Dryer wont dry

[spacecaptainsuperguy]

Recently our dryer (which is about 8 years old) has stopped drying our clothes & I can't figure out why.

I've checked that nothing is blocking the vent outside and I've detached the vent hose from the back to make sure that it is free of debris. My wife cleans the filter every time she uses it and the dryer is getting hot. It dries the clothes eventually, but it usually takes 2 times (about 2 hours per load).

Anyone have any idea what I've missed or what could be causing it to not dry?

thanks in advance SpaceCap

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Gas, electric? If electric the heating element is half on or loose connection? If gas, don't know much. Never had one.

[Shirley ann]

If your wife uses those dryer sheets. The lint has to be washed from your vent, and she will be surprised how fast her clothes dry.

I was having problems with mine drying too. Someone told me about those sheets letting a film on the vent where the lint is. Mine now dries just like when it was new. My dryer is 12 years old and is an electric Whirlpool.

shirleyann

[dpb]

...

Actually, I'd venture one of the two elements is burned out if electric and this is a sudden difference in performance, not a gradual degradation. Can't really tell from posting for sure.

To OP, is it really _HOT_, hot, or just toasty? As noted, if electric, losing a heating element is the most common failure of all.

If gas, it is possible the thermostat is futzed or I've seen a burner tip get fouled so wasn't putting out much flame. Need more info...

[CDET 14]

Since your dryer is still getting hot while drying, the problem is air flow. Either the lint screen is clogged with dryer sheet film, or the vent in the wall is restricted. For the lint screen, pour water in it. If the screen holds the water, clean the screen with soap and water. For the wall vent restriction, test it by pulling the end of the transition duct (accordian duct) and put pantyhose to collect lint for

1 load. If the clothes dry in 30-45 minutes, the vent in the wall is restricted. You need to clean it out with a brush and rod system.

Alisa LeSueur Ceritifed Dryer Exhaust Technician

spacecapta> Recently our dryer (which is about 8 years old) has stopped drying our

[Rich256]

When you say you checked the vent outside do you mean that there was air flowing out?

[Bob]

I've "repaired" a couple dryers by taking them outside and thoroughly blowing out all air passages inside and outside the dryer. I used an air gun on my compressor, but a weed blower would work also. Blow out the exhaust vent tube while you are at it. They worked like new after this process.

Bob

[spacecaptainsuperguy]

Tony,

It is electric. If the element is half on or loose connection would it still be getting hot?

shirleyann,

thanks for the advice. She does use dryer sheets, but from what it sounds like even cleaning the lint off may not be enough. I'll give it a try and post the results.

SpaceCap

[nospamtodd]

Only some GE dryers have two element strings. All others have just one. On the GE, if one string breaks, the other will carry the load but will dry slower.

I am basing this on your machine not being a GE, and with your symptom being a slow-dry situation with heat present:

1. House venting blocked or kinked or too long.
2. Airflow passages within the machine blocked with lint. This is especially true for certain brands and designs.
3. Light lens missing, allowing air to escape within the drum area.
4. Plug making poor contact with socket. Check for burning on the prongs.

#3 and #4 are more exotic answers, and there are even more complicated things you can look at. Do you want to go there?

[Tom The Great]

Electric or gas?

I'm taking a wild guess a heater was popped.

later,

tom @

[Rich256]

He said it gets hot. He said the outside vent was not blocked. I asked if he meant there was air flow. Is adequate air was coming out?

[John_B]

[Al Bundy]

[e-mail] (spacecaptainsuperguy) wrote in news:zAYvg.36367$ [e-mail]:

Here's a light duty diag list:

[spacecaptainsuperguy]

cleaning the filter with soap and water to remove the film did the trick. before cleaning it, the filter screen would hold water with no problem. almost immediately after cleaning it though the outside screen became clogged and it continued to not dry well. I'm not sure why or where the excess lint came from, but once it was removed too it has been working like new. thanks for the tips.

SpaceCap

[CDET 14]

Why do you have a screen on the termination? If it is a wide-opening critter guard, that's OK. Screen mesh is not OK.

Alisa LeSueur Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician