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
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Before
AfterDryer Vent Inspection in Sandy Springs, GA
A dryer vent inspection in Sandy Springs, GA runs $79-$149 and takes roughly 45 to 90 minutes, depending on vent length and accessibility. The inspection uses a camera to document what is inside the duct line before anyone recommends a cleaning, a repair, or nothing at all – because the camera either shows a problem or it doesn’t. At CleanRun Air Duct Cleaning Sandy Springs, every inspection begins with a written price and ends with a documented photo record, so you’re not taking our word for what we found.
If your dryer has been running longer than it used to, or you haven’t had the vent system looked at since you bought the house, this is the starting point. Our Dryer Vent Cleaning in Sandy Springs service covers the full removal of what the inspection finds – but you don’t have to schedule both at once. The inspection stands on its own, and Tomas Reyes built it that way on purpose: know what you have before you decide what to do about it.
To schedule or get a written price, call us at (678) 904-9744. A live person answers every call.
When You Need a Dryer Vent Inspection
Some warning signs are obvious. Others build slowly and get misread as an aging appliance. In Sandy Springs specifically, we see a few patterns that show up more often than homeowners expect – partly because of the housing stock in neighborhoods like Trowbridge Crossing and Hammond Hills, where flexible foil duct work was standard during the construction run of the 1980s and 1990s, and partly because longer ranch-style duct runs are common in this area, adding friction points where lint accumulates.
- Drying cycles have gotten noticeably longer. If a full load now takes 60 to 70 minutes when it used to take 40, restricted airflow through the vent line is the first thing to check – not the heating element. A blocked vent forces the dryer to work harder and longer.
- The exterior vent flap barely opens, or doesn’t open at all. The flap at your home’s exterior wall should swing open fully every time the dryer runs. If it’s sluggish, stuck, or only partially open, the duct is likely holding a restriction. This is a common finding in Sandy Springs homes where the exterior termination hasn’t been serviced since the original build.
- The dryer cabinet or the laundry room is noticeably warm during a cycle. Some heat radiating from the machine is normal. The laundry room itself getting warm, or the top of the dryer being too hot to rest your hand on comfortably, points to exhaust heat not clearing the duct system properly.
- You moved in within the last two years and have no inspection record. This is probably the most straightforward reason. A vent inspection is part of responsible home ownership when the prior service history is unknown. We regularly find compacted lint loads in previously uninspected vents in Sandy Springs resale homes – some going back five or more years without a cleaning.
- You’re getting a lint smell in other rooms during the dryer cycle. That smell means exhaust air isn’t fully clearing through the duct line. It’s finding gaps – in connections, at the back of the dryer, or in the duct itself – and drifting into the conditioned space instead of venting outside.
- Your duct run uses flexible foil or vinyl transition duct. Flexible foil is still found in many Sandy Springs homes built before 2005. It’s prone to crimping, sagging, and lint adhesion in ways that rigid metal duct isn’t. If your duct run includes a long flexible section, the inspection will show us its current condition and whether it’s contributing to a restriction.
Our Dryer Vent Inspection Process
The process is straightforward, and every step produces something you can see. We don’t describe what we found in generalities – the camera record goes into your job file as a standard deliverable under the H.A.V.E.N. Standard, not an add-on you have to request.
- Written price before the panel comes off. Before we touch the dryer or the duct connection, we hand you a written scope and a fixed price. This is Haven Standard Clause 1, and it applies to every job without exception. The number doesn’t change once we start.
- Exterior termination check. We start at the outside wall. The exterior vent cap is inspected for damage, debris blockage, bird nesting material (a frequent finding in Sandy Springs, particularly along wooded lots near the Chattahoochee corridor), and flap function. A stuck or missing flap is a direct pathway for pests and moisture into the duct line.
- Camera inspection of the full duct run. A flexible inspection camera travels the length of the duct line from the dryer connection to the exterior termination. We’re looking at lint accumulation levels, duct condition, connection integrity at each joint, and the presence of any crimps, sags, or crushed sections. Everything the camera sees is captured in the photo record. The Rotobrush equipment we use for camera inspection allows us to photograph the inside of the duct run with enough resolution to show specific debris deposits and connection gaps, not just a general view of the interior.
- Airflow measurement at the termination point. We measure airflow at the exterior vent while the dryer runs. This gives us a baseline number. Manufacturers specify a minimum airflow requirement for safe and efficient operation – if we’re below that threshold, the inspection documents it in writing.
- Transition duct assessment. The short flexible section connecting the dryer to the wall duct – called the transition duct – is inspected for material type, condition, and proper routing. Vinyl transition duct, which was common in builds through the mid-2000s, is no longer considered acceptable under current fire codes. If we find it, we document it and explain the replacement options in plain language, with a written price for the work before anything is agreed to.
- Written findings report and documented photo record delivered. At the end of the inspection, you get a written summary of what the camera found, what the airflow measurement showed, and what – if anything – we recommend. If cleaning or repair is warranted, the recommendation comes with a written price attached. If the vent is in acceptable condition, we say that in writing too. The photo record – inside every section of the duct run, before and after, or before and as-found – is part of your standard job record.
BeforeAfterDryer Vent Inspection Pricing in Sandy Springs
A dryer vent inspection in Sandy Springs costs $79 to $149 for most residential jobs. Written price, delivered before we start. No adjustments after the fact.
| Scenario | Typical Price Range |
|---|---|
| Standard single-story duct run, accessible termination | $79-$99 |
| Two-story home or extended duct run (over 25 feet) | $99-$129 |
| Complex routing with multiple elbows or roof termination | $119-$149 |
| Inspection bundled with dryer vent cleaning (same visit) | Ask for the combined written price – bundling reduces the total |
What moves the price inside those ranges: total duct length, number of elbows (each elbow is a point where the camera needs to maneuver and where lint tends to collect), roof vs. wall termination, and whether the exterior vent cap is accessible without additional equipment. None of these factors are surprises – we account for all of them in the written price before work begins.
If you’ve received a written estimate from another company, bring it. CleanRun’s free second opinion means we put our own number next to theirs in writing, so you can compare line by line. Call (678) 904-9744 and we’ll schedule it at no cost to you.
What the Inspection Finds – and What It Means for Your Home
The purpose of the inspection is documentation. Not persuasion. The camera shows what’s there, the photo goes into your record, and the findings report describes it in plain language. Here’s what we typically find in Sandy Springs homes, and what each finding means in practical terms.
Lint accumulation at the first elbow
In Trowbridge Crossing and similar neighborhoods where the dryer sits against an interior wall with a 90-degree turn to the exterior, the first elbow after the dryer connection is the most common point of significant lint buildup. The curve slows airflow and lint drops out of suspension there first. A light accumulation at this location is normal. A compacted layer more than an inch deep is a restriction worth addressing before the heating cycle is affected.
Foil flex duct in poor condition
Flexible foil duct that was installed in the 1990s has often sagged or kinked over the years, particularly in crawl-space transitions or tight laundry closets. A kinked section reduces the effective diameter of the duct, which raises exhaust air temperature and increases lint adhesion on the inside of the kink. The camera shows the kink clearly; the airflow measurement usually confirms the restriction. Replacement with rigid metal duct is the standard correction, and the written price for that work comes with the inspection report if it’s warranted.
Bird or pest nesting at the exterior cap
This is a finding we document on a regular basis in Sandy Springs homes near the Hammond Drive corridor and in properties that back up to Roswell Road tree coverage. A nest at the exterior cap doesn’t always produce obvious symptoms inside the home – the dryer may still seem to run normally until the blockage is substantial. The exterior check at the start of every inspection is specifically designed to catch this before it becomes a complete restriction.
Disconnected or loose duct joint
In homes where the duct run passes through a wall cavity or crawl space, joint connections can separate over time without any visible sign from inside the laundry room. The camera finds these. A disconnected joint means exhaust air – including heat and lint – is being discharged into the wall cavity or crawl space rather than outside. This is the kind of finding that warrants immediate attention, and we document it in writing with a photograph before discussing repair options.
How This Connects to Your Broader Home Maintenance Record
An inspection report from CleanRun becomes part of your home’s documented service history. If you’re in Sandy Springs and planning to sell within the next few years, a current dryer vent inspection report – with the photo record attached – is a concrete disclosure item that some buyers’ agents are now specifically requesting. It also establishes a baseline: if you have the vent inspected today, you know its condition and can schedule Vent Cleaning on a predictable interval rather than guessing.
The 365-Day Done Right Promise applies to every job. If the inspection missed something that should have been documented, or if a finding we noted and addressed reoccurs within a year, we make it right – in writing, without manager approval required. That’s how the guarantee works on every job that leaves a CleanRun truck.
For more on how inspection fits into a full-service visit, see our Dryer Vent Cleaning in Sandy Springs page, which covers the cleaning process that follows when the inspection finds a buildup worth removing.
FAQs – Dryer Vent Inspection in Sandy Springs
How often should I have my dryer vent inspected in Sandy Springs?
An annual inspection is the standard recommendation for a household running a dryer four or more times per week. In Sandy Springs specifically, homes with duct runs longer than 20 feet – common in two-story builds in neighborhoods like Abernathy Road and Glenridge – tend to accumulate lint more quickly than shorter runs and may benefit from inspection every 8 to 10 months rather than once a year. If the household runs fewer loads per week, or the duct run is short and well-routed, an 18-month interval is reasonable. The inspection report we leave with you will include a written recommendation based on what the camera found, so you’re not guessing at the interval. Call (678) 904-9744 to get a written price and schedule a visit.
Is a dryer vent inspection the same as a dryer vent cleaning?
No, they are two separate services. An inspection documents the condition of the duct using a camera and an airflow measurement – it produces a written findings report and a photo record. A cleaning uses negative-pressure extraction and rotary brush equipment to remove the lint and debris that the inspection found. You can schedule them together on the same visit, which is often the most practical approach, or separately if you want to know the condition before committing to Dryer Vent Cleaning services. The inspection stands on its own and always comes with a written price before any work starts. Call (678) 904-9744 and we’ll walk you through both options with written numbers in hand.
What does a dryer vent inspection involve – will you move my dryer?
In most cases, yes – we disconnect the transition duct at the back of the dryer to access the duct inlet and run the camera from that point. The dryer is moved out from the wall enough to work safely and then returned to position. In Sandy Springs homes with tight laundry closet configurations, this sometimes requires a bit more care, and we note it in the written scope before starting. The inspection also includes an exterior check at the vent cap, which in some two-story homes requires accessing the side or back of the property. All of this is accounted for in the written price before work begins – nothing is added once we’re on site.
What happens if the inspection finds a serious blockage or a disconnected duct section?
The finding is documented in the photo record and described in plain language in the written findings report. If it’s something that can be addressed during the same visit – a cleaning, a joint reconnection, a transition duct replacement – we give you a written price for the additional work before touching anything. You decide whether to proceed. If the issue requires a follow-up visit or materials we don’t have on the truck, we document what was found, leave you with the inspection report and photographs, and schedule the next step with a written price confirmed before we return. Nothing moves forward without a number in writing. Call (678) 904-9744 if you want to talk through what the process looks like for your specific home setup.
Schedule a Dryer Vent Inspection in Sandy Springs
The inspection starts at $79, comes with a written price before we start, and ends with a documented photo record and a findings report you can keep. Tomas Reyes leads every job under the H.A.V.E.N. Standard – technicians are background-checked, uniformed, and identified by name before they arrive. The 365-Day Done Right Promise is in writing on every job.
Call (678) 904-9744 to get a written price and pick a time. A live person answers every call, any time of day. If you want to bring a competitor’s written estimate for comparison, bring it – the second opinion is free and the comparison is done in writing, line by line.
CleanRun Air Duct Cleaning Sandy Springs serves Sandy Springs and surrounding areas. Every job starts with a written price. Every job ends with a documented record. That’s the whole standard, applied to every visit, without exception.
Written by Tomas Reyes, Owner at CleanRun Air Duct Cleaning Sandy Springs, serving Sandy Springs.