Dryer doesn’t dry
If your dryer starts to perform poorly: clothes take longer to dry, or they are uncomfortably hot to the touch, it must be time for a cleaning. Which is a must for home maintenance that often goes overlooked until it is too late.
Blocked dryer vent creates a fire hazard
The vents are susceptible to lint build-up over time, creating a fire hazard. Excess lint caught in the vent system is highly combustible and reduces airflow. Vents expel hot air and lint out during laundry drying, raising the potential for a fire.
Clogged dryer vents reduce dryer’s efficiency and shorten its lifespan
Apart from safety reasons, dryer vent cleaning helps to reduce energy costs. Blocked with lint buildup dryer causes more challenging work resulting in higher operating costs and increased repair bills.
The smaller the vent is, the less room for an air escape it has, especially if lint and debris are clogging in it! 0,5 inches (ca. 13 cm) of lint in a 4-inch diameter duct reduces the efficiency by 44%, making the dryer the most expensive appliance operating in a house.
U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Data Center
“2,900 clothes dryer fires in residential buildings are reported to U.S. Fire Departments each year and cause an estimated five deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss”.
How to fix a clothes dryer that is not heating or drying
List of common causes for a dryer to stop drying
- Clogged air vent hose
A clogged hose makes the dryer unable to expel the hot air from within. Once all the lint is cleaned out, it’s time to reattach the vent hose and run a test. If it properly dries clothes, then the problem is fixed. If not, read on. - Lint trap
Check and clean the dryer lint filter trap. Some people don’t even realize there is a lint filter that must be cleaned after each use. The lint screen locates either on the top of the dryer or in the door opening it. Some types of clothing shed more than others. So even if the lint trap prevents fiber or pet hair from getting in flex, the excess material still gets stuck in a dryer vent. - Wrong hose size
The exit vent should be as straight and short as possible. When the air exits, the dryer has to be pushed too far. Drying time takes forever, which is also a waste of energy. - Overheated motor
Any thermally protected motor has a safety mechanism built-in that prevents the dryer from working continuously. So if your dryer motor does not turn, but the rest of the dryer works, then the engine is probably overheated.
Overloading the dryer with too many clothes can be a reason for overheating. The best way to find out the cause is to give the motor an hour to cool down. Try running the dryer with fewer clothes next time. - Drying a large load
Large loads take longer to dry. A load that is too large for the dryer will not tumble and limits air movement in the dryer, which slows the process of removing moist air out of the dryer and results in longer drying cycles.
What if none of this helped?
If the explanations above didn’t help, the problem is not visual, and you do not know what the issue can be, we recommend you contact a professional duct cleaning service.
