Why is Your Dryer Is Not Drying?

Mr. Appliance of Greater St Louis has ample experience performing repairs and other services on all types of household appliances in Ballwin, Chesterfield, and St Louis, MO. Our dryer repair services come in handy whenever your dryer gets hot but doesn’t dry your clothes, doesn’t get hot at all, or shows other signs of dysfunction or performance issues. Many people with dryer issues ask why their dryer is not drying clothes, and the reason can be as simple as cleaning out the lint trap or as extensive as a complete appliance failure. Our technicians can assess your dryer to determine to best solutions and then carry out any service it needs to work at its best again. The first step to figuring out whether you need repairs is understanding what issues may affect your dryer’s ability to dry your clothes effectively. We’ve described common reasons and solutions for you to review before calling our technicians for help.

Common Reasons for Your Dryer Not Drying Clothes

Mechanical issues are the most common reasons a dryer doesn’t dry clothes, but electric dryers can also have electrical malfunctions causing problems. Mr. Appliance of Greater St Louis is well-versed in nearly any issue affecting dryers, whether you have a gas model or an electrical unit. Our technicians can perform quick and conclusive dryer repair services if your dryer isn’t working as it should, starting with a thorough examination to find the specific cause. You can start finding a solution to your malfunctioning dryer by considering common causes of clothes not drying. We've outlined details about these causes, including information about the dryer components that are probably responsible:

Clogged Lint Screen

It’s easy to check your lint screen or lint filter to see if a clog is responsible for your clothes not drying in your dryer. If your dryer takes longer than usual to dry your load, you can easily clean your lint screen. You should always check this component before doing any repairs on your appliance. Lint screens act as duct guards, collecting lint sucked out the exhaust before it reaches your duct piping. Dryers won’t dry clothes if lint accumulates enough to block your exhaust's airflow. Not cleaning your lint screen can also be dangerous because heat from your dryer can cause a clogged lint screen to catch fire.

Defective or Obstructive Heating Element

Your dryer’s control panel is obviously getting power is your dryer drum’s mechanical function is spinning. However, you may have a malfunctioning heating element if your clothes aren’t drying. A dryer’s heating element includes a metal casing and fuses connecting to the heating coil and panel. The coil heats up and provides effective heat to ensure your clothes dryer removes moisture from your load. If you have a malfunctioning heating coil or element, your dryer won’t dry clothes.

Loose or Dirty Blower Wheel

If your dryer heats up but doesn’t dry your clothes, your blower wheel may have a mechanical malfunction. Your dryer’s blower wheel works inside your appliance, circulating heated air into its dryer drum to dry clothes efficiently. A damaged or dirty blower wheel may not spin, so your dryer won’t get much-heated air into the drum. A malfunctioning blower wheel is also a fire danger because all the heat your dryer produces stays in one place.

Clogged Ducts

Your dryer ducts are pipes in the back, leading hot air from the exhaust out of your dryer and home. Sometimes, some lint can also get into your ducts, and a leak between your duct and the lint screen can cause lint to build up in your duct pipe. A clogged duct reduces your dryer's airflow and limits its drying capabilities. You can identify clogged ducts by your dryer heating up and running but not getting your clothes dry. A dryer’s heat won’t efficiently spread over your clothes without its exhaust running optimally.

Not Enough Power to Dryer

Your dryer requires 240 volts of power to work correctly, whether you have a gas or electric clothes dryer. Replacements may be necessary if you have a loose or damaged power cord, power fuse, or outlet.

Solutions for Your Dryer in the St Louis Area

Mr. Appliance of Greater St Louis recommends checking your dryer for do-it-yourself solutions before calling our technicians for repairs, such as cleaning your lint trap. We’ve described a few solutions to get your dryer running and drying clothes again:

• Clean your lint screen – Regularly clean your lint screen to ensure your dryer maintains airflow.
• Remove lint – If lint clogs your dryer, removing it can quickly restore its ability to dry your clothes.
• Replace dryer heating element – A failing or malfunctioning dryer heating element needs replacement. We recommend having our technicians perform this service to ensure safety and efficacy.
• Remove dust or repair the dryer blower wheel – Clean around your blower wheel's fan and fuse and wire connections. If your blower wheel doesn't work correctly, we can repair it with timely service and unbeatable work quality.
• Clean out clogged ducts – Cleaning out clogged ducts by hand or using a vacuum is the best way to complete this task. Visible and reachable clogs are easy to remove with your hands, and deeper clogs may require a vacuum or extension.

Contact Mr. Appliance of Greater St Louis Today

Don’t neglect your dryer issues and assume they’ll work themselves out. With DIY solutions or professional repairs, you can restore your dryer's performance and dry your clothes quickly and safely. Our technicians are ready to help you with nearly any appliance issue. Contact us today to request a quote and schedule dryer repair services at your home.