A giant file of laundry can instantly ruin your day. It gets even worse with a broken dryer.
A clothes dryer is undeniably one of the most useful appliances that makes your household chores a lot easier. It is very useful in securing a dry and clean school uniform or business attire for work. Identifying the common problems and the effective ways to deal with them can help you save your laundry day. On many occasions, you will have to consult a professional technician to both determine the cause of the problem and fix them the soonest possible time.
Below are the top five most common problems with dryers that give you some pain in the neck with their possible causes and suggested solutions on how to avoid them.
1. Dryer Not Turning On
Placing clothes in a dryer and switching it on seems to be a daily routine for most people. How would you feel when you turn it on and nothing happens?
CAUSE: The most common reasons that may lead to a dryer not working even after turning on are a damaged power cord and a broken dryer door switch.
SOLUTION: Once technicians arrive, they will check several things in order to identify the root cause of this issue. First, they will inspect the circuit breaker that powers your clothes dryer. If this breaker has been short-circuited caused by a power surge, it will switch off immediately. You can save money and time by getting away with DIY diagnosis and repairs instead of hiring a professional.
2. Dryer Making Noise
Household clothes dryers have a variety of operating parts. Each of these parts has to function altogether for this appliance to work properly. Once you notice that your machine is making thumping and shrieking noises, it will immediately require you to call in an experienced technician to check on it.
CAUSE: When you start to hear a thumping and shrieking noise from your dryer, it could be the broken glides inside. Clothes dryer machines are assembled with glides that look like small plastic pieces found in front of the drum. Overtime, these plastic glides will break and scrape that will make excessive sound problems inside your house.
SOLUTION: Immediately call an appliance repairman who can look into the condition of the blower wheel and the drum support roller of your machine in order to identify the main source of this noise. If either of these components is broken, then a professional appliance technician can replace them right away.
3. Wrinkled Clothing After Drying
It would be very frustrating to see our uniform or smart casual dress get wrinkled after taking them from our dryer. Especially when we know that the ratcheting and heat in the dryer are supposed to straighten them. When wrinkles are evident after loading piles of clothing that have been trying for several days, there is must be an issue that needs to be dealt with.
CAUSE: Normally, wrinkled clothes after drying are caused by loading too many clothes at a time. You may also need to alter settings of the dryer and washer to avoid clothes getting wrinkles.
SOLUTION: If the problem persists after trying them out, then it’s safe to say the dryer needs to be repaired or replaced. Replacing the heating function in the machine may be the best solution a technician would recommend to you. If the element present fails to produce enough heat, then it could cause some other issues such as wet clothing.
4. Clothes Are Warm But Not Dry
After feeding a pile of clothes into the dryer, you turn it on and leave. Then you come back after the cycle ends, only to find out that the clothes are still wet. This perhaps the most frustrating scene of all when you thought that everything seems like it’s working well as it should be.
CAUSE: The issue here could be a damaged heating element. If the heating element fails to work properly, the dryer will actually still spin and the cycle will still end, but it won’t be hot enough to dry your clothes. In the course of time, the heating elements will naturally deteriorate but a stuck up lint screen, poor ventilation, and overloaded dryer can all accelerate the process.
SOLUTION: However, replacing a heating element actually isn’t a complex job. You can easily find a replacement at your local hardware store or online when searching the dryer model number. After securing the part, unplug the dryer, take the back panel out, remove the connections, and connect the new one. Heating elements may sometimes require you to take out the existing thermostat and install it on the new part. Attach the back panel again, turn the power on, and run a test cycle to confirm if it works already.
5. Dryer’s Drum Not Spinning
When you begin a cycle and hear the motor throbs, but the drum stands still, then you might be dealing with a serious issue already. Since it’s the most common issue among dryers, it has made the issue the easiest problem to fix.
CAUSE: Belts breaks overtime. If your machine turns on, but the drum doesn’t rotate, then make it the first stop on the checklist. When a new belt doesn’t solve the issue, then you may have trouble with the idler pulley or motor.
SOLUTION: Unplug your machine and take the rear panel out. Examine the old belt for any damage or break, then you will need to remove it first. Local hardware stores provide some replacement belts, but you may need to order it yourself from the store or online. After replacing the belt, pay attention to the belt routing and take out the old belt. Put to rout the new belt, making sure that you have it aligned and seated properly. Replacing an idler pulley is more complicated than changing a worn belt, so it may be time to call for a professional technician.
One common mistake many people make when dealing with dryer issues is trying to fix their machine by themselves. Seeking professional technicians to handle the complex task can help you spare you from making the problem even worse.
Are you interested in getting affordable and complete clothes dryer repair and consultation services? 5 Star Appliance Repair can handle them well for you. Whether your dryer is making noises or not heating up properly, count on the 5 Star Appliance Repair experts to correctly diagnose the problem and get it fixed.
