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Residential · Austin area, TX

Clogged Dryer Vent and Bird Nest Removal

This home’s dryer vent ends on an exterior wall. The duct was packed with lint, and birds had built a nest at the vent opening.
Property type
Residential
Service
Dryer Vent Cleaning
Property
Single-family home
Technician cleaning a dryer vent at the exterior wall of a home
The request

What the homeowner needed

Lint and a nest in the same vent block the exhaust almost completely: clothes take longer to dry, the dryer runs hot and the lint is a fire risk. The homeowner wanted the blockage removed and the vent cleaned end to end.

Work performed

  1. 01Check the termination. Open the exterior vent cover and photograph the lint and the nest at the opening.
  2. 02Remove the nest and lint. Take out the nest material and clean the full length of the duct, pulling the packed lint out from the outside wall.
  3. 03Confirm the airflow. Run the dryer and check that air is coming out of the exterior vent freely.
Before and after

The same spot, before and after

Packed lint pouring out of a clogged dryer vent opening
Before
Inside of a dryer vent duct clean after cleaning
After
Project details

A closer look at the job

What we found

The photos show lint packed into the dryer vent and spilling out of the opening, a bird nest with lint woven into it at the exterior vent cover, and lint lining the inside of the duct. Together they blocked most of the vent.

How we approached it

We started at the outside wall, where the problem was visible. After opening the exterior vent cover, the nest material was taken out and the packed lint was pulled from the opening. The full length of the duct was then cleaned back toward the dryer, not just the first section behind the cover. Finally the dryer was run to confirm that air was coming out of the exterior vent freely again.

Signs to watch for

  • Clothes taking more than one cycle to dry
  • The dryer or the laundry room getting unusually hot
  • Little or no air coming out of the outside vent while the dryer runs
  • Lint, twigs or nest material visible at the vent opening
  • A burning or musty smell when the dryer is on

Why it matters

A dryer vent that is partly blocked by lint and a nest cannot get rid of hot, moist air. Clothes take longer to dry, the dryer runs hotter and the lint inside the vent can catch fire. Birds and other animals are drawn to vent openings because they are warm and sheltered, so a vent that is not guarded properly can block again.

Outcome

How it finished

The nest and the lint were removed, the duct was clear from the dryer to the outside wall, and the dryer was exhausting freely again.

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Questions

About this kind of job

Straight answers to the questions we hear most about this kind of work.

Is a bird nest in a dryer vent dangerous?

Yes. Nest material and lint are both flammable and they block the exhaust, which makes the dryer run hotter. It should be removed rather than left in place.

How do I keep birds out of the dryer vent?

Use a vent cover made for dryers that keeps animals out but still lets lint pass, and check the opening regularly. Some guards collect lint themselves, so they need cleaning too.

How often should a dryer vent be cleaned?

At least once a year for most homes, and more often for large families, long vent runs or if you notice longer drying times.

Do you clean the whole vent or only the outside part?

The whole length of the duct, from the outside opening back toward the dryer, so no lint is left in the middle of the run.

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Get in touch

Have a similar property?

Share a few details about the property and we’ll contact you to discuss your request. It does not confirm an appointment.

Call or text
(512) 354-2780
Email
info@austinductcleaning.us
Hours
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We’ll contact you to discuss your request.