Whole-system duct and dryer vent check with before-and-after photos - you see exactly what came out of your vents
That "$99 whole-house special" is a bait ad - the real number appears once they are in your hallway, or the "clean" is a shop-vac at the register. We photograph the inside of your ducts before and after instead.
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After
Before
After
Before
AfterVent Cleaning in Austin, TX
Dryer Vent Cleaning services in Austin typically run $109 to $189 for a standard single-story residential run, completed the same visit your technician arrives. The work involves clearing the full length of the duct from the dryer cabinet to the exterior termination point, not just blowing air at the opening and calling it done. At CleanRun Air Duct Cleaning Austin, every vent cleaning job starts with a written price before a single panel comes off – and ends with a documented photo record of what the inside of that duct looked like before and after we left.
This page covers vent cleaning as a specific service: what it includes, what the Austin market actually costs, and what you receive in writing when the job is finished. If you want the full picture on termination caps, bird guards, and flex-to-rigid conversion work, our Dryer Vent Cleaning in Austin page covers all of that in detail.
To schedule or get a written price today, call (737) 243-9544. A live person answers every call.
When You Need Vent Cleaning
Austin’s climate adds a wrinkle most dryer-vent guides written for colder markets skip: high summer humidity means lint that enters the duct during a cycle absorbs moisture before it exits, compacting into a denser, harder-to-shift mass than you’d see in a dry climate. Here’s what actually signals that your vent needs cleaning – not a vague schedule, but observable evidence:
- Drying time has crept up past 45 minutes on a normal cotton load. A properly clear 4-inch duct moves heated, moisture-laden air out quickly. When that run is partially blocked, the dryer runs longer cycles to hit the same result – and your utility bill shows it before you notice anything else.
- The exterior termination flap barely opens when the dryer is running. A clear duct pushes enough air volume to hold that flap open. If it’s barely cracked or stays closed, restriction is significant enough to warrant a camera inspection and full cleaning.
- You find lint accumulating around the dryer cabinet or on the floor near the wall connection. Lint that can’t exit the duct comes back the way it entered. In South Austin homes with older flex-duct transitions, this is one of the most common first signs we photograph.
- The laundry room feels noticeably warm or humid during a cycle. If exhaust heat is backing up rather than clearing the building, the duct is restricted. In Cedar Park and Round Rock homes built between 2000 and 2012 with long horizontal runs, we see this frequently in summer.
- It’s been more than 12 months since the last cleaning and you run more than 5 loads per week. The National Fire Protection Association’s standard 211 recommends annual inspection and cleaning for residential dryer vents. Austin households with large families hit that threshold faster than the calendar suggests.
- A burning or dusty smell accompanies early cycles. Scorching lint inside a duct has a distinctive smell that’s different from normal dryer heat. This is not a diagnostic you should postpone – call (737) 243-9544 and we’ll schedule a same-day inspection.
Our Vent Cleaning Process
We photograph every step because the photo record is what separates documented work from noise. Here’s what actually happens on a CleanRun vent cleaning visit:
- Written price before any work begins. Your technician measures the duct run, identifies the termination type, and delivers a written price on the spot. This is Haven Standard Clause 1 – “call for a quote” doesn’t exist here. If the scope changes after the duct is opened, you’re told in writing before work proceeds.
- Camera inspection from the dryer connection point. Before the brushes or extraction equipment come out, we run a camera through the accessible portion of the duct. This shows the actual condition inside: where lint has compacted, whether the duct liner is intact, and whether there are bird nests or moisture damage at the bends. You see the before photo before we start.
- Negative-pressure extraction at the termination end. Negative-pressure extraction means we pull air through the duct toward the exterior rather than blowing debris back into your laundry room. We use Abatement Technologies equipment for this stage – professional-grade tools designed to handle the CFM requirements of a blocked residential duct without scattering debris into the living space.
- Rotary brush agitation through the full run length. Compacted lint doesn’t release under suction alone. The rotary brush – run through from the dryer end – breaks the debris loose so extraction can pull it clear. For long runs common in two-story homes in the Domain area or in Mueller homes with interior laundry rooms, we extend the brush to reach every foot of the run.
- Termination point cleared and confirmed open. The exterior cap or louvered vent is cleared, flap function is verified, and the surrounding area is cleaned. Bird nests (a common issue in Austin due to the starling and house sparrow populations that favor south-facing terminations) are removed and the cap is reseated.
- Post-cleaning camera pass and documented photo record. A second camera pass confirms the duct is clear end-to-end. The before and after images are compiled into your job’s documented photo record – a standard deliverable on every CleanRun visit, not an add-on. You receive this record as part of the written job summary before the technician leaves.
Every technician on a CleanRun crew is background-checked, uniformed, and identified by name before arrival. This is Haven Standard Clause 3: Verified Crews – not a marketing phrase, a documented operating requirement.
BeforeAfterVent Cleaning Pricing in Austin
Vent cleaning in Austin costs $109 to $299 depending on run length, access complexity, and what the camera finds before we start - see How Much Does Dryer Vent Cleaning Cost? (2026 Price Guide) - Austin, TX for full pricing details. That range covers the overwhelming majority of residential jobs we complete across central Austin and the surrounding suburbs. The written price is delivered before any work begins, every time, with no exceptions.
| Job Type | Typical Austin Price Range |
|---|---|
| Standard single-story run (up to 15 ft, accessible termination) | $109 – $149 |
| Two-story or long horizontal run (15-35 ft) | $149 – $199 |
| Complex run with multiple elbows or attic routing | $199 – $249 |
| Bird nest removal + vent cleaning (combined) | $229 – $299 |
| Blocked/compacted vent requiring extended agitation | $169 – $259 |
What moves the price up or down in Austin specifically:
- Run length. Homes in Brentwood, Allandale, and Tarrytown built in the 1950s and 60s often have laundry rooms added during renovations, with duct runs that travel through unexpected paths. Longer runs take more time and more brush extensions.
- Access to the termination cap. A first-floor exterior cap is straightforward. A cap on the second-story eave behind a gutter requires ladder positioning and adds time.
- What the camera finds. A nest, a collapsed section of flex duct, or a disconnected elbow inside the wall changes the scope. We tell you what the camera shows in writing before we proceed with any additional work.
- Duct material. Smooth rigid metal ducts are faster to clear than the accordion-style flexible duct that was standard in Austin tract homes built between 1985 and 2005. Flex duct holds lint in its ridges, and full agitation takes longer.
We also offer a free second opinion on any written estimate you’ve received from another company. Bring the quote; we’ll put our written number next to it before you make any decision.
For an exact written price on your specific home, call (737) 243-9544. Estimates are free and the price is in writing before any work begins.
What Makes Austin Vent Cleaning Different from the $79 Coupon
Austin has no shortage of dryer vent companies offering a flat rate that looks appealing until you read the fine print. The $79 price point typically covers a shop-vac at the dryer end and a visual check of the termination. It does not include a camera inspection, rotary agitation of compacted lint, or documentation of any kind. You have no record of what was inside the duct before the visit or after it.
CleanRun has operated in Austin since 2013 and has completed work in more than 52,000 homes – every single one with a written price before work started and a documented photo record when the crew left. Tomas Reyes built the business around a simple idea: if you can photograph it, you can prove it. If you can’t prove it, you didn’t do it.
The 365-Day Done Right Promise backs every job in writing. If the work isn’t right – if the duct isn’t clear, if the termination flap isn’t functioning, if anything we cleaned comes back within a year due to our work – we make it right. That commitment is written on every job record, not subject to a manager’s discretion.
Equipment matters, too. Where some companies use whatever vacuum is in the van, CleanRun uses Abatement Technologies extraction equipment and Guardsman-approved brush systems – brands that professional duct cleaning associations recognize for their engineering specifications. When we name equipment on this page, we name it so you can look it up before you agree to anything.
Austin homeowners who found us through the home page or through a neighbor’s referral often tell us the same thing: they didn’t expect to receive photos of the inside of their duct. That’s the standard here, not a surprise upgrade.
Frequently Asked Questions – Vent Cleaning in Austin
How much does dryer vent cleaning cost in Austin, TX?
Dryer vent cleaning in Austin typically costs between $109 and $299, depending on the length of the duct run, the number of elbows, and what the pre-cleaning camera inspection finds. Standard single-story runs in central Austin homes usually fall between $109 and $149. Two-story homes or properties with long horizontal runs through attic space typically fall between $149 and $249. The written price is delivered before any work starts. Call (737) 243-9544 for your specific written quote – estimates are free.
How do I know if my dryer vent actually needs cleaning or if a company is just upselling me?
The clearest self-check: time a normal cotton load. If a full load of towels or jeans takes more than 45 minutes to dry, restriction is likely. You can also watch the exterior termination flap while the dryer runs – it should hold open clearly. If it barely cracks, the duct is significantly blocked. CleanRun’s Dryer Vent Inspection shows you the inside of the duct before any work begins, so you’re not taking a technician’s word for it. You see the photo. That’s the whole point of the documented photo record.
Is dryer vent cleaning something I can do myself?
The lint trap and the few inches of duct directly behind the dryer are accessible with a standard brush kit from a hardware store. The full run – particularly anything over 8 feet, anything with elbows, or any run that passes through a wall or ceiling – requires rotary agitation equipment and negative-pressure extraction to clear properly. A shop-vac or a manual brush rod pushed from the dryer end will move the front of the blockage but typically leaves compacted lint at the elbows. For a duct that’s genuinely obstructed, that partial clearing can give a false sense that the job is done. If there’s any doubt, a camera inspection before and after is the only way to confirm the run is actually clear end-to-end.
How often should Austin homeowners clean their dryer vents?
Once per year is the baseline for most households, based on NFPA 211 guidelines. In Austin specifically, households running six or more loads per week should consider a cleaning every 8 to 10 months. Homes with pets – or homes where the exterior termination is south or west-facing and exposed to the native bird populations common in Travis County – should schedule an inspection annually and check the termination cap themselves every spring. Austin’s high-humidity summers compact lint faster than the national average suggests. If you’re not sure when the last cleaning was done, the camera inspection will tell you what’s there now.
Key Takeaways
- Vent cleaning in Austin costs $109 to $299, written price delivered before any work begins.
- Every CleanRun job includes a camera inspection before and after – you see both photos as part of the standard job record.
- Austin’s humid summers compact lint faster than most national guides account for; annual cleaning is the floor, not the ceiling, for active households.
- Negative-pressure extraction and rotary brush agitation are what clear a full duct run – suction alone at the dryer end does not.
- Every job is backed by the 365-Day Done Right Promise, in writing, on every job record.
- A free second opinion is available on any written estimate from a competitor.
Schedule Your Vent Cleaning in Austin
If your dryer is running long cycles, your exterior flap isn’t opening fully, or it’s simply been more than a year since the last cleaning, the next step is a written price and a camera inspection. CleanRun Air Duct Cleaning Austin has served Austin homeowners since 2013, and every visit ends with a documented photo record you keep.
Call (737) 243-9544 to get a written price for your home. A live person answers every call, and estimates are free with no obligation.
Written by Tomas Reyes, Owner at CleanRun Air Duct Cleaning Austin, serving Austin.