How to Fix Dryer Taking Multiple Cycles to Dry

When you switch on your dryer with a load of wet clothes fresh out of the washer, it can be a most unpleasant experience to discover that your clothes have not dried completely in the first cycle. ‘This is weird,’ you say to yourself, then you turn it on again, and your clothes eventually get dry – after multiple cycles. 

This blog post will discuss some of the most common causes of this malfunction and possible fixes to get your dryer back to normal with step-by-step instructions and simple tools.

Reasons Why Your Dryer Takes Too Long to Dry

Dryer Takes Too Long to Dry

A dryer may take longer than usual to dry your clothes; sometimes, not at all. While a breakdown of some parts may be to blame most of the time, you may be surprised to know that a perfectly working dryer may also take longer to dry clothes under certain circumstances.

We’ll show you the most probable reasons why your dryer is taking forever to dry your clothes. Take a peek: 

1 . Overloaded Dryer

An overloaded dryer is an enormous problem for the machine because it doesn’t leave enough room for hot air to circulate the way it should, so it’s imperative that you do not fill your dryer to the top or else it might take longer than necessary drying clothes. 

In order to allow hot air to circulate, you should generally only load your dryer up to 2/3 of the way. For information on the recommended loads for your model dryer, consult your use and maintenance handbook.

2. Insufficient Input Power 

The power source may be the problem if your dryer isn’t drying your clothing thoroughly or taking too long. Electric dryers require a 240V outlet to deliver sufficient power, which is a key difference between gas and electric dryers. The drying process can take up to three times longer when using a typical 120V outlet. 

If you’ve recently connected to another receptacle, ensure that it’s a 240V outlet, or you may run the dryer on low power.

3. Lint Screen is Clogged

It’s no big deal if your dryer lint screen is clogged; it is meant to catch small pieces of fabric fiber and will eventually get clogged from time to time.

A clogged lint screen can prevent hot air from circulating adequately, which means a longer drying time. Thankfully, we will discuss simple steps to take to clean out a clogged lint screen later in this blog post. 

4. Clothes From the Washer Are Too Wet

Not every time should dryers be blamed for extended drying time; sometimes, a faulty washer is the source of the problem.

If you choose a wash setting, you must also choose an adequate spin cycle, or else your clothes will be too moist for the dryer. Sometimes, clothes may be too damp after washing due to a machine’s fault.

Ensure your settings include a long enough spin cycle before starting a wash cycle. After washing, if the clothing is still excessively moist, professional washer repair may be necessary.

5. Faulty Parts

After some time, parts in your washer may wear, and for the most part, fixing them should be left to a professional. In most electric dryers, the part which breaks down with the highest frequency is the heating element.

In that case, a professional technician has to replace the heating element; it can’t be fixed. For gas-powered dryers, the gas valve solenoid is to blame most of the time; it must also be replaced. 

Other components that usually break down, making your clothes dry much slower, include the blower wheel, felt drum seal, door seal, etc. 

How to Fix a Dryer Takes Too Long to Dry

Something is wrong when your dryer takes 3 hours to dry the same amount of cloth that took 1 hour in the past. You can handle it if it’s a minor fault. Here are possible solutions to fix your dryer: 

1. Inspect the Door Seal

Dryer Door Seal

In gas and electric dryers, the door seal helps prevent cool air from entering the drum while the dryer is operating and the door is locked. The garments will dry effectively if the dryer is always kept at the proper temperature. 

To know if the dryer door seal is faulty, you need to inspect it, checking for signs of damage visually. If you do find that the door seal is damaged, then you may need to get a replacement door seal for your particular model. 

2. Clear Clogs On The Lint Screen

A major reason why dryers take too long to dry is because of lint and debris accumulation inside the exhaust vents. These clogs can occur if the lint screen isn’t cleaned regularly. Follow the instructions below to clean the vent if your dryer takes a long time to dry: 

  • Disconnect the dryer vent hose.
  • Vacuum the vent hose from all sides, including the outside, using your vacuum cleaner’s narrow hose vacuum attachment. 
  • Remove the outer exhaust hood and clean the hood entrance of all the lint and debris.
  • Reattach the dryer vent hose and replace the exhaust hood.
  • Ensure the vent hose is free of damage or pinches before cleaning it. It may also hinder airflow and prolong drying times if the vent hose is pinched or crushed.

3 . Check and Replace Faulty Thermostat 

Does your dryer need two cycles to finish drying everything? A new thermostat might be required if the current thermostat is broken. Thermostats, like a cycling thermostat, are an important part of the workings of a dryer; they will turn off the heat as a safety precaution when it senses extreme temperatures. It also does the same thing when faulty, so you need to install a replacement thermostat as soon as possible.

If you’ve got a replacement thermostat (preferably one for your particular model), follow the steps below to replace the faulty thermostat: 

  • Before starting any repairs, disconnect the dryer unit from its power source. 
  • Locate the thermostats (dryers often have two thermostats). Your user manual should come in handy here. 
  • Once you find the thermostats, you should see two wires connected to each thermostat. You want to label the wire, so you don’t make a mistake while installing the replacement thermostat. 
  • Metal slip-on connectors are used to join the wires to the thermostat. Pull on the connectors rather than the wires themselves. Using a set of needle-nosed pliers could be a smart option.
  • Two screws are used to secure the thermostat to the dryer. Take out the two screws, then throw away the broken cycling thermostat. Install the replacement thermostat and fasten it with two screws. Reconnect the two wires and turn the appliance back on. Run your dryer for a while to make sure it is working properly.

Other reasons why your dryer may take too long may be due to other faulty parts such as the blower wheel, thermistor, moisture sensor, heating element, and belt drum seal – all of which you really should let your manufacturer or a professional handle. 

Why Does My Dryer Heat Up But Not Dry? 

Dryer Heat Up But Not Dry

It is possible that your dryer element is in tip-top condition, but your clothes still take forever to dry. In that case, the first thing you should check is the door seal.

Ensure the dryer door is closed properly and the door seal is not damaged. If, after inspection, you find signs of damage to the seal, then you may have found the problem. Simply replacing the door seal should do. 

Also, make sure your dryer is not filled to capacity. Using only ⅔ of its carrying capacity per session is always a good idea. Hopefully, this should help you dry your clothes at the normal time. For the kicks, you can use dryer balls to help reduce drying time.

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