In CONDOS: Electric Dryer Lint Clean Out

We have many units in our condo complex... bottom floors and top story(second story) condos. One person is now demanding that the HOA pay for his clean out of the lint that may ormay not be built up as a result of his electric dryer use. What do other condos do? If we did it for one owner,we would have to do it for all that that might cost the HOA o/a $24,000...sn item we did not budget for and furthermore, not even sure that this is an expense that the HOA is required to undertake. Any comments?

Hi Alex:

Your documents should contain information as to whether this area is common area or limited common area. Common area expense is shared by everyone equally whereas limited common area expenses are shared by those units who are benefitted by repairs or maintenance in that limited area.

Are the vents separate for each unit or are they shared by X number of units? This will at least give you an idea where to look in the document sections. Could depend on how built as my mom's small complex each has individual dryer vent and each responsible for their own.

Over 200 units and for a professional, the cost would be o/a $100 (a little more.......as I did inquire) multiply that by the numeber of units and voila... $24,000 (o/a).... If we did it for one, we would HAVE to do it for all so that would automatically imply or require an assessment.

Simple. Tell the owner, lint clean out is not covered in dues. Request declined. Cant make everyone happy.

Each dryer has its own vent.. apartment style.... the upper apartment(cndo)has the vent running to the roof.... the lower unit has the vent running to the outside of the building.

You have 100 second-floor units with dryer ducts that vent to the roof. Do you want 100 bumbling homeowners climbing around on 100 roofs doing unknown amounts of damage over an infinite amount of time or would you rather have one professional with liability insurance and the proper tools doing the work over a few days?

Who do you think the widow and kids of the homeowner who falls off the roof is going to sue? If their lawyer can prove the association was obligated to maintain the ducts, you may find yourself raising two families because you do not have enough insurance to cover a wrongful death claim.

Is there some reason you cannot negotiate a quantity discount? A hundred bucks for one seems reasonable. A hundred bucks each for 100 at one time is ridiculous. Is that what the vendor told you or did you just assume that the price would be 100 times $100? If the vendor told you that, find a different vendor. If you assumed that, then turn the job over to someone else.

We've already had one condo unit burn out and almost burn the entire building due to this problem. It's listed in our docs as a maintenance item that the HOA should pay for and we're having this same argument right now. No doubt, this is best left to the professionals since we also have a lot of vents that terminate on the roof. You just don't want every Tom Dick and Harry going up on the roof to clean vents. Hire one professional to test the flow and then clean the vent if necessary on a blanket basis. Also, when you invite other outside contractors to go up on your roof (not knowing if they are insured or not), you might have a some serious liability issues.

AlexM1,

OK on the lower Condos venting to the outside of the building. And I assume there is a screen, a flapper, and some sort of hood.

The upper vents that you say vent run to the roof – do those vents, actually vent to the outside or just into the soffits?

Again, just trying to visualize and understand better what might definitely be Association responsibility.

I agree with what AlexM1 wrote, and MikeS1 also makes some good points, and also with FredB4 who posted while I was writing.

We get all our clothes dryer vents professionally cleaned and “vacuumed out” every 3 – 5 years. And we get a multiple unit Condo Discount.

In order to simplify billing and to meet what we consider Association responsibility, we have the Duct Cleaning Company bill each Unit Owner directly for the cleaning and any work need inside their Unit.

While the basic “cleaning charge” will be the same for all Condo Units, there may be additional add on costs that are Unit Owner responsibility.

For example, the first time we had dryer ducts cleaned, the “Cleaning Company” found that in some Condo Units the duct running from the back of the clothes dryer to the wall was “old style” and no longer met code. By law the “Cleaning Company” had to replace that duct with code approved duct.

So this became an “add on” additional charge that the individual Unit Owner had to pay.

On the other hand, certain expenses associated with the cleaning - such as replacing broken outdoor hood vents, or replacing flappers not working, was paid directly by the Association.

And the same would apply if any of the ducting running through the attic areas needed replacing, the Association pays.

Also the Association made all the arrangements with the Duct Cleaning Company. Made sure they were properly insured, and that their trucks carried the proper and necessary equipment and replacement parts.

The Association notified, told, all Unit Owners that arrangements had been made, that it was expected that there would be 100% participation, explained why it needed to be done - safety reasons – etc, explained the “billing” and told them when this work would be done, and that access to their Condo Unit would be needed, etc.

Worked for us.

Our twin-tower, 25 story 200+ unit high rise units also have dryer ducts that run from a laundry closet to the ceilings of their individual balconies. About 5 years ago, for safety reasons, the board implemented mandatory annual servicing for which owners are assessed. (Our gov. docs are silent on the topic.)

The servicing takes a couple of weeks & a security officer accompanies the techs into the units.

It costs $65 per unit + any adders that may be required. Owners have the right to hire their own insured, etc. firm & show our HOA documented evidence. A few have done just that & have paid about $85.

(Our dryer duct systems have a construction defect, but it's far cheaper to have annual servicing than to use our settlement funds to correct the system in every unit. If not for the defect, the servicing probably could be done every two-three years.)