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.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterVent Cleaning in Denver, CO
Our Dryer Vent Cleaning services in Denver typically cost between $109 and $249, take 45 to 90 minutes, and can be quoted in writing before the technician opens a single panel. At CleanRun Air Duct Cleaning Denver, every vent cleaning job starts with a written price and ends with a documented photo record of what was inside the duct run before and after the work – so you can see exactly what changed, not just take our word for it.
If your dryer is taking two cycles to dry a single load, or you’ve noticed the exterior vent flap barely moves when the machine is running, that’s usually lint, debris, or a partial blockage somewhere along the run. It’s not always obvious from the outside. The vent may look fine at the wall cap while a 3-inch lint mat sits packed at the first elbow behind the wall. That’s the kind of thing a camera shows you. That’s the kind of thing we photograph.
We’ve been doing this since 2013, across more than 52,000 homes served – every one with a written price before work started. Our Dryer Vent Cleaning in Denver service covers the full scope: vent cleaning, duct inspection, obstruction removal, and where needed, duct repair or rerouting. This page focuses specifically on the cleaning side – what we do, what it costs in the Denver market, and how to tell when it’s time to call.
Tomas Reyes leads every crew under the H.A.V.E.N. Standard: background-checked technicians, uniforms, a name provided before arrival, and a written scope before any work begins. If you’d rather talk through what you’re seeing before booking, call (720) 799-2292 – a live person answers, not a queue.
When You Need Vent Cleaning
Dryer vents don’t announce problems. They just get slower. In Denver specifically, the combination of older ranch-style homes in neighborhoods like Harvey Park and University Hills – where vent runs often exceed 20 feet and include multiple 90-degree elbows – and the dry, high-altitude climate that encourages faster static buildup means lint accumulates faster than most homeowners expect. Here’s what to watch for:
- Drying times have doubled. If a normal cotton load that used to finish in 45 minutes now takes 75 or requires a second cycle, the vent is almost certainly restricting airflow. The heating element is working; the exhaust isn’t moving fast enough to carry moisture out.
- The laundry room feels unusually warm or humid during a cycle. This means exhaust is backing up instead of venting out. In Denver’s drier climate, you’ll notice this faster because the baseline indoor humidity is already low – a humid laundry room mid-cycle is a clear signal.
- The exterior wall cap flap doesn’t open fully, or at all, when the dryer runs. Stand outside during a cycle and watch the flap. It should swing open with visible airflow. If it barely moves, the duct run is restricted.
- You can smell a faint burning or musty odor during the cycle. A burning smell usually points to lint close to the heating element or vent exhaust. A musty smell can mean moisture is trapped in the duct from a partial blockage – which in Denver winters can create a condensation problem inside the wall cavity.
- It’s been more than 12 months since the last cleaning – or you’ve never had it done. The National Fire Protection Association recommends annual dryer vent cleaning. In Denver homes with longer duct runs or gas dryers, that interval is often shorter in practice.
- You’ve recently moved into a home built between 1990 and 2010. Many Denver homes from that era were built with white vinyl or foil accordion duct – both of which are now prohibited under current code because they collapse and trap lint. If that’s what’s in your wall, cleaning is only part of the solution.
Our Vent Cleaning Process
Here’s exactly what happens when a CleanRun technician arrives at a Denver home for a vent cleaning. Nothing is skipped to save time. The steps below are the same whether the job takes 45 minutes or two hours.
- Written scope and price, before any work starts. Haven Standard Clause 1: you receive a written price based on the specifics of your duct run – length, number of elbows, duct material, and access points – before we touch anything. No adjustments after the fact. If the scope changes during the job (for example, the camera shows a crushed section that needs repair), we stop, write a new line item, and get your sign-off before continuing.
- Pre-cleaning inspection and photography. We attach a flexible inspection camera at the dryer connection point and run it toward the exterior cap. Every significant section of the duct run is photographed before cleaning begins. If there’s a 4-inch lint mat at elbow two, you’ll see it in the photo. This isn’t a formality – it’s the baseline that makes the after photos meaningful.
- Negative-pressure extraction setup. We connect a professional-grade negative-pressure extraction unit – typically Nikro equipment on our Denver jobs – at the exterior vent cap or at a secondary access point depending on duct configuration. Negative-pressure extraction means we’re pulling air and debris out of the duct rather than pushing it back into the home. The suction is maintained throughout the mechanical cleaning step so dislodged lint goes into the collection unit, not your laundry room.
- Rotary brush cleaning. Using a Rotobrush system, we run a flexible rotary brush through the full length of the duct run. The brush agitates compacted lint from the duct walls while the negative-pressure unit captures it. For runs longer than 25 feet – common in Denver two-story homes where the laundry is on an upper floor – we use extension rods to maintain consistent brush contact through the full run.
- Exterior cap inspection and cleaning. We remove the exterior wall cap, clear any lint or debris from the flap and screen (if present), and verify the flap opens and closes freely. Screens on exterior caps are a common problem in Denver homes – they catch lint and birds’ nests and are no longer recommended for dryer vent terminations under current best practice. If we find one, we document it and explain your options in writing.
- Post-cleaning inspection, photography, and airflow verification. After cleaning, the camera goes back through the duct run. Every section photographed before is photographed again. We run the dryer and verify the exterior cap flap opens fully with strong, unobstructed airflow. The before-and-after photo record is delivered to you as a standard part of the job – on the same visit, not days later.
BeforeAfterVent Cleaning Pricing in Denver
How Much Does Dryer Vent Cleaning Cost? (2026 Price Guide) - Denver, CO: most residential jobs run between $109 and $249. That’s a real range based on what we actually quote in this market, not a teaser rate followed by add-ons. The written price you receive before work starts reflects the specific variables of your home – not a flat fee that gets adjusted once the technician is inside.
| Job Type | Typical Denver Price Range |
|---|---|
| Standard vent cleaning (up to 15 ft, 1-2 elbows) | $109 – $149 |
| Extended vent cleaning (15-25 ft, 3+ elbows) | $149 – $199 |
| Long-run or complex vent cleaning (25+ ft, roof termination, or multi-unit) | $199 – $249 |
| Obstruction removal (bird’s nest, collapsed section, or heavy lint mat) | Quoted separately, in writing, before work continues |
| Duct material replacement (vinyl or foil accordion to rigid metal) | Quoted as a separate line item; see Dryer Vent Cleaning page for scope |
What moves the price within that range:
- Duct run length. A 10-foot run in a ground-floor laundry room is a different job than a 30-foot run that goes up through an interior wall and exits through the roof. Denver’s mix of ranch homes, two-story colonials, and 1980s condos in areas like Stapleton and Wash Park means we see the full spectrum.
- Number of elbows. Each 90-degree elbow adds cleaning time and reduces the effective draft of the vent. Runs with four or more elbows often require a second access point to clean the full length effectively.
- Termination type. Roof-terminated vents are more labor-intensive to access and inspect than wall-cap terminations. They’re also more prone to debris accumulation in Denver’s spring hailstorm season.
- Duct material condition. If the inspection camera shows crushed, disconnected, or deteriorated duct sections, cleaning alone isn’t the complete solution. We’ll document it, quote the repair separately, and let you decide – no pressure to bundle services you didn’t ask about.
If you have a written estimate from another company, bring it. We’ll put our number next to it in writing – that’s the Free Second Opinion, and there’s no charge for it. Call (720) 799-2292 to schedule.
FAQs – Vent Cleaning
How often should dryer vents be cleaned in Denver?
Most Denver homes need dryer vent cleaning once a year. That’s the baseline the NFPA recommends, and it holds for average-use households with a standard duct run. Homes with longer runs, gas dryers, or high laundry volume – think a household of five using the dryer daily – often need it every 6 to 9 months. Denver’s altitude doesn’t change lint accumulation rates, but the dry climate means moisture-related blockages are less common here than in humid cities; the primary risk in this market is dry lint buildup and fire, not mold. If you’re not sure when the last cleaning was done, the pre-cleaning photo will tell you what’s in there. Call (720) 799-2292 for a written quote before we start anything.
Is dryer vent cleaning a fire risk if it’s not done right?
Yes, and it’s one reason we don’t cut the cleaning short based on time. Dryer fires are the second leading cause of home fires in the U.S., and the majority are attributed to lint accumulation in the vent or duct run. A cleaning that stops at the accessible section without running a rotary brush through the full duct length leaves lint at the elbows – exactly where it’s most likely to catch heat. Our Nikro extraction and Rotobrush process covers the full run, not just the first few feet. The post-cleaning camera pass confirms it. If you want to verify the work, the photos are yours – that’s the point of documenting it. Call (720) 799-2292 if you’d like us to walk you through what a complete cleaning looks like for your specific home.
Can you clean a dryer vent that exits through the roof?
Yes. Roof-terminated dryer vents are more common in Denver townhomes and mid-century homes in neighborhoods like Congress Park and Platt Park than most homeowners realize. They’re also more challenging to clean because access requires working at height, and the vertical run often includes one or more horizontal offsets inside the wall cavity. We document the full run with a Dryer Vent Inspection camera before and after, and the job is quoted with roof access factored in – not added as a surprise line item. Call (720) 799-2292 for a written quote based on your specific termination point.
What’s the difference between dryer vent cleaning and air duct cleaning?
Dryer vent cleaning covers the exhaust duct that runs from your dryer to the exterior of the home – its only job is moving hot, moist, lint-carrying air outside. Air duct cleaning covers the supply and return ductwork connected to your HVAC system – the network of metal or flex duct that circulates conditioned air through every room. They’re separate systems, cleaned with partially overlapping but distinct equipment, and priced separately. This page covers dryer vent cleaning specifically. If you’re looking at both services, our home page covers the full scope of what CleanRun offers in Denver. Call (720) 799-2292 and a live person can help you figure out which service applies to what you’re seeing.
What You Can Verify Before You Agree to Anything
CleanRun has operated under the Haven Standard since Tomas Reyes founded the company in 2013. Haven Standard Clause 1 means no job starts without a written price. Haven Standard Clause 3 means every technician is background-checked and identified by name before arrival. The 365-Day Done Right Promise means if the cleaning wasn’t done correctly – if lint comes back in a week, if the photo record shows a section we missed – we come back and fix it. In writing. Not subject to manager approval.
The equipment we use is real and verifiable: Nikro extraction units and Rotobrush systems are trade-recognized products that you can look up independently. We name them because we’re using them, not because they sound good in marketing copy.
In Denver, where a lot of vent cleaning advertising runs on a $79 coupon and a shop vac, the before-and-after photo record is the clearest way to distinguish actual work from vacuum noise. The photos are yours. They come with every job, as a standard deliverable, not an upgrade.
To get a written price for vent cleaning at your Denver home, call (720) 799-2292. A live person will answer, take your address and basic duct details, and tell you the price range before you commit to anything. That’s how every CleanRun job starts.
Written by Tomas Reyes, Owner at CleanRun Air Duct Cleaning Denver, serving Denver.