Do I need dryer vent repair or cleaning?

If the duct is intact and packed with lint, you need cleaning. If it is crushed, disconnected, made of plastic or foil, or missing its cap, you need repair or replacement. A camera inspection and airflow test shows which.

Do you repair dryer vents?

We clean and document. We replace the transition hose behind the dryer. For other repairs, such as rerouting a duct, repairing a damaged wall or roof run, or replacing a broken termination, we photograph the problem, describe it plainly and refer you to a licensed trade.

What material should a dryer duct be?

The CPSC advises rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct, and says to replace plastic or foil accordion-type duct. Most dryer manufacturers specify metal, which gives the most airflow. The flexible plastic or foil type traps lint more easily and is more likely to kink or crush.

Can a crushed hose behind the dryer cause slow drying?

Yes. A hose pushed flat or kinked when the dryer was moved restricts airflow the same way lint does. The USFA says to check that the venting behind the dryer is not damaged, crushed or restricted.

What does the transition hose replacement cost?

$29, usually added to a cleaning. It replaces the flexible connector between the dryer and the wall duct with semi-rigid metal.

How do I find out which one I need?

A camera inspection and airflow test is $89. It shows the inside of the duct and measures how much air leaves the exterior vent. You get photos and readings, and a plain answer on whether it needs cleaning, repair or both.

Dryer vent repair or cleaning? What each one fixes

Dryer vent cleaning removes lint from a duct that is intact. Repair or replacement is for a duct that is crushed, disconnected, the wrong material or missing parts. They are different jobs, and a good company says which one you need. We clean and document. We replace the transition hose behind the dryer, and we refer other repairs to a licensed trade rather than do them.

By Steve · Published October 20, 2026

The short answer

Cleaning fixes lint. Repair fixes a duct that is crushed, disconnected, damaged or the wrong material.
The CPSC says to replace plastic or foil accordion-type duct with rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct.
The transition hose behind the dryer is the most common thing to replace. We do that for $29.
Anything beyond that, such as rerouting, a damaged wall run or a broken termination, is a repair we document and refer.
A camera inspection and airflow test is $89, and it shows which one you need.

Cleaning and repair solve different problems

Cleaning removes lint from a duct that is intact. If the run is straight, connected and made of the right material, and it is packed with lint, cleaning restores the airflow.

Repair or replacement is for a duct that is the wrong shape or the wrong material: crushed, kinked, pulled apart at a joint, made of plastic or foil, or missing a cap. Cleaning a duct like that will not fix the airflow, because the restriction is the duct itself.

Most slow-drying dryers need cleaning. A smaller number need repair. Some need both, and the order matters: repair first, then clean the repaired run.

What usually needs repair

A crushed or kinked hose behind the dryer. The USFA says to check that the venting behind the dryer is not damaged, crushed or restricted. A hose folded flat when the dryer was pushed back is the most common fix, and it is cheap.
Plastic or foil accordion duct. The CPSC says to replace it with rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct. The flexible plastic or foil type traps lint more easily and is more susceptible to kinks and crushing, which can greatly reduce airflow.
A disconnected joint. The duct has separated inside a wall or attic, and exhaust is escaping where it should not.
A missing or broken cap. The hood or roof cap is damaged, missing, or has a screen that clogs.
A run that is too long or has too many turns. That is a design problem, and the fix is to reroute.

What we do, and what we refer

We clean and document. In the Phoenix metro, that means:

We do: clean the full run, the lint trap cavity and the exit; replace the transition hose behind the dryer with semi-rigid metal for $29; remove bird nesting material and fit a guard; and photograph everything.
We refer: rerouting, repairing a damaged run inside a wall or attic, replacing a broken roof or wall termination, and any work on the dryer itself. You get a photo and a plain description, and you can take it to the right trade.

That line is deliberate. We would rather say “this needs a repair” than sell you a cleaning that will not help.

How to find out which you need

You can check some of it yourself. Pull the dryer out and look at the hose. Go outside while a load runs and check the flap. The DIY dryer vent guide covers both. If the hose is fine and air is weak at the outside, the problem is inside the run.

A camera inspection and airflow test is $89. It puts a camera in the duct, measures airflow at the exit and gives you photos and readings. If the duct is just dirty, you book the dryer vent cleaning at $129. If it is damaged, you have the evidence to show whoever repairs it.

Before you hire anyone for repair

Ask for photos of the damage, not just a quote. Ask what material they will use. The CPSC’s guidance is metal, not plastic or foil. And be wary of any company that quotes a cleaning and a repair without showing you what is wrong. For the questions to ask, see the guide on choosing a duct cleaner, and for what a fair cleaning price looks like, the dryer vent cost guide.

If your dryer shows the signs but the duct is clear, read why your dryer may be taking too long to dry.

Common questions

Do I need dryer vent repair or cleaning?: If the duct is intact and packed with lint, you need cleaning. If it is crushed, disconnected, made of plastic or foil, or missing its cap, you need repair or replacement. A camera inspection and airflow test shows which.
Do you repair dryer vents?: We clean and document. We replace the transition hose behind the dryer. For other repairs, such as rerouting a duct, repairing a damaged wall or roof run, or replacing a broken termination, we photograph the problem, describe it plainly and refer you to a licensed trade.
What material should a dryer duct be?: The CPSC advises rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct, and says to replace plastic or foil accordion-type duct. Most dryer manufacturers specify metal, which gives the most airflow. The flexible plastic or foil type traps lint more easily and is more likely to kink or crush.
Can a crushed hose behind the dryer cause slow drying?: Yes. A hose pushed flat or kinked when the dryer was moved restricts airflow the same way lint does. The USFA says to check that the venting behind the dryer is not damaged, crushed or restricted.
What does the transition hose replacement cost?: $29, usually added to a cleaning. It replaces the flexible connector between the dryer and the wall duct with semi-rigid metal.
How do I find out which one I need?: A camera inspection and airflow test is $89. It shows the inside of the duct and measures how much air leaves the exterior vent. You get photos and readings, and a plain answer on whether it needs cleaning, repair or both.

Sources

Overheated Clothes Dryers Can Cause Fires (Publication 5022) — U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Source for replacing plastic or foil accordion-type duct with rigid or semi-rigid metal duct, and for reconnecting the duct after clearing a blockage. Accessed October 20, 2026.
Clothes Dryer Fire Safety — U.S. Fire Administration, FEMA. Source for checking that the venting behind the dryer is not damaged, crushed or restricted. Accessed October 20, 2026.

Ready when you are

Published price. Camera proof. Guaranteed for 90 days.

Get my exact price Call (623) 777-8504 Text us