What gets checked, not cleaned
A dryer vent inspection covers the whole line. Not just three feet behind the machine. It’s the transition duct, every foot of the accessible run to the exterior hood, the flap on the hood itself, and real airflow with the dryer running. It doesn’t include cleaning. That’s a separate call, priced only if you need it.
That split matters. An inspection tells you what’s in there. Cleaning is what gets it out.
What it costs
| Job | Starting price |
|---|---|
| Dryer vent inspection | $59 |
| Dryer vent cleaning, if you need it | from $150 |
The inspection runs $59 on its own, the same number everywhere in the five-county service area. If it turns up buildup that needs clearing, that $59 folds straight into the cleaning instead of stacking on top of it. You’re only ever paying for one visit. For the numbers on the cleaning side, how much dryer vent cleaning costs walks through what moves that price. Anything past a standard cleaning, a crushed section or a bad connection, gets priced in person once I’ve looked, not guessed at over the phone.
Call (916) 833-2959, 7am to 7pm, seven days, and ask for the $59 dryer vent inspection.
How the inspection works
- I disconnect and check the transition duct at the back of the dryer first. A torn duct or a gapped connection explains a chunk of what people assume is a clogged line.
- I follow the run as far as it’s physically accessible, checking every elbow and any spot where the duct changes direction. That’s where lint collects.
- I check the exterior hood and confirm the flap opens freely under airflow and closes back down on its own.
- I run the dryer and check real airflow at the hood, not just visual buildup. A duct can look clear and still be moving less air than it should.
- You get the findings on the spot, along with a real price if cleaning or a repair is needed, not a callback or something mailed to you a week later.
On longer runs, especially anything routed through a wall cavity or up to a roof termination, a dryer vent camera inspection can see sections a flashlight from the dryer connection never reaches. Whether the line needs a camera is decided at the $59 inspection. The rest is priced on site.
When you don’t need this
You probably don’t need a separate inspection if the vent’s been serviced within the last year and the dryer’s drying a normal load in one cycle. Nothing about the house has changed since, no remodel, no new dryer, no move-in. If you already know you need the cleaning, book that directly. Simple as that. The inspection happens as part of it either way, so skipping straight to the $150 cleaning doesn’t cost you anything extra.
Where I’d still book the $59 visit on its own: a house you’re about to buy or sell, a vent nobody’s ever serviced, or a run you genuinely don’t know the shape of.
Buying or selling a house with a dryer vent you’ve never seen
Most of what passes for a dryer vent check during a home sale is a two-minute look from behind the washer and dryer, if it happens at all. That catches the transition hose and the wall connection. Nothing else. Nobody’s crawling the attic or pulling the cap off a roof for a general home inspection. That’s exactly where the expensive surprises live: a crushed elbow behind drywall, a run that was never connected to anything outside, or lint packed solid in a section nobody’s touched since the house was built.
A $59 inspection before you close is cheap next to finding out the hard way after you own it. Sellers too. The same logic runs the other direction: a clean report is one less thing a buyer’s inspector can use against the price at the table.
What comes next if it’s not just buildup
An inspection turns into one of two other jobs more often than it turns into nothing. If buildup’s the only issue, that’s the $150 cleaning above. If a section’s crushed, disconnected, or was never sized right for the run, that calls for a dryer vent repair service instead of a cleaning. And if you’re managing more than one unit, a duplex, a small apartment building, or an HOA with shared laundry, it’s worth asking whether you can put the whole building on one cleaning cycle. That beats scheduling each door separately.
Service area
I run this out of Nevada County and cover five counties from there: Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Sacramento, and Yolo. Newer builds out toward Roseville, Rocklin, and El Dorado Hills tend to put the laundry room on the second floor. That means a longer run through a wall cavity before the vent ever reaches outside, exactly the kind of run a flashlight from behind the dryer can’t finish checking on its own. Down toward Folsom, the inspection call shows up around escrow more than anywhere else in the county, which is where chimney sweep in Folsom, CA covers what else comes up on that same visit.
Proof
Google has Americas Chimney Sweep at 4.95 across 62 reviews, and Michael’s replied to all 62 himself. Michael was quick to respond when I first inquired about service for my dryer vent. Got me booked and showed up promptly. Super nice and respectful guy. Did the inspection and service and showed me before and after pictures. Very happy with their service. I appreciate his hard work.
, Jennifer W., Lincoln. He’s also the one running your inspection, with no dispatch and no rotating crew, just one licensed technician on every visit. For more of what other jobs looked like, Google reviews and photos is worth the two minutes.
How do you actually inspect a dryer vent?
I run a camera from both ends, the dryer side and the outside termination, so nothing in the middle gets missed. That’s how you catch lint packed into an elbow, a sagging or crushed flex line, or a bird’s nest sitting at the hood. A flashlight from behind the dryer can’t reach any of it.
How many house fires do dryer vents actually cause?
Lint is the whole mechanism. It packs into the duct, airflow drops, the dryer runs hotter to compensate, and the lint nearest the heating element catches. That chain is what causes the house fires traced back to dryer vents each year. Catching a blocked vent early is the part you control.
Questions before you book
How much does a dryer vent inspection cost?
It’s $59 on its own, the same number everywhere in the service area. If the inspection finds buildup that needs clearing, the $59 folds into the $150 starting price for cleaning instead of adding to it. You pay it outright only if you decide not to move forward.
Is there a dryer vent inspection near me, or does someone come to you?
Michael comes to you. There’s no inspection-only company and no dispatch. The same person who checks the line is the one who’d clean or repair it if you need that. Confirm your address is in the five-county service area and pick a time that works.
What is a dryer vent camera inspection?
A camera inspection runs a small scope down the line so you can see blockages, crushed sections, and disconnects that a flashlight can’t reach. It matters most on runs through a wall or up to a roof termination. Whether the line needs a camera is decided at the $59 inspection. The rest is priced on site.
How long does it take?
Most dryer vent inspections take 30 to 60 minutes. A second-floor laundry or a long run to a roof termination can add another half hour because both ends take longer to reach.
What happens if the inspection finds a problem?
You get a real answer on the spot instead of a callback, so you’re not left guessing. If it’s buildup, the $59 folds straight into the $150 starting price for cleaning. If it’s a crushed or disconnected section, that’s dryer vent repair territory instead, priced once I’ve seen it.
Does every home need an inspection before cleaning?
No. If your dryer’s already showing the signs, two cycles to dry a load, running hot, a burning smell, you can book the cleaning directly. The inspection happens first either way and is credited into that $150, so skipping straight to cleaning doesn’t cost you anything extra.
A dryer vent you’ve never actually seen the inside of is a guess dressed up as a fact. The $59 visit replaces the guess. Call (916) 833-2959, 7am to 7pm, seven days, or reserve a slot online if you already know that’s what you need.