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What a dryer vent camera can see that you can't
Most dryer vent runs are hidden for nearly their whole length. They go behind the dryer, through a wall or joist bay, and sometimes up through the attic to the roof. From the laundry room you see a few feet of duct. From outside you see a flap. Everything in between is a guess. A dryer vent camera is a small lens on a flexible cable that we feed through the duct. It sends back a live image, so we can point to where a problem is and what it is.
- Lint packed into elbows and long horizontal stretches
- Flexible duct crushed or kinked behind the dryer or in the attic
- Joints that have separated and are blowing lint and moist air into a wall or ceiling
- Screws driven through the duct that catch lint and start a clog
- Nesting material or debris near the exterior hood
- Sagging sections where lint and condensation collect
The camera is part of our dryer vent inspection and airflow testing. An airflow reading tells you something is restricting the vent. The camera shows you where the restriction is and what's causing it.
Dryer vent camera inspection after cleaning
A camera pass after cleaning answers a fair question: did the cleaning reach the whole run? Brushes and air tools can push a clog deeper instead of pulling it out. That's most likely in runs with several turns or a long climb to the roof. Running the camera once your dryer vent cleaning is finished confirms the duct is clear from end to end. It also shows anything the lint was hiding, such as a disconnected elbow or a flattened section.
Why the after-cleaning look matters
When a vent clogs again soon after a cleaning, the duct itself is usually the cause. It may be too long, have too many bends or be the wrong material. Footage taken after cleaning is how those problems get spotted, so you can fix the duct instead of paying for repeat cleanings.
If the camera finds damage, we show you what it found while we're there and explain it in plain terms. We do dryer vent repair, replacement and rerouting.
When it's worth asking for a camera inspection
- Loads regularly need a second cycle to dry
- The dryer or the laundry room runs unusually hot
- You smell something burning or musty while the dryer runs
- Little or no air comes out of the outside hood with the dryer on
- You just bought the house and don't know the vent's history
- The vent exits through the roof or takes a long, winding route
Landlords and building managers with several units can use camera checks to decide which vents need attention first. See our dryer vent cleaning for rentals and multi-unit properties. Estimates are free, and we can come the same day when the schedule allows.
What the visit covers
Birds and debris can block the outside hood completely. Lint is highly flammable and collects in long or crushed vent runs.
Measure airflow
Airflow at the outside hood is checked with the dryer running, if it's safe to run.
Look along the run
The connector, the duct and its joints, and the outside hood and flap, with a camera where the duct is hidden.
Check the layout
Length, bends and duct material against the dryer maker's limits.
Explain
What was found and whether cleaning, repair or rerouting is needed.
Checked on every visit
- Airflow at the outside hood
- Connector behind the dryer
- Vent length and number of bends
- Outside hood, flap and screen
- Crushed or kinked sections
- Joints and foil tape
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.
- Make sure the outside vent hood can be reached.
- Clear space around the dryer so it can be pulled out.
Signs to watch for
- A burning smell when the dryer runs
- The outside flap barely opens when the dryer is on
- Lint around the outside vent hood or behind the dryer
- Clothes take two cycles to dry
- The dryer or laundry room gets very hot
Burning smell?
If you smell burning while the dryer runs, turn it off and unplug it until the vent is checked.
