6 Common Dryer Problems (and Solutions)

Most homes these days have a dryer, as they are especially great when the sun isn’t shining and you want to quickly dry your clothes or sheets. Unfortunately, sometimes they can break down and need to be repaired.

If your dryer is faulty, then it is usually one of the six problems that we will cover in this article.

Let’s get started.

1. The Dryer Is Making Strange Noises

The first major problem people have with their dryers is when they start to make strange and abnormal noises. If you can hear thumping, squeaking, humming, or squealing sounds coming from your dryer, then this is a good indication that something is wrong with one or more of the components within your dryer and they will need to be repaired or replaced.

The best place to start is to replace the glides in the dryer drum, which you can quite easily do yourself if you have the right tools and you buy the right replacement parts. If that doesn’t solve the problem, then you should check the blower wheel and the drive belt to see if they are damaged in any way. If so, you will need to either repair them or replace them. These repairs are tougher to do, so you will probably need to call a qualified technician to do them for you.

2. Dryer Stops Heating

The next major problem people have with their dryers is when it stops heating. When this happens, your dryer won’t dry your clothes and effectively becomes useless. The first place to start when you have this problem is to check that you have your dryer on the correct setting. Once you eliminate this as the possible cause, you will have to check some of the components within your dryer to find out what is causing your dryer not to heat.

For gas dryers, the best place to start is to check the flame, which should be blue and burning without interruption or going out – if it isn’t, then your igniter or other components are probably faulty and will need to be replaced by a technician.

If you have an electric dryer, start by checking the power source. You can do this by first checking the circuit breaker and then checking if the cord is damaged in any way. Dryers use a lot of power, so it’s not uncommon that the fuse blows and needs to be replaced. If the circuit breaker and cord are ok, you should try to use your dryer in another power outlet to see if it works; if so the problem is your power outlet, which will need to be repaired.

If those fixes don’t work, the problem is likely caused by faulty internal components and will need to be looked at by a qualified technician.

3. Dryer Takes Too Long to Dry Clothes

If your dryer is taking too long to dry your clothes or sheets, the best place to start is to clean out the lint filter. This is the most common cause of the problem, as people often forget to clean the filter out after every usage of the dryer.

If cleaning out the lint filter doesn’t solve the problem, then you will need to call a qualified technician to come and inspect your dryer, as the problem will be caused by a faulty internal component that will need to be repaired or replaced.

4. Dryer Doesn’t Tumble

The next common problem people have with their dryers is when the dryer doesn’t tumble, which means the dryer drum doesn’t rotate around at all. If you have this problem, you will need to check the drive belt. The drive belt helps your dryer drum rotate around, so when it becomes faulty or breaks, your dryer won’t be able to work properly.

To check if the drive belt is faulty or broken, you will need to take off the side panels of your dryer and check the belt. If it is broken, it will need to be replaced. Replacing the belt is quite a complex repair so it is best to call a qualified technician to come and change it for you. Most technicians will be able to carry out this repair quite quickly, so it shouldn’t cost too much.

5. Clothes Come Out Wrinkled

The next common problem people have with their dryers is when clothes come out overly wrinkled when the dryer finishes the drying cycle. This problem, unlike most of the others on this list, isn’t usually the fault of your dryer but has more to do with you using the wrong dryer cycle, overloading the dryer, drying only a few items, a lack of fabric softener during the wash, or not sorting your laundry properly. If you aren’t doing any of those things, then next time you use your dryer, make sure you use the permanent-press cycle, as this should stop your clothes from coming out wrinkled.

6. Dryer Doesn’t Turn On

The final problem on our list is when your dryer doesn’t turn on at all. If this is happening with your dryer, the best place to start is to check the power source – you can check if your dryer works in another power outlet, and if so, the power outlet will need to be repaired. Next, check the circuit breaker in your household fuse box, and if that has switched off, then switch it back on, or you might need to replace the fuse.

If those two fixes don’t solve the problem, you will need to check the door switch, thermostat, start switch, and thermal fuse with a multimeter or call a technician to do it for you. If any of those components are faulty, they will need to be replaced.