Dryer FAQ...
Q
- I have a
scraping noise from my dryer, what might cause this?
Q
- I have crayon/gum/pen
ink on the
inside of my dryer, is there anything that could help me clean it off?
Q
- My electric dryer runs but
will not heat, what could stop my dryer from heating?
Q
- My gas dryer will not heat,
what could stop my dryer from heating?
Q
- My dryer is dead, what
could do that?
Q
- What is a grounded element?
Q
- What is the proper length my
dryer vent can be run?
Q
- How do dryer thermostats
work?
Q
-
I
dropped something down the lint filter area....help!
Q -
Dryer takes too long to
dry or multiple times to dry a load
Q - I have crayon/gum/ink
from a pen, on the
inside of my dryer, is there anything that could help me clean it off ?
A - Cleaning and checking pockets before washing
the clothes is a good practice to get into. A product called "Goo Gone" is very
good for helping clean off the mess from inside your dryer and many other surfaces as
well. Alcohol is very good for cleaning ink from a dryer drum, "cheap"
hair spray is also good ( cheaper hair spray has more alcohol in it ).
Caution....warning....beware.....ok,
ok you get the picture....
I did a service call for an Amana Bottom freezer fridge. It had a sticker on the
inside wall of the fresh food section that the customer wanted to remove....the
sticker showed the size, features, etc of the fridge. She called Amana and asked
what to us on this sticker to remove it. Amana told her to buy some GooGone.
She goes to HomeDepot and they tell her that they have something
"like" GooGone....called "The Super DeGooper".
She buys and uses this product ( came in a can ) on the sticker and it actually
ate/melted/blistered the plastic liner inside the fridge.
I checked the fridge operations and liner....looks like a bad skin burn on the
inside of the fridge....rough, bubbled and no longer smooth.
I have used GooGone before, on stickers and glue and never had a problem like
this "The Super DeGooper" did!!
Thought you might want to know!
Q - My electric dryer runs
but will not heat, what could stop my dryer from heating ?
A - Things that could stop a electric dryer from
heating:
- house fuse or breaker ( needs 2! )... - heating element ... - burnt wire ...
- thermostats ... thermal fuse ( not all
models )... - motor heat switch ... - timer ... - selector switch ... - burnt
power cord/plug ...
A ohm meter test for these parts is here.
Q - My gas dryer will not
heat, what could stop my dryer from heating ?
A - Things that could stop a gas dryer from
heating:
- glow bar igniter ... - thermal
fuse (
not all models ) ... - coil on the gas valve ... - gas valve ... -
thermostats ... - motor heat switch ... - timer ... - selector switch ... - sensor ...
A page for checking gas dryers is here.
Q - My dryer is dead, what
could do that ?
A - Common problems...blown house
fuse/tripped breaker ( electric dryers need 2 )...loose white/neutral wire...broken
belt ( on some models only )...door switch/door switch bracket...*thermal fuse open ( venting needs attention )...broken or burnt
wire...timer...motor...burnt power cord/plug...start switch ( especially the
ones with a built in relay switch )
* If you find a blown thermal fuse, always clean, change, adjust the venting system
and vent hood first, then it is sometimes a good idea to replace the operating thermostat at
the same time. This is a picture of
-some- modern thermal
fuses.
Q - What is a grounded element
?
A - Please see the grounded
element page.
Q - What is the proper length
my dryer vent can be run ??
A - The answer is at this link.
Q
- Dryer
takes too long to dry or multiple times to dry a load
A1
Pull the dryer out away from the wall. Unhook the vent from the dryer
completely. Do not put anything over the dryer exhaust on the back of the dryer.
Do a normal load with the vent unhooked. If it dries better or ok like this then
the problem is in the dryer venting. Like a blocked vent pipe or a smashed or
restricted vent hose.
A2 - If
the vent doesn't make a difference, then check the blower wheel for
excessive lint build up, check that there isn't anything stuck to the air intake
baffle inside the drum, (i.e. the screen on the back wall of the dryer when
looking into the drum). Check the lint filter chute for blockage. Check that the
heating element isn't shorted
to ground. Check the exhaust temperature of the dryer. A meat or
pocket thermometer can be used for this. It should cycle between 120
degrees and 170 degrees. Check that the drum seals to make sure the are not worn out.
