Standard Dryer Vent Experts

Duct Cleaning
Air Duct & Vent Cleaning

This is a horror story you need to read for the safety of your home and family. The week prior to Thanksgiving we had water coming from below our dryer. A quick check of the duct at the back of the dryer showed heavy lint build up so we knew we had an issue with a stopped up vent. We called three companies, two were book through the end of the year but Gilbert Gomez from Standard Dryer Vents was available and agreed to come out 11/25/2014, though only my wife would be home. I found it odd the number listed for the company was answered with a simple “hello” as if it were a personal phone and with no other identifying information. I had to ask if I reached a business. When I asked him about the cost, he gave me a fairly wide range with $172 as the high end, if there were extraordinary circumstances involved. He also said payment had to be cash or check only.

He called my wife that morning to say his van had broken down but he would try to obtain a relative’s vehicle to make the appointment. He finally showed up and cleaned our vent from the dryer side only. He said the roof, where the exit vent was located, was too steep to access but assured my wife he was able to somehow gauge the flow saying it should be completely clean. He then recommended we re-route the duct work toward the front of the house over the garage which he could do at a reasonable rate. He also stressed we should give him a good review online. Despite the fact he did nothing extraordinary and only performed a clean out from the dryer end the charge came to $173.19. His invoice was a very poor copy of a blank invoice looking like a fifth generation photocopy.

On 12/4 we noticed water coming from the bottom of the dryer yet again. I called Gilbert at 8:30 Friday morning 12/5 apparently waking him up. I explained the problem and he agreed to come out on Monday, 12/8 in the morning to check it out since his work had a 12 month warranty. He asked me to send him an e-mail with our address and once again tried to sell me on re-routing the ductwork over the garage. I sent him the e-mail on Sunday 12/7. I received a reply asking if he could reschedule as he was cancelling all his appointments for the week saying he had injured his back on Tuesday 12/2 and has been in bed all week.

I asked him why he didn’t mention this when he made the appointment, let him know it would be difficult waiting a week or more while the laundry for our family of four piled up and asked him if he might be able to send someone else out to help. I noticed his prior reviews mentioned another worker. He said when I called him on Friday morning he had just taken medication but he would see if he can get one of his technicians to help us. I took Monday off so I could be here when his technician showed up.

A week went by and we had heard nothing. Not being able to wait, we found another company through a neighbor’s referral. They agreed to come out on Saturday 12/13 and showed up promptly with two workers. They discovered Gilbert’s efforts to clean from the dryer side had removed lots of lint but had pushed the remaining lint against the outside vent, effectively blocking it. They went into the attic where they showed me there is a small piece of duct which connects the main duct to the roof vent, which can easily be removed to clean things out from the exhaust vent side, no roof access needed, something Gilbert did not know or chose not to do. Not only had Gilbert shoved lint towards the exhaust vent, but he completely missed a large bird nest close to the exhaust vent that was also a major problem.

They tested the entire ductwork to ensure proper flow and showed me the vent was opening properly allowing the hot air from the dryer to escape. Their cost for a much more thorough and professional job (I admit it was an introductory offer and I’m not sure how much they would charge normally) $79.

I sent Gilbert another e-mail on 12/15 with a return receipt which would show he had opened the e-mail. I expressed my disappointment he had not made any effort to reach back out, that he had done a half baked job, had missed a bird nest and had shoved lint toward the exhaust vent which caused more blockage. In light of the circumstances and the fact that I was out another $79 to have the job done right, I asked for a partial refund of his services. As of 12/ 25, he has yet to even open my e-mail. So much for a 12 month warranty or any semblance of customer care, concern or service. Additionally the quality of his work left me and my family exposed to a possible fire due to a plugged dryer duct as these are the most frequent causes of home fires.

I’ll let everyone draw their own conclusions about my experience. Personally, I would never trust the safety of my home and family to someone who performs the job so inadequately as to still expose me to the dangers of a fire and who shows such indifference with his lack of communication once he has pocketed the money. If you do decide to use him, I would recommend obtaining proof of his liability insurance in the event a deficiency in his performance causes a house fire or worse.

Standard Dryer Vent Experts is family owned and locally operated. We understand that taking care of your family is the number one priority. Standards Dryer Vent Experts was started to provide complete duct cleaning and energy efficient solutions to help consumer's homes have better air quality and a more efficient heating and air systems. At Standards will do what it takes to do a complete...

A clogged clothes dryer vent can keep your dryer from drying properly, because the hot air has no where to go. This can be damaging to your clothes and your dryer - not to mention your electric bill. This situation can also lead to a fire in your dryer vent. We can remedy this situation quickly and at a very affordable price. We remove the dryer for you, clean the dryer vents and place the...