Many of us take the hard work of our appliances for granted—until they stop working. There are a few common problems that plague washers and dryers. If your clothes dryer isn’t working, try these troubleshooting tips to locate the problem, and call a repair expert to fix what’s gone wrong.
Dryer Makes Excess Noise
Do you hear a loud thumping sound when your dryer runs? If your machine is much louder than usual, the load of laundry may be uneven, or perhaps some clothes are knotted up with each other. Turn off the dryer, open the lid, and spread the clothes around more evenly.
If you’re still hearing knocking or thumping noises, your dryer’s drum seal may need to be replaced. Call a repair expert and describe the noise you’re hearing in detail.
Dryer Emits a Burning Smell
What if your dryer smells like it’s burning during a cycle? Once you notice that burning smell, turn off and unplug the dryer right away to minimize the risk of an electrical fire. Call a dryer repair service to look at your dryer and possibly replace the drive belt and motor.
Dryer Won’t Start
Does your clothes dryer refuse to start at all? Possible culprits include an overloaded machine or a clogged lint screen. Try taking out about half the clothes in the dryer to lighten the load, and thoroughly clean the lint screen before starting the cycle again.
If it still won’t start, you may have a faulty or broken thermal fuse. Luckily, those are fairly easy for an appliance repair expert to replace.
Dryer Doesn’t Get Clothes Dry
When your dryer finishes its cycle, do you open the lid to find a pile of damp or wet clothes? Once again, try lightening the load, cleaning the lint screen, and restarting the dryer.
If it still won’t dry your clothes, you likely have a broken heating element on your hands. Call your local appliance repair service to have them replace the heating element with a new one.
A faulty clothes dryer is an annoyance, but luckily, it’s only temporary. Try these troubleshooting tips to get to the bottom of your dryer’s problems, and call a repair service for backup if you need any parts replaced.
