If your dryer taking forever to dry clothes has put a slow-down to your laundry routine, there are a few potential reasons why. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most common reasons why a dryer might be taking too long to dry clothes and provide solutions on how to fix the issue.
Is Your Dryer Taking Forever to Dry? Common Reasons and Solutions.
A dryer taking forever to dry is a rather common complaint that generally has an easy, DIY fix. If your dryer takes two cycles to dry, you’ll certainly want to continue reading this guide. We will also cover other topics related to drying clothes, such as what happens when a dryer is overloaded and how to clean the lint screen. So if you’re having trouble getting your clothes completely dried in one cycle, you’ve found a great source of information.
Incoming Power Issue
If you have a gas dryer, one potential reason it’s taking forever to dry clothes is that you don’t have enough power. Gas dryers require 140 volts of electricity, while electric dryers need 240 volts. If your home doesn’t have enough outlets to support a dryer, you might want to consider getting a washer/dryer combo unit, which uses 240 volts.
Dryer is Overloaded with Laundry
If your dryer taking forever to dry clothes has become a frustration, it might be because you’re trying to dry too many items at once. A general rule of thumb is not to exceed the capacity of the dryer by more than 50%. So if your dryer has a capacity of six pounds, try not to put more than three pounds of wet laundry in there at a time.
Another way to avoid overloading the dryer is to wash fewer clothes at a time. If you have a large load of laundry, consider washing it in two batches instead of one. This will help reduce the amount of moisture in each load and make drying them faster.
Washer Leaves Clothes Too Wet
If your washer leaves clothes wet, that can also lead to the dryer taking a longer time to dry them. When clothes are too wet, they take up more space in the dryer and it takes longer for them to get hot enough to evaporate the water. This will cause a problem with the dryer leaving clothes damp.
One way to combat this issue is by using a high-efficiency washer. These washers extract more water from clothes than traditional models, which means they will be less wet when you put them in the dryer. If you’re not using a high-efficiency washer, make sure you select the “extra rinse” cycle so that most of the detergent is removed from the clothes before drying.
Check the Dryer Lint Screen
Another common cause for a dryer taking forever to dry clothes is that the lint screen is dirty. The lint screen collects all of the lint and debris that comes off of the clothes as they’re drying. If it’s not cleaned regularly, it can clog up and prevent air from flowing through the dryer vents.
To clean the lint screen, just remove it from the dryer and brush off any excess lint or debris. You can also use a vacuum cleaner to suck out any remaining dirt or dust. Removing the lint should help with a dryer that takes too long to dry.
Check the Dryer Vents
If you’ve cleaned the lint screen and your clothes are still taking too long to dry, there might be something wrong with the dryer vents. When air doesn’t flow freely through the vents, it can cause the dryer to overheat and take longer to dry clothes.
To check the dryer vents, start by unplugging the dryer and disconnecting the exhaust hose from the back of the appliance. Next, use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to clean out any lint or debris that’s blocking the vents. Once you’ve done that, reattach the hose and plug in the dryer.
Dryer Part Malfunction
If your dryer is taking forever to dry clothes and you’ve tried all of the above solutions, there might be a problem with one of the dryer parts. The heating element, thermostat, or timer could all be malfunctioning, and your clothes take longer to dry.
If you think there might be a problem with one of the dryer parts, it’s best to call a professional repairman to take a look at it. Trying to fix the problem yourself could potentially damage the appliance and cost even more money in the long run. Give Same Day Appliance Repair a call for an expert dryer repair.
