Short answer
Charge for dryer vent cleaning by the vent run: drive, set-up, brushing and airflow-check minutes at your loaded wage plus overhead, plus consumables, divided by (1 - margin). Example: a 15 ft run with two elbows, 60 minutes door to door, breaks even at $39.40 and prices at $58.80.
- Assumed: $23 wage, 24% burden and $6.88 overhead make a $35.40 break-even hour, $52.84 at 33% margin.
- Drive, set-up and clean-up are 48 of the example's 60 minutes, so price per foot falls as the run gets longer.
- A second vent at the same address skips the drive: $41.19 in place of another $58.80.
- A customer an hour away needs $94.02; billed at $58.80 the visit is $4.19 under break-even.
- Maximum duct length depends on the local code: a DOE guide citing the IRC says 35 feet with fittings; one California city's code says 14.
On this page
- How much to charge for dryer vent cleaning: the per-run formula
- Dryer vent cleaning price calculator (opens on the standard run)
- Dryer vent cleaning price list by vent run and access
- Minimum charge and a second vent at the same address
- How drive time changes the price of the same vent
- Inspection visits and add-on lines: hood, transition duct, bird nests
- Apartment, condo and HOA contracts: price per unit
- Vent length and cleaning-interval rules to check before you quote
- Excel formulas for a dryer vent price sheet, and the markup mistake
- Calculator, free starter sheet or custom build: where to keep the price list
- Step-by-step
- FAQ
How much to charge for dryer vent cleaning: the per-run formula
Price one vent run from its minutes, add consumables, then divide by one minus your margin. Length, elbows and where the vent exits only change the minutes.
- Minutes = drive + set-up + rigging the brush + feet of duct x minutes per foot + elbows x minutes per elbow + airflow check and clean-up + ladder or roof minutes.
- Break-even = minutes / 60 x workers x (loaded wage + overhead per hour) + consumables.
- Price = break-even / (1 - margin).
I build pricing maths; I do not clean vents. Every minute and dollar below is an assumption for one person working alone. Replace each with your own stopwatch and receipts.
| Line | Assumed |
|---|---|
| Drive to the job on a planned route | 20 minutes |
| Set-up: pull the dryer out, disconnect, drop cloths, shoe covers | 12 minutes |
| Rig rods, brush and vacuum at the exterior hood | 6 minutes |
| Brushing and vacuuming, per foot of duct | 0.4 minutes |
| Extra per elbow | 3 minutes |
| Reconnect, airflow check at the hood, clean up, show the customer | 10 minutes |
| Second-storey wall exit: extension ladder set, moved and taken down | 15 minutes |
| Roof exit: alone / with a helper | 30 / 15 minutes |
| Consumables per visit: foil tape, shoe covers, filter wear, wipes | $4 |
Wage and burden (assumed): $23 an hour plus 24% burden is $28.52. If you are self-employed, the IRS says the self-employment tax rate is 15.3%; that is one part of burden. Ask your accountant for your full figure.
| Item | Per year (assumed) |
|---|---|
| Vehicle: fuel, insurance, repairs and wear | $5,800 |
| Liability insurance | $1,750 |
| Equipment write-down and repairs: rotary brush and rods, vacuum, airflow meter, inspection camera, ladders | $2,300 |
| Phone, booking and billing software | $1,100 |
| Marketing and bookkeeping | $1,700 |
| Total | $12,650 |
The brush kit, vacuum, airflow meter, camera and ladders sit in overhead, so every hour carries them; none is a mark-up on one job. Overhead per hour = $12,650 / (230 route days x 8 hours = 1,840 hours) = $6.88. The billable-days box holds route days. Break-even is $35.40 an hour, or $52.84 at a 33% margin before consumables.
Dryer vent cleaning price calculator (opens on the standard run)
Type your hours, wage, burden, consumables, overhead and margin to price one visit. It opens on the example run and shows $58.80.
Hours: 60 minutes / 60 = 1. Materials: $4.00 of consumables.
Worked example: Standard vent run, ground-floor wall exit: 20 drive + 12 set-up + 6 rigging + 15 ft x 0.4 min + 2 elbows x 3 min + 10 airflow check and clean-up = 60 minutes (1 hour); $4 of consumables (all inputs are assumptions; the yearly row assumes 20 vent jobs a week)
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Workers (input) | 1 |
| Hourly wage paid (input) | $23.00 |
| Labour burden % (input) | 24% |
| Materials (input) | $4.00 |
| Overhead for the year (input) | $12,650.00 |
| People in the field (input) | 1 |
| Billable days a year (input) | 230 |
| Target margin % (input) | 33% |
| Jobs a week (input) | 20 |
| Hours on the job (input) | 1 |
| Loaded labour rate (per hour) | $28.52 |
| Crew-hours | 1 |
| Labour cost | $28.52 |
| Overhead per sellable hour | $6.88 |
| Overhead share | $6.88 |
| Break-even cost | $39.40 |
| Price to quote | $58.80 |
| Profit on the job | $19.40 |
| Price if you MARK UP instead | $52.40 |
| Margin you actually keep with markup | 24.81% |
| Lost per job by marking up | $6.40 |
| Lost per year by marking up | $6,659.28 |
Computed with the same formulas as the free calculators on this site. Change any input in the calculator above to see your own numbers.
Check it: 1 hour x $28.52 = $28.52 of labour, plus $6.88 of overhead and $4.00 of consumables, is $39.40. Divided by 0.67 that is $58.80.
Dryer vent cleaning price list by vent run and access
Each row is one computed visit with a 20-minute drive. Change the feet, elbows and access minutes to match your jobs.
| Vent run | Feet / elbows | Equivalent length | Access | Minutes x workers | Break-even | Price | Price per foot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short straight run through the wall | 5 / 0 | 5 ft | ground floor | 50 x 1 | $33.50 | $49.99 | $10 |
| Standard run with two elbows (the example) | 15 / 2 | 25 ft | ground floor | 60 x 1 | $39.40 | $58.80 | $3.92 |
| Long run through a basement ceiling | 25 / 2 | 35 ft | ground floor | 64 x 1 | $41.75 | $62.32 | $2.49 |
| Second-storey wall exit | 15 / 2 | 25 ft | ladder | 75 x 1 | $48.24 | $72.01 | $4.80 |
| Roof exit, working alone | 20 / 3 | 35 ft | roof | 95 x 1 | $60.04 | $89.62 | $4.48 |
| Roof exit with a helper | 20 / 3 | 35 ft | roof, two people | 80 x 2 | $98.39 | $146.85 | $7.34 |
Price per foot is an output, not a rate to quote: $10 on the 5 ft run, $3.92 on 15 ft and $2.49 on 25 ft. Drive and set-up cost the same at any length, so a flat per-foot price undercharges short runs.
Equivalent length is feet plus 5 ft per 90-degree elbow, the deduction the Building America guide below gives. No row goes over 35 ft; a run that does is a code question before it is a cleaning price.
Roof exits: alone, the assumed 30 extra minutes price the visit at $89.62. A helper makes the roof part quicker, but two people are paid for the whole visit: $146.85, $57.23 more. Price the crew you will send. OSHA's portable ladder QuickCard says an extension ladder used to get onto a roof or other upper surface must reach at least 3 feet above its point of support.
Try it with your numbers — free
The free calculator does this whole method in about a minute: loaded labour, overhead share, break-even and the price to quote at your margin. No signup, nothing to download, and your numbers stay in your browser.
Open the free job pricing calculator →Get the free spreadsheetWant it built around your own rates, services and branding? Done-for-you custom calculator ($497).
Minimum charge and a second vent at the same address
Drive, set-up, rigging and the airflow check take 48 of the example's 60 minutes (80%) before a foot of duct is brushed. On their own they price at $48.23.
Minimum charge. Use the shortest run on your list: here the 5 ft straight run at $49.99. Never quote a cleaning under $48.23, the fixed part alone.
Second vent or second dryer. At the same address there is no second drive: 40 minutes, $41.19, which is 30% less than the first vent. Two vents on one visit total $99.99 against $117.60 for two separate visits. The saved drive is the honest basis of a multi-vent price; no invented discount percentage is needed.
How drive time changes the price of the same vent
The drive is a large share of a one-hour job. The table changes only the drive minutes on the example run.
| Drive minutes | Minutes door to door | Break-even | Price this visit needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 50 | $33.50 | $49.99 |
| 20 | 60 | $39.40 | $58.80 |
| 30 | 70 | $45.29 | $67.60 |
| 45 | 85 | $54.14 | $80.81 |
| 60 | 100 | $62.99 | $94.02 |
A customer an hour out needs $94.02, $35.22 above the list. Billed at the $58.80 list price, that visit is $4.19 under its own break-even. Add a travel line or book far jobs on the same day as their neighbours.
Annual reminders. A repeat booking is a job on a route day you choose, which keeps the drive short. That is worth more than a loyalty discount, and the row price still applies.
Inspection visits and add-on lines: hood, transition duct, bird nests
An inspection or airflow check with no cleaning is its own short job: 20 drive minutes plus an assumed 15 minutes to look at the transition duct, read airflow at the hood and run a camera. It prices at $30.82.
| Add-on | Minutes | Materials (assumed) | Break-even | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Replace a crushed foil or vinyl transition hose with a listed transition duct | 15 | $18 | $26.85 | $40.07 |
| New exterior hood with a backdraft damper | 25 | $28 | $42.75 | $63.80 |
| Clear a bird nest from the hood and first section of duct | 20 | $3 | $14.80 | $22.09 |
| Vacuum the lint-filter cavity | 10 | $1 | $6.90 | $10.30 |
Materials are placeholders; use your supplier's price. The U.S. Department of Energy's Building America guide to clothes dryer venting says to "Replace ducts made of vinyl, nylon, or foil" and that the transition duct "can be up to 8 feet and should be listed in accordance with UL 2158A". On the hood it says "No screen should be installed in the duct terminus" and to cover it "with a hooded, louvered damper". A mesh bird guard can therefore be the wrong part to sell.
Rules differ by place. Portland, Oregon's Building Official Determination 19-08 allows louvers at the exterior termination only under set conditions, keeps the backdraft damper and says perforated screening "shall not be allowed".
Re-routing or shortening a run
Moving a run is building work, not cleaning. Quote it from your own hours and parts, and ask your local building department whether it needs a permit or a licence first.
Worked example: Re-routing or shortening a run as its own job: 150 minutes and $60 of duct, elbows, straps and foil tape (assumed inputs; the yearly row assumes one a week)
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Workers (input) | 1 |
| Hourly wage paid (input) | $23.00 |
| Labour burden % (input) | 24% |
| Materials (input) | $60.00 |
| Overhead for the year (input) | $12,650.00 |
| People in the field (input) | 1 |
| Billable days a year (input) | 230 |
| Target margin % (input) | 33% |
| Jobs a week (input) | 1 |
| Hours on the job (input) | 2.5 |
| Loaded labour rate (per hour) | $28.52 |
| Crew-hours | 2.5 |
| Labour cost | $71.30 |
| Overhead per sellable hour | $6.88 |
| Overhead share | $17.19 |
| Break-even cost | $148.49 |
| Price to quote | $221.62 |
| Profit on the job | $73.14 |
| Price if you MARK UP instead | $197.49 |
| Margin you actually keep with markup | 24.81% |
| Lost per job by marking up | $24.13 |
| Lost per year by marking up | $1,255.01 |
Computed with the same formulas as the free calculators on this site. Change any input in the calculator above to see your own numbers.
Apartment, condo and HOA contracts: price per unit
Price a building as one job and divide by the units. Assumed: a crew of two, one 20-minute drive and 20 minutes of site set-up per day, 20 crew minutes and $3 of consumables per unit. That fits 22 units in an 8-hour day.
| Units | Days | Minutes each (crew of 2) | Break-even | Contract price | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1 | 240 | $313.16 | $467.40 | $46.74 |
| 25 | 2 | 580 | $759.30 | $1,133.29 | $45.33 |
| 50 | 3 | 1,120 | $1,471.41 | $2,196.14 | $43.92 |
Worked example: 25-unit apartment building, crew of two: 2 days x (20 drive + 20 site set-up) + 25 units x 20 minutes = 580 minutes (9.67 hours each); 25 x $3 of consumables (assumed inputs; the yearly row assumes one such contract a week)
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Workers (input) | 2 |
| Hourly wage paid (input) | $23.00 |
| Labour burden % (input) | 24% |
| Materials (input) | $75.00 |
| Overhead for the year (input) | $12,650.00 |
| People in the field (input) | 1 |
| Billable days a year (input) | 230 |
| Target margin % (input) | 33% |
| Jobs a week (input) | 1 |
| Hours on the job (input) | 9.67 |
| Loaded labour rate (per hour) | $28.52 |
| Crew-hours | 19.33 |
| Labour cost | $551.39 |
| Overhead per sellable hour | $6.88 |
| Overhead share | $132.92 |
| Break-even cost | $759.30 |
| Price to quote | $1,133.29 |
| Profit on the job | $373.99 |
| Price if you MARK UP instead | $1,009.87 |
| Margin you actually keep with markup | 24.81% |
| Lost per job by marking up | $123.42 |
| Lost per year by marking up | $6,417.59 |
Computed with the same formulas as the free calculators on this site. Change any input in the calculator above to see your own numbers.
The per-unit price falls because one drive and one site set-up are shared by up to 22 units, not because of a volume discount. With roof exits, time one unit first and use those minutes. People in the field stays at 1 here, so overhead is charged on both people's hours; if the helper works every route day, set it to 2.
Vent length and cleaning-interval rules to check before you quote
The maximum duct length depends on which code your area uses, so check the local one before calling a run too long.
- The Building America guide, citing International Residential Code section M1502, says the duct "should be no more than 35 feet, including equivalent length for any fittings. Or, follow the duct length recommendations specified by the manufacturer". It deducts 2.5 feet for every 45-degree bend and 5 feet for every 90-degree bend.
- A mechanical code chapter posted by the City of Carpinteria, California sets a different figure: domestic dryer exhaust ducts "shall not exceed a total combined horizontal and vertical length of 14 feet", including two 90-degree elbows, unless the dryer maker's instructions permit more and the local authority approves.
For a run that looks too long or wrongly built, tell the customer to check the dryer maker's installation instructions and the local building department; do not quote the repair from this page.
How often? The Building America guide says: "At least once a year, have a professional technician clean the dryer exhaust duct." Portland's determination recommends exterior dryer vents be cleaned at least once annually. The U.S. Fire Administration's clothes dryer fire safety flyer says "You are at higher risk of having a clothes dryer fire if you don’t clean your lint filter and dryer vents." For gas dryers, the Building America guide says they "should be cleaned and serviced regularly by a professional"; disconnecting one is part of set-up, so check your local rules for that connection.
Excel formulas for a dryer vent price sheet, and the markup mistake
Layout: inputs in B2 to B15, one per row, as each formula's note lists them. Results go in B16 to B18.
Minutes per vent run
=B2+B3+B4+B5*B6+B7*B8+B9+B10Put in B16. B2 = drive, B3 = set-up, B4 = rigging, B5 = feet of duct, B6 = minutes per foot, B7 = elbows, B8 = minutes per elbow, B9 = airflow check and clean-up, B10 = ladder or roof minutes.
Price per visit
=ROUND((B16/60*B11*(B12+B13)+B14)/(1-B15),2)Put in B17. B11 = workers, B12 = loaded wage per hour, B13 = overhead per hour, B14 = consumables, B15 = margin %.
Price per foot (an output)
=ROUND(B17/B5,2)Put in B18. Shows how short runs carry the fixed minutes; do not quote it as a flat rate.
Second vent, same address
=ROUND(((B16-B2)/60*B11*(B12+B13)+B14)/(1-B15),2)The same run without the drive minutes in B2.
The mistake: adding 33% to break-even in place of dividing. On the example run that bills $52.40 and keeps 24.81% of the price, not 33%. It is $6.40 short per visit, $6,659.28 a year at 20 visits a week. The markup vs margin calculator guide has the conversion chart.
Calculator, free starter sheet or custom build: where to keep the price list
One quote needs only the calculator above. A price list you reuse belongs in your own sheet.
| Option | Cost | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Job pricing calculator | Free, no signup | One visit at a time: break-even and the price to quote |
| Job Pricing Starter | Free | The same job maths on one sheet you keep, in Excel or Google Sheets |
| Done-for-you custom calculator | $497 one-time | A workbook built around your own line items and rates, with a branded quote page and a job log |
Neither free tool has a feet or elbows cell: convert minutes to hours yourself, as above.
Put on the price list: a row per vent run and access type, the minimum, the second-vent price, a travel line by drive band, the inspection visit, each add-on, the per-unit building rows and a note that repairs and re-routes are quoted separately.
For the general method behind any service price, see how to price a service; ladder-heavy home services with a per-foot list are covered in the gutter cleaning pricing guide.
Step-by-step: How Much to Charge for Dryer Vent Cleaning: Price Each Vent Run From Minutes
- Time one vent run. Drive, set-up, rigging, minutes per foot and per elbow, airflow check and clean-up, plus ladder or roof minutes.
- Find break-even. Minutes / 60 x workers x (wage x (1 + burden %) + yearly overhead / sellable hours) + consumables.
- Apply margin by dividing. Break-even / (1 - margin); for 33%, divide by 0.67.
- Build the list. Repeat for each run type and access; set the minimum at the shortest run and price a second vent without the drive.
- Add the extras. Inspection visits, add-on parts, travel by drive band and per-unit building prices, each from minutes and materials.
Run your own numbers — free
The free calculator does this whole method in about a minute: loaded labour, overhead share, break-even and the price to quote at your margin. No signup, nothing to download, and your numbers stay in your browser.
Open the free calculator →Get the free spreadsheetWant it built around your own rates, services and branding? Done-for-you custom calculator ($497).
Frequently asked questions
How much should it cost to clean out a dryer vent?
For the operator, it should cost the visit's break-even divided by one minus the margin. On this page's assumed inputs a 15 ft run with two elbows takes 60 minutes door to door, breaks even at $39.40 and prices at $58.80. Replace every input with your own.
How often should dryer vents be professionally cleaned?
The U.S. Department of Energy's Building America guide says to have a professional technician clean the dryer exhaust duct at least once a year, and Portland, Oregon's building officials recommend at least once annually. The U.S. Fire Administration says uncleaned lint filters and vents raise the risk of a dryer fire.
How much can you charge for dryer vent cleaning per hour?
Work it backwards from cost, not from a market rate. On the assumed wage, burden and overhead, a break-even hour is $35.40 and sells at $52.84 at a 33% margin, before consumables. Drive minutes count as hours on the job.
How do you price a dryer vent that exits on the roof?
As extra minutes, or as a second worker for the whole visit. On the assumed inputs a roof exit priced at $89.62 working alone and $146.85 with a helper. Send the crew the roof needs to be reached safely and price that crew.
What minimum charge should a dryer vent cleaner set?
The price of the shortest run you would visit for. Drive, set-up and the airflow check alone price at $48.23 on these assumptions, so the 5 ft straight run at $49.99 works as the minimum.
How much to charge per unit for apartment dryer vents?
Price the whole building and divide by the units. With a crew of two, 20 minutes a unit and one drive per day, 25 units price at $1,133.29, or $45.33 a unit; 50 units come to $43.92 a unit.
Is dryer vent cleaning a profitable business?
It depends on your own costs and how close your jobs are; this is arithmetic, not an income forecast. The example run at $58.80 keeps $19.40 over break-even at a 33% margin, and an hour-long drive turns that into a loss if you do not add travel.
Sources
- IRS: Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes) — The self-employment tax rate is 15.3%
- U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA): Clothes Dryer Fire Safety flyer — Higher risk of a dryer fire if lint filter and dryer vents are not cleaned; check the venting system behind the dryer is not damaged, crushed or restricted
- U.S. Department of Energy Building America Solution Center (PNNL): Proper Clothes Dryer Venting — Duct no more than 35 feet including equivalent length for fittings, or the manufacturer's length (IRC M1502); 2.5 ft per 45-degree and 5 ft per 90-degree bend; transition duct up to 8 feet, listed to UL 2158A; replace vinyl, nylon or foil ducts; no screen at the terminus, hooded louvered damper; clean the exhaust duct at least once a year; gas dryers cleaned and serviced regularly by a professional
- City of Portland (Oregon) Permitting & Development: Building Official Determination 19-08, Dryer Vent Screening (read 10 October 2026) — Louvers allowed at the termination only under set conditions; backdraft damper required; perforated screening shall not be allowed; recommends exterior dryer vents be cleaned at least once annually
- City of Carpinteria (California): mechanical code chapter 5, Exhaust Systems (handout PDF, read 10 October 2026) — Domestic dryer exhaust ducts shall not exceed a total combined horizontal and vertical length of 14 feet including two 90-degree elbows, unless the manufacturer's instructions permit and the Authority Having Jurisdiction approves
- OSHA: Portable Ladder Safety QuickCard — An extension or straight ladder used to access an upper surface must extend at least 3 feet above the point of support
I'm not a contractor, landlord or accountant. I build the pricing maths, and every number on this page shows its working so you can check it instead of trusting it. Guides are drafted with AI assistance; every worked figure is computed by the same code as the free calculators. How these guides are made → · Watch the breakdowns on YouTube →