Taking care of your appliances is the key to saving money, time, and effort. The clothes dryer maintenance is among essential major assistants in your household. While it works, you don’t notice it. When it breaks down, you face a disaster.
The life expectancy of an average dryer is about 13 years. However, the majority of these appliances last much less. The reason is the lack of proper operation and maintenance. It’s not enough to plug the unit in and forget about it. If the only thing you do for your dryer is clean the lint filter, your appliance is likely to demand repair in just a few years.
In this article, we’ll share top clothes dryer maintenance tips to keep your dryer working for as long as possible.
Here are the 9 Clothes Dryer Maintenance Tips:
1. Run Full Loads Only
The more you run your dryer the faster it will give out. It’s as easy as that. Since you are unlikely to limit the number of times you do laundry, you can at least add some efficiency to the process.
By ensuring you only run full loads, you don’t just extend the lifespan of your clothes dryer, you save energy as well. Don’t rush to do laundry when you have free time. Wait until a full load is available.
On the other hand, don’t overload the dryer. In the rush to finish laundry quicker, many homeowners overload washers and dryers. As a result, the motor strains, dryer becomes misbalanced and eventually stops functioning.
2. Opt for Professional Installation
With numerous DIY videos overwhelming the Internet, homeowners often opt for DIY appliance installation to save money. Even though installing a dryer may appear straightforward, it’s not as easy as it sounds.
You may not notice the mistakes you make during the process. They’ll become obvious after several uses. By that time, your dryer could already be damaged.
Proper venting is highly important for a clothes dryer. You would need to select the right material and size for the venting tube and install it properly. Meanwhile, you should make sure the appliance is perfectly balanced. It’s especially important if you are placing it on top of the washer.
3. Clean the Dryer Vent
The dryer vent is the most important part of your appliance. It needs regular maintenance. Ideally, you should hire professional technicians to check and clean the vent at least once a year. However, some owners do it on their own.
Cleaning the vent involves disconnecting it from the dryer. After that, you would need to use a long-handled attachment to ensure penetrability. Special dryer vent cleaning brushes exist to remove clogs.
Be careful about reinstalling the duct properly after the cleaning is done. If you fail to do it, the dryer won’t function. Consider hiring professional dryer vent cleaners to avoid mistakes. According to experts from Jacksonville appliance repair services, if ducts aren’t cleaned regularly, the dryer’s motor can burn out leading to costly repairs.
4. Limit the Number of Dryer Sheets
While dryer sheets are an excellent way to keep your clothes static-free and soft, they aren’t harmless. These products have a wax layer that melts when the dryer heats up. If you use too many of them, the wax settles on the appliance’s interior walls and clogs the venting system and the lint trap.
Removing this layer may be tough. No matter how many dryer sheets you use, it’s important to clean your dryer once a week even if you don’t see any dirt inside. Failure to clean the dryer regularly is the top cause of dryer-related fires in households.
5. Clear the Lint Trap
Lint trap is one of the most important parts of your clothes dryer maintenance tips. Cleaning it regularly is the key to the appliance’s longevity. Wipe the lint filter clean after EACH load. Even if you are planning to do two loads in a row, clean the trap between them.
At least once a week, remove the lint screen and vacuum the trap. You can use a brush to loosen the residue.
Every one or two months, remove the lint filter and soak it in warm soapy water for about an hour or so. This can help remove wax, which appears after using dryer sheets and residue that settles after using a fabric softener.
6. Inspect the Appliance Weekly
A visual inspection of the dryer can help prevent damages. Make sure no moisture is trapped around the door seal. If there is any, wipe it off gently. In fact, you can wipe the door after each load is done to prevent mold formation and bacteria growth.
When checking the appliance, pay special attention to the doors seals. If they are cracked, ripped or damaged, the dryer is struggling to maintain the right temperatures. It may be straining the motor and overusing electricity. Replacing door seals is much easier and cheaper than repairing the motor.
7. Listen to it Work
One of the first signs of dryer problems is the change in its operating noise. If you hear that something seems off, turn the appliance off immediately and check what’s happening inside. The reason for the change of sound could be overstuffing dryer with clothing or a sleeve caught up in an improperly installed lint trap.
If everything seems to be in order, but the dryer continues to make strange noises, call professional technicians.
8. Check Exterior Vents
Every month or so inspect the exterior vent of your dryer. While the appliance is working, go outside and check if the air is flowing freely through the vent. If something seems wrong, the pipe may be clogged.
If you have a plastic vent, consider replacing it with a metal one. A plastic vent is a fire hazard.
9. Find a Professional Repair Service
Some clothes dryer maintenance tasks require an expert’s assistance. Spend some time looking for a reliable repair service before anything breaks down. Knowing whom to call in case of an emergency could prevent further damage to your dryer.
Start following the above clothes dryer maintenance tips today, and your dryer will serve you for at least a decade.
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