Dryer vent cleaning
Whole-home duct cleaning
Camera inspection
Sanitizing & deodorizingWhole-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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Before
AfterDryer Vent Inspection in Tampa, FL
A dryer vent inspection in Tampa typically costs $89 – $149 as a standalone service and is often free when bundled with a full Dryer Vent Cleaning in Tampa. The inspection checks for lint buildup, crushed or disconnected ductwork, bird or rodent nests, and improper vent termination, and it takes about 45 – 60 minutes in a standard single-family home. If you’re noticing longer dry times, a burning smell, or a dryer that feels hot to the touch, an inspection tells you exactly what’s going on before it becomes a fire hazard or a $400 repair. Call Cardinal Air Duct Tampa at (850) 403-3474 and we’ll schedule you a written-price inspection, no guesswork.
We’re part of the Relay Home Co. family, founded 2005, and we run every inspection to The Relay Standard: a live arrival window you can track, before-and-after photos of what we find, and a written price before we touch anything. Most Tampa homes we inspect have never had their dryer vent looked at, and in neighborhoods like Seminole Heights, Carrollwood, and Westchase, we regularly find vents that were installed with far too much flex duct or terminated in attics where code says they shouldn’t be.
When You Need Dryer Vent Inspection
Here’s what actually prompts Tampa homeowners to call us. If any of these sound familiar, you’re overdue for a look:
- Clothes take two or three cycles to dry. That’s the classic sign of a restricted vent. In humid Tampa air, wet clothes also pick up a musty smell fast, which makes a slow dryer even more obvious.
- The dryer or laundry room gets unusually hot. Heat that should be pushed outside is backing up into your living space. This is a fire-risk signal, not just a comfort issue.
- You see lint accumulating around the dryer or on the exterior vent cap. Lint should leave through the vent. If it’s piling up inside or around the flap, the airflow path is partially blocked.
- You’ve lived in the home more than a year and have never had the vent checked. The National Fire Protection Association recommends an annual inspection. In Tampa’s rental-heavy neighborhoods like Ybor City and Temple Terrace, many vents haven’t been looked at since installation.
- You smell something burning or musty when the dryer runs. A burning smell can be lint smoldering near the heating element. A musty smell means trapped moisture, which in Florida becomes mold fast.
- Birds, squirrels, or rodents have been active near your roof or exterior walls. Dryer vents with a missing or damaged flap are an open invitation. Nests block airflow and are a genuine fire accelerant.
Our Dryer Vent Inspection Process
Every inspection follows the same sequence, and you’ll see documentation at each stage. This is how we work:
- We confirm the booking and arrival window. You’ll get a live trackable ETA through The Relay Standard, and you’ll know the technician’s name before they knock. Our techs are background-checked and arrive in uniform.
- We walk the entire vent path. From where the dryer connects behind the unit to where the vent terminates outside, we inspect the full run, including any attic or crawlspace sections.
- We measure airflow and check the termination point. We inspect the exterior cap, verify the flap opens and closes properly, and check for proper termination location. Tampa code requires termination to the exterior, never into an attic or soffit.
- We inspect the duct condition and connections. We check for crushed flex duct, disconnected joints, improper materials like vinyl or foil (both are against current code), and excess length or too many bends.
- We document everything with photos. You’ll see what we see. Before-and-after images are part of every Cardinal Air Duct Tampa inspection, no exceptions.
- We give you a written report and a written price for any recommended work. If we recommend a cleaning or a repair, you get the number in writing before we do anything. You decide. No pressure, no surprise line items at the door.
Dryer Vent Inspection Pricing in Tampa
Here’s the honest breakdown. A standalone dryer vent inspection in Tampa runs $89 – $149 depending on home size, vent run length, and access difficulty. How Much Does Dryer Vent Cleaning Cost? (2026 Price Guide) - Tampa, FL Two-story homes with roof terminations cost more than single-story homes with wall terminations because roof access takes longer and requires more safety setup. If you bundle the inspection with a full dryer vent cleaning, the inspection fee is waived, and the cleaning itself typically runs $129 – $199 for a standard single-family home in Tampa.
What affects the price:
- Vent run length and accessibility. A 15-foot straight run through an exterior wall is quick. A 35-foot run through a second-story attic with multiple bends takes more time.
- Termination point. Roof terminations require ladder work and roof access. Wall terminations are simpler.
- Condition of the existing ductwork. If the duct is crushed, disconnected, or made of unsafe material, that’s a separate repair quote, and you’ll get it in writing before any work starts.
Every inspection includes a written price before we begin, and every repair we recommend carries a written guarantee plus a free second visit if the repair fails within 365 days. That’s our 365-Day Done Right Promise: if the work isn’t right, we return and correct it at no charge. Call (850) 403-3474 for a free phone estimate and to lock in an arrival window that works for you.
FAQs – Dryer Vent Inspection
How much does a dryer vent inspection cost in Tampa?
A dryer vent inspection in Tampa costs $89 – $149 on its own, and the fee is waived when you bundle it with Dryer Vent Cleaning services. The exact price depends on vent run length, termination location, and access difficulty. Call (850) 403-3474 for a free exact quote, and we’ll give you the number before we schedule.
Is a dryer vent inspection really necessary every year?
Yes, the National Fire Protection Association recommends inspecting dryer vents annually, especially in Tampa’s humid climate where lint combined with moisture creates a greater fire risk and faster buildup than dry climates. Even if you clean the lint trap after every load, only about 70% of lint is caught by the trap, and the rest travels through the vent. An annual inspection catches what you can’t see. Call us at (850) 403-3474 to schedule yours.
What’s the difference between a dryer vent inspection and a dryer vent cleaning?
An inspection identifies the condition of the vent and any safety or performance issues, while Vent Cleaning physically removes the lint and debris from inside the ductwork. In our experience, if an inspection finds significant buildup, the cleaning is needed immediately, and bundling both saves you the inspection fee. We use professional-grade equipment like Rotobrush rotary brush systems and Nikro HEPA vacuums, not a shop-vac from the garage. Call (850) 403-3474 to get both done in one visit.
Can you inspect my dryer vent today?
Yes, in most cases we can get a technician to your Tampa home the same day or next day. A live person answers our phones 24/7, and you’ll get a tracked arrival window through The Relay Standard. Call (850) 403-3474 and we’ll give you the earliest available time.
Will my homeowner’s insurance cover dryer vent inspection or cleaning?
Most homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover routine dryer vent inspection or cleaning, but some insurers offer discounts or require documentation of annual maintenance for claims related to dryer fires. We provide before-and-after photos and a written report you can submit to your insurer. Call (850) 403-3474 if you need documentation for a claim or inspection requirement.
Written by Omar Haddad, Owner at Cardinal Air Duct Tampa, serving Tampa.