gets humid or warm
- Lint collects on the walls and floor near the dryer
- There's lint around the exterior vent cover
If dust is coming from supply registers all over the house, that points to the HVAC ducts instead.
What the visit covers
Lint is highly flammable and collects in long or crushed vent runs. A restricted vent makes the dryer run longer and wear out sooner.
Look
Length, bends and condition of the vent.
Clean end to end
From the dryer connection to the outside.
Fix small problems
Crushed connectors and loose joints are pointed out or replaced.
Confirm airflow
A final check with the dryer running.
How to prepare
- If the dryer isn't overheating or smelling of burning, you can run an empty load first to compare airflow before and after.
- Clear space around the dryer so it can be pulled out.
- Make sure the outside vent hood can be reached.
Checked on every visit
- Connector behind the dryer
- Outside hood, flap and screen
- Crushed or kinked sections
- Joints and foil tape
- Vent length and number of bends
- Airflow at the outside hood
Signs to watch for
- The dryer or laundry room gets very hot
- The outside flap barely opens when the dryer is on
- Clothes take two cycles to dry
- Lint around the outside vent hood or behind the dryer
- A burning smell when the dryer runs
Burning smell?
If you smell burning while the dryer runs, turn it off and unplug it until the vent is checked.
