Inspection · airflow test · New York City
Find out what is inside your dryer vent before it costs you
We trace the whole run from behind the dryer to the exterior termination, then measure the airflow with the dryer on. It is useful before you buy, with a new dryer, after a burning smell, or when a building wants a unit checked.
Call (929) 635-7121Book an inspection
- Open daily, 7 AM to 9 PM
- Free, no-obligation quote
The short answer
What does a dryer vent inspection tell you?
An inspection is the checking half of an Eco Fresh cleaning, offered on its own. A technician follows the run from behind the dryer to where it leaves the building, notes the material, the length, the elbows and the condition of the outside cap, then runs the dryer and measures what comes out. The answer is one of three: the vent is fine, it needs cleaning, or part of it needs repair or replacement.
Most New York runs are out of sight: through a prewar riser, across the ceiling of a loft conversion, down to a basement wall in a rowhouse, or up a shaft to a co-op roof. That is why a measured airflow reading counts for more than a flashlight. Call (929) 635-7121 for a free quote.
When to book one
Which situations call for an inspection rather than a cleaning?
Six cases where the question is what is back there, not whether it is dirty.
Buying a co-op, condo or house
A general home inspection seldom follows the dryer exhaust past the closet. Before you close, find out whether the run is rigid metal or foil and where it ends.
A new dryer on an old run
A new machine on a restricted run works harder and dries no better. Check the run before the delivery crew hooks it up. If the new unit is ventless, there is no run to check.
A burning smell
Stop using the dryer. Lint on the heating element can scorch before it burns, and the inspection tells you whether the run, the connection or the machine is to blame.
Still two cycles after a cleaning
If clothes still need two cycles, the restriction is probably not lint: a crushed section, a loose joint or a stuck flap. The airflow test points to which.
A rental unit or a building's yearly check
Landlords and managing agents who want each apartment checked once a year and cleaned only when it needs it.
After roof work or a nest at the cap
Roof work can knock a termination out of place, and birds like a warm vent. After either, the cap and the top of the run need a look.
What gets checked
What does the technician look at?
Each section of the vent, one after another, starting at the machine and ending outdoors. Much of a New York run hides in walls, ceilings or shafts, so the airflow reading at the exit tells you what eyes cannot reach.
- Behind the dryerFlex hose that is crushed or kinked, foil or vinyl where rigid metal belongs, and screws that snag lint at the joints.
- Material and jointsRigid pipe, semi-rigid, foil or plastic, joined with tape or screws, plus any length that has separated inside a wall, ceiling or shaft.
- Length and turnsHow far the run travels and how many bends it takes. Each elbow holds lint and cuts the distance a dryer can push air.
What you cannot see from the laundry closet
- Concealed sectionsAnything visible at an access panel or the cap gets a close look; for what is walled in, the air at the exit tells the story.
- Cap, flap and screenWhether the flap swings open when the dryer runs, whether the hood is bent or rusted shut, and whether a screen is trapping lint.
- Airflow with the dryer onMeasured at the exit. A run that looks clear but moves little air has trouble somewhere in the middle.
What you get
Three outcomes, and what follows each
The run is fine
The exhaust measures well and the run is in good shape. Nothing gets added on. You leave with the date and a yearly interval to follow.
The run needs cleaning
Lint or an obstruction is holding back the exhaust. A cleaning clears the whole run, and you can ask for it on the same visit.
Part of it needs repair or replacing
A crushed section, a loose joint, the wrong material or a failed hood. We name the problem. Fixing it, by repair or replacement, gets a separate quote that carries no obligation.
Good questions
What people ask before booking an inspection
How long does the visit take, and is the quote free?
Less than a cleaning. We trace the run, look over the cap and flap, and test the exhaust with the dryer running. The quote is free and carries no obligation; ask what an inspection involves for your run, since a short wall vent and a long riser are not the same visit.
Can you look at an exterior hood on a landmarked facade?
Yes. A landmarked facade can limit what you may change outside, so we flag it before anyone touches an exterior hood. Looking and measuring change nothing on the wall.
What is an airflow test?
With the dryer running, we measure what comes out at the termination. The result is not a guess from appearances: a run can look clear at each end and still be choked by a crushed length or lint packed into a middle elbow.
My vent runs inside the walls of a prewar building. Can you still inspect it?
Yes. The technician traces it from both ends, checks what the access points allow and reads the rest from the air at the exit. A damaged section shows up as air that does not arrive.
Do I need to tell my building first?
Many co-op and condo buildings want to know which contractors are coming in. A short note to the super or the managing agent before the visit usually settles it.
Do you inspect the dryers of a laundromat or a salon?
Yes. A business that has never had its runs looked at often starts here, and the cleaning interval follows from what the inspection shows. See commercial dryer vent cleaning.
Know what is behind the dryer before it becomes a problem.
Tell us about your run and we will say what a visit involves. Quotes are free by phone or form.