Dryers are a rather important part of our daily lives in the modern age, but let's face it they certainly don’t last as long as they used to. Home appliances used to last 15 - 20 years, whereas nowadays you’re much more likely to start seeing issues within the first 3 - 4 years. The question then is, what are some ways to combat a shorter life span? In this week’s post we’ll take a look at some of the ways you can protect your dryer.
1. Check and empty your lint trap after every load
No matter what brand or model, young or old, your dryer has a lint trap. Most of them are situated at the front of the drum just inside the door, some are on the top right of the dryer with a handle built in, and a few even have them located at the back of the tub in the back wall of the dryer. The best way to find yours if you’re unsure is in your dryer’s Owner Manual. These traps need to be cleaned out after every single load and ideally cleaned quarterly, or every three months, by lightly scrubbing the mesh with warm water and dish soap, rinsed, and being left to dry overnight. By keeping this clean you give your dryer a better chance to breathe and let moisture evaporate out of the vent in the back.
2. Be aware of how much of a load you’re putting in
Dryers operate by spinning your wet clothes and turning the heating element on and off at a set pace to allow the moisture to evaporate off the clothes. If you put too heavy of a load in your dryer, you're making that job considerably harder and even worse causing even more wear on your unit. When a dryer works too hard it can cause the motor to overwork and put strain on the windings inside, leading to a much shorter life span. If that wasn’t enough, you could also be causing more tension on the belt and idler leading to a potential snapping of your belt. So keep in mind when loading your dryer, the clothes should only come up to about halfway and you should be able to see the top half of the back wall of your dryer.
3. Check your vent hose for damage and debris
The vent hose on the back of your dryer is just as important as the rest of your unit. It’s highly recommended that you check it at least quarterly, or every three months, much like your lint trap. The best way to do this is to remove the hose from both the unit and the wall. Once removed take a look inside and remove any lint or debris that may have built up. Once cleaned, check the whole length of the vent. You want to look for any cracks or tears that may have developed. If you do find any, it’s best to throw the hose away and get a new one. After checking or replacing your hose, attach both ends securely back in place. When you go to move the dryer back make sure the hose is as straight as possible. Any kinks in the hose can cause ventilation issues and not only cause your clothes to come out wet, but degrade your unit.
4. Clean your dryer drum
Dryer sheets and fabric softeners are great for keeping your clothes fresh but they can do a real number on your dryer. Both can leave a filmy residue on your drum that can get transferred to certain parts of your dryer over time, like the rollers or for some dryers the drum lining, that can lead to these parts wearing out faster then they should. If you have an electric dryer, the best way to clean the drum is by using a soft cloth dipped in warm water with a little bit of dish soap. For you gas dryer owners, use a light amount of non-flammable household cleaner like Simple Green, instead of the soap. After you're done, give the drum one more wipe down with a clean damp rag and run a load of clean towels or shirts to dry it out. This should be done on the same schedule as your lint trap and vent hose, every three months.
5. Schedule a bi-yearly maintenance check and cleaning
While it may sound biased, the absolute best thing you can do for your dryer is to schedule bi-yearly maintenance and cleaning. By scheduling Royal for your dryer, we can send out a qualified technician to disassemble your dryer and clean it out. Even using all the previous tips won’t prevent all lint and debris from slipping into your dryer. When lint builds up inside your unit it not only degrades the performance and health of your dryer, it can also lead to house fires if the lint ignites. After cleaning out the lint we will check your dryer parts to make sure certain issues, like belt cracking or hair wrapped around your rollers, are addressed and help keep your dryer healthy and performing at its best for as long as it can. We at Royal care about the safety and well-being of your family, so please contact us at (719) 546-0442 and schedule service today! This month only we are offering 5% off any appliance work when you mention the blog and the weekly code. This week's code is RAR2024. Code not valid after business close Friday 3/29/24.
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