Fix-It Guy: Dryer Doesn’t Dry the Clothes — 3 Easy Fixes

Fix-It Guy: Dryer Doesn’t Dry the Clothes — 3 Easy Fixes

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It’s irritating to seek out your garments nonetheless damp after your garments dryer completes the cycle. This may even occur with a dryer that’s lower than two years previous. Does this imply it’s essential to throw away your garments dryer and purchase a brand new one? No, it doesn’t.

Of all residence home equipment, clothes dryers are the best and least costly to restore. Other sorts of home equipment can endure breakdowns which might be so costly to repair that it makes extra sense to exchange them. Dryers, alternatively, generally final over 20 years. You simply must periodically substitute cheap components that put on out. Our dryer at house is over 25 years previous and nonetheless going sturdy.

When a dryer doesn’t dry the garments, most individuals will merely set the dryer to run one other full cycle to dry the garments. This wastes time, vitality, and creates a much bigger carbon footprint.

The excellent news is which you can normally resolve the issue with some easy dryer upkeep. Here are three straightforward fixes to get your dryer operating like new once more.

1. Clear the Dryer Vents

Obstructed airflow is the primary explanation for a slow-drying dryer. Dryers require good airflow to work correctly. When the recent, moist air contained in the dryer can’t escape quick sufficient, the dryer can’t shed the wetness on the garments. As a end result, it should proceed operating typically for hours past the traditional drying time.

The a part of the dryer that’s most probably obstructing the escape of the moist air is the vent tube behind the dryer.

Here’s a fast approach to take a look at your dryer’s means to shed the moist air from the moist laundry. Start the dryer after which go exterior and really feel the air popping out of the dryer air vent. The movement of air popping out needs to be as sturdy as air from a hairdryer. If the airflow is weak, you’ve got a clogged air vent.

Often, the clog is correct on the air vent the place it leaves the home. There’s normally some kind of system to maintain animals from getting contained in the vent. Either three plastic louvers that hinge open or a display.

Outside dryer vent
This exterior dryer vent has louvers that hinge open with air movement.

You can simply clear away the lint from the skin dryer vent and your dryer ought to run sturdy once more. This video reveals find out how to clear one of these vent: Cleaning an Outside Dryer Vent

If the vent is obvious of obstructions the place it leaves the home, then the clog is contained in the dryer vent tube. Most clogs type the place the tube bends. If the dryer vent tube has to go up above the dryer to go away the home, then the clog will probably be proper the place the vent tube exits the dryer close to the ground.

A dryer vent cleaning brush attaches to your drill and does an important job cleansing out lint buildup as seen on this video: How to Clean the Dryer Vent

If your dryer vent tube is longer than 15 ft, you’ll want to wash the vent tube as much as 4 occasions per yr to maintain it clear. When the vent tube will get clogged, not solely does it take twice as lengthy to dry the garments, but it surely additionally makes lint construct up contained in the dryer cupboard.

A buildup of lint contained in the dryer cupboard may cause a hearth, as I clarify on this video: How to Prevent Dryer Fires

2. Replace the Thermal Fuse

The subsequent most typical trigger for a dryer that doesn’t warmth as much as dry the garments is a blown thermal fuse. These are cheap security gadgets that minimize energy to the dryer’s heater when the dryer will get too scorching. The most important motive dryers get too scorching is because of a clogged dryer vent tube as mentioned above.

Dryer thermal fuse
Dryer thermal fuse. Image source

These three movies present find out how to simply substitute the thermal fuse on three standard dryer manufacturers:

3. Reset the Fuse

The third repair is essentially the most enjoyable and the quickest. It works on two of the most-sold dryer manufacturers: LG and Samsung. When these dryers get too scorching, they blow a resettable fuse that stops energy from reaching the dryer’s heater. Resetting the fuse is a matter of simply urgent a button as seen on this image:

lectric Dryer High-Limit Thermostat Resettable
Image source

This video reveals find out how to simply get to the hidden button: Quick LG Dryer Reset

Once once more, it’s essential to wash the dryer vent tube so the dryer received’t overheat once more.

Additional Dryer Problem Causers

The following culprits can even trigger a dryer to take too lengthy to dry. Fortunately, the fixes are straightforward.

Anti-Cling Dryer Sheets

Dryer sheets are very dangerous to your dryer as a result of they clog your lint filter with a waxy coating as seen on this video on cleansing a grimy dryer filter: How to Clean the Lint Filter

Dryer sheets additionally coat the dryer’s moisture sensor with a waxy coating that forestalls the dryer controller from understanding that the garments are dry. A pure, chemical-free anti-static resolution that’s safer for you and your dryer is wool dryer balls.

Clogged Lint Filter Housing

Even for those who clear the lint filter usually, lint can clog the housing beneath the lint filter.

Here’s a video on find out how to clear the filter housing: How to Clean the Filter Housing

Too Many Bends within the Dryer Vent Tube

One very last thing that may trigger a dryer to take too lengthy to dry the garments is a dryer vent tube with too many bends in it. Each 90-degree bend of the vent tube takes down dryer effectivity by 15%. Try to have not more than two bends within the vent tube.

Dryers Need Good Airflow

Keeping your dryer’s airflow going sturdy will get your garments dried a complete lot sooner, saves vitality, and reduces air pollution. Plus, fixing it your self is rewarding, extends the lifetime of your dryer, and saves you cash.