Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
Masonry repair
Gas fireplace serviceLevel 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
Fast, Reliable Dryer Vent Cleaning Across Altadena
Dryer vent cleaning in Altadena typically costs $149 – $289 for a standard single-story home, and most jobs are completed in under two hours. We work throughout Altadena’s 91001 and 91003 zip codes, from the foothill streets near Eaton Canyon up to the neighborhoods off Lake Avenue. If you’ve noticed longer dry times, a burning smell, or a dryer that feels hotter than it should, call (833) 467-7685 and we’ll come out, put a camera through the vent, and show you exactly what’s going on.
Altadena’s housing stock is older than what you’ll find in most of Pasadena. That matters for dryer vents. Many of the 1910s and 1920s bungalows here route dryer exhaust through or alongside the original masonry chimney chase. Those clay-tile flues were built for fireplace smoke, not appliance exhaust. Lint packs against them in ways a standard clean-out can miss. We scope the full chase every time, because that’s the only way to know the vent is actually clear.
Why Ontario Chimney Is Altadena’s Preferred Dryer Vent Cleaning Company
We’re not a handyman service that does vents on the side. Ontario Chimney is a full-service chimney and venting company led by Al Vickers, and Dryer Vent Cleaning is one of our three core service lines, alongside chimney sweeping and chimney repair. The same technicians who rebuild flue liners and install DuraFlex systems are the ones cleaning your dryer vent. That means when we find a problem, we can tell you what it actually is and fix it, not just flag it and leave.
Altadena customers call us for the same reason they call us for chimney work: we show evidence. Every cleaning includes a camera inspection, and we’ll walk you through what we found before we recommend anything. If your vent is clear, we’ll say so. If you need a liner evaluation or a cap replacement, you’ll see the footage that proves it. That matters in a town where older chimneys get a lot of bad advice.
Our response time to Altadena is usually within a few days, and we schedule around your availability. We know the streets here: North Marengo, East Calaveras, West Loma Alta, the neighborhoods clustered around Loma Alta Park and the steep blocks rising toward the Sam Merrill Trail. We’ve worked in this community long enough to know which houses have shared chases, which have unlined flues, and which have the cedar needle problem that comes with living under a canopy of mature deodars.
Styles & brands we work with
- Sweep & inspection
- Caps & crowns
- Flue relining
- Masonry repair
- Gas fireplace service
Our Dryer Vent Cleaning Services in Altadena
Dryer Vent Cleaning
We clean the full run from the dryer connection to the exterior termination point. In Altadena’s older bungalows, that run is often longer and more convoluted than in newer construction, with bends that catch lint and restrict airflow. We use rotary brushes and high-pressure air to clear the line, then confirm clearance with a camera pass. You’ll see the before and after footage yourself.
Level 2 Inspection
A Level 2 inspection goes beyond what a standard cleaning covers. We run a camera through the entire vent path and the surrounding chimney chase if they share space. For Altadena homes built before 1955, this is often the only way to spot lint trapped behind a clay-tile flue or a cracked liner that’s invisible from the outside. We document everything with photos and provide a written report.
Chimney Cap and Spark Arrestor Cleaning
The deodar cedars and live oaks that line Altadena’s foothill streets drop a heavy load of needles and twigs every time the Santa Ana winds blow. Those needles collect in chimney caps and spark arrestors, blocking airflow and forcing dryer exhaust back into the house. We clean caps and arrestors as part of our vent service when they’re in the exhaust path, and we’ll show you what came out.
Vent Termination and Hood Service
Most Altadena homes vent through the roof or a high side wall, and the termination hood is where problems get missed. We check the flap, the screen, and the seal, then clear any accumulation that’s restricting the exit. If the hood is damaged or the flap is stuck open, which lets embers and debris in during fire season, we’ll tell you and show you, then give you options. We use Gelco components when a replacement is needed and available for your vent type.
Trusted Brands We Service in Altadena
We don’t stock bargain-bin parts. Ontario Chimney uses professional-grade materials from Copperfield and Olympia Chimney, the two largest professional chimney supply distributors in the trade, and we’re familiar with DuraFlex and HeatShield systems when a chimney repair is needed alongside your vent work. That matters because Altadena’s older homes often need more than a cleaning. If your dryer vent shares a chase with a deteriorating flue, you don’t want a patch job. You want materials that certified chimney professionals actually specify. We stock common components locally for Altadena customers, so most follow-up work can be scheduled without a long parts wait.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterCommon Dryer Vent Cleaning Problems We See in Altadena Homes
- Lint packed against original clay-tile flues in shared chases. Homes built between 1910 and 1955 often ran dryer exhaust through or alongside the chimney. Clay tile was never designed for that, and lint collects in the gaps and behind the tile. A standard cleaning misses it; a camera does not.
- Vent terminations clogged with cedar needles and oak twigs. After a Santa Ana event, the 30- to 50-foot deodars along Altadena streets drop debris into roof and wall terminations. Backdrafts and longer dry times follow, often months before anyone connects the dots.
- Crushed foil or plastic transition ducts against rough masonry. In older Altadena homes, the flexible section behind the dryer gets pushed against brick or stone. It crushes, airflow drops, and lint builds faster. We replace these with rigid metal transitions wherever code allows.
- Wildfire ash and smoke residue inside the vent path. After fire season, fine ash settles inside vent lines and can coat lint, making it stickier and harder to remove. Altadena’s proximity to the San Gabriels means this is a recurring issue here more than in many neighboring cities.
Pricing for Dryer Vent Cleaning in Altadena, CA
A standard dryer vent cleaning in Altadena runs $149 – $229 for a single-story home with a straightforward vent run. Two-story homes or vents that run through a masonry chase typically run $189 – $289 because the access is harder and the run is longer. If we’re also cleaning a chimney cap or spark arrestor loaded with cedar debris, add $45 – $75 to the base price. A full Level 2 inspection with camera documentation runs $199 – $299, depending on whether the chimney chase needs scoping in addition to the vent line.
What affects the price most in Altadena is the age of the house. Pre-1955 bungalows with shared chases and clay-tile flues take more time to inspect properly. We’ll give you a firm quote on the phone before we schedule, and that price doesn’t change when we arrive. Estimates are free. Call (833) 467-7685 for an exact quote.
We Also Serve Cities Near Altadena
Our Dryer Vent Cleaning in Altadena service area includes the surrounding foothill communities. We regularly work in Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge, East Pasadena, and San Marino. If you’re in one of those cities or anywhere along the 210 corridor, the same camera-first process applies. One call covers it: (833) 467-7685.
Serving Altadena, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Altadena area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs – Dryer Vent Cleaning in Altadena
Yes, we can clean a dryer vent that runs through a masonry chimney, and we do it regularly in Altadena’s pre-1955 homes. These vents are often partially or fully routed through the original chimney chase, either alongside a clay-tile flue or in a dedicated cavity within the masonry. We scope the entire path with a camera, clear lint from the vent and the chase, and check for cracks or gaps in the flue. If the flue is compromised, we’ll show you the footage and talk through options, which may include a liner evaluation. Call (833) 467-7685 and we’ll take a look.
Once a year is the baseline for most Altadena homes, and twice a year is worth considering if your vent terminates under mature deodar cedars or if you run the dryer daily. The Santa Ana winds drop needles, twigs, and ash into terminations, and wildfire season adds fine particulate that coats lint and makes it stick. If your vent was last cleaned more than 12 months ago, schedule a cleaning now. Call (833) 467-7685 for a free estimate.
A Level 2 inspection includes a full camera pass through the dryer vent, plus a visual and camera review of the surrounding chimney chase if the two share space. We document the flue condition, check for lint behind clay tile, verify the termination is clear, and photograph everything. You receive a written report with the images, so you can see exactly what we saw. For older Altadena homes with unlined or clay-tile flues, this is the inspection that catches what a standard cleaning misses. Call (833) 467-7685 to schedule one.
Yes, and we will not recommend a repair without it. Every cleaning includes camera footage of the vent path, and we walk you through what’s on the screen before we suggest anything. If we find a cracked flue, a crushed transition duct, or a failing termination hood, you’ll see the proof. If the vent is clear and safe, we’ll tell you that too and leave it alone. That’s how we work across every Altadena job. Call (833) 467-7685 and we’ll show you what’s in your vent.
Yes, longer dry times are one of the most common early signs of a restricted vent, and in Altadena the cause is often specific to this housing stock. Cedar needles and oak debris blocking the termination, lint packed behind a clay-tile flue in a shared chase, or a crushed foil transition behind the dryer all reduce airflow and force the dryer to run longer. The fix is usually a thorough cleaning and camera verification. Don’t wait for a burning smell. Call (833) 467-7685 and we’ll get it sorted.
We were called to a 1920s Spanish Revival bungalow off North Marengo Avenue where the homeowner complained of a burning smell during dryer cycles. Our tech ran a camera through the dryer vent and found years of lint packed against a cracked clay-tile flue liner that shared the chase with the fireplace. We cleared the lint, documented the flue crack for the homeowner, and recommended a full liner evaluation before any wood burning. The dryer now vents freely, and the homeowner has camera footage of the exact problem. That’s the difference between a vent cleaning that checks a box and one that actually protects the house.
If your dryer vent hasn’t been cleaned in the last year, or if you’ve never seen the inside of it, call (833) 467-7685 today. We’ll schedule a time that works, show up when we say we will, and give you a straight answer about what’s there. Estimates are free, and you’ll get the camera footage either way.
Written by Al Vickers, Owner at Ontario Chimney, serving Altadena since 2017.