A Few Things To Troubleshoot When Your Clothes Won't Dry

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Most of the time, you take your clothes out of the washer, toss them and a dryer sheet into the dryer, hit the button, walk away, and come back about 40 minutes later to dry clothes. However, this is not always the case. If you come back later and the clothes are not completely dry, you need to do a bit of troubleshooting. Here are some steps to take so you know what to tell the repair technician if one is needed.

Clogged Vent

One problem that is easily solved is a clogged vent. Pull out the dryer and disconnect the vent hose. Try pushing a broom handle through the hose. If the hose is not clogged, look into the vent on the backside of the machine and then through the vent that goes out of the house. If you find a problem, clear it out and then try drying the clothes again.

Drum not Turning

Once you are sure the vent is clear, wait around a few minutes after you turn the machine back on. Listen for the tumbling of clothes. If you don't hear anything, open the door and see if the drum was in fact turning. While it could be a broken belt, it could also be a motor problem. Your best option is to call the technician and explain what is happening — or not happening.

No Heat

Turn on the machine and wait for about 5 minutes. Open the door and reach into the drum. Things should feel warm in there. You may even feel the heat as soon as the door is open. If everything is cold, it is time to call for dryer repair services. The problem could be a damaged thermostat, or the heating element could be malfunctioning. Turn the machine off and unplug it. A bad heating element could turn on and heat things up without you knowing and cause a fire.

While a broken dryer can be an inconvenience, it is not the end of the world. If you have something that must be ready to be worn that day, you can take it to a laundromat or simply hang it up to dry. It may not be as soft as you would like, but after wearing it for a few minutes you won't notice. Hopefully, the technician can get to your house later that day or early the next morning to fix the problem for you.

For more information, contact a dryer repair service today.


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