jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

If you have an old clothes dryer that is not working as well as it should, buy a new one. I replaced mine a few weeks ago because it wasn't working. Today, I took the old one apart in anticipation of bringing the metal to "dump" for recycling. Every time I removed a part, I found lots of lint. The large outlet where the hot air exits the tub was loaded with lint. From there, it goes into a downpipe and then to the vent hose. At the bottom of the downpipe was a mouse nest, in addition to lint. When I got all the way inside the machine - lint! It's all over the motor, too. I guess "out of sight, out of mind" applied to this motor because it is naked. It does not have the typical barrel cover over it. I thought I might keep it, but after seeing it, it will go to the metal recycling area. The vent hose itself, from the dryer to the outside, was very clean. This was a Whirlpool from 2007.

On the plus side, I did "rescue" a lot of wire and connectors. I can always use wire. Oh, one other thing: I removed over $5.00 in coins from inside the dryer cabinet.

BebuLamar

Wow my Whirpool was from 2003 when the house was built.

JimmyTB

Good thing it stopped working as it should. That sounds like a fire waiting to happen

rustfarmer

Prices for new dryers seems so high I keep fixing my old one when it fails. Just replaced the belt a few days ago and greased the rear bearing too.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yes, prices are ridiculous, although the final count on the change I found is $7.50. Of course, it took seventeen years to accumulate that much. This LG cost $698 on sale, saving us over $200.

marine73 Loc: Modesto California

I recently bought my oldest son a new washer and dryer from Best Buy, it is a combo wifi unit that does both the washing and drying. The washer automatically remeasures the soap and fabric softener, once the wash is done it starts drying the cloths. The reason we bought him a new washer and dryer is that the dryer had quit working. They came with the house when he bought it last august and were at least 30 years old. He get get some use from them before they gave up the ghost.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Our old dryer "died," last year, too, and the washer was threatening to die any minute, so we replaced both. The new LG dryer has a light on it that flashes if there is any obstruction of air flow. If the restriction is severe, it also quits automatically and tells you, in effect, to clean the vent!

After the installers left, I ran a load of laundry, and that "Flow Sense" light came on. Then the dryer stopped. Google to the rescue!

One of the top causes of fires in the home is lint fires in dryers and dryer ducts that are not properly maintained. Once a year or so, the entire exhaust path to the outside of the house should be cleaned.

https://youtu.be/GLZSqhUoF_g?

I bought the kit shown in the video linked above. The first time I used it, I filled up my shop vac with lint TWICE. It was a sticky, fibrous mess, because we had been using fabric softener dryer sheets that leave a waxy residue all over the inside of the dryer, your clothes, the ductwork... everything.

We quit using those fabric softener dryer sheets and now our towels work better, our underwear breathes again, and the dryer will probably last longer.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

You just reminded me that I need to get out my shop vac and clean the entire duct to the outside.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Jerry, there are over 14,000 home fires each year attributed to clothes driers. Ever wonder why..?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Wow! I was surprised that my vent hose was almost spotless. I guess the filter in the dryer caught most lint. Unfortunately, there's no practical way to clean inside the dryer, and there was a lot of lint in there.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

I understand that the flexible plastic (flammable) hoses are discouraged - metal instead.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Carl1024 Loc: Kaneohe, HI 96744

where does the dryer hose exit, outside of your home or inside of another room like mine? i have wire screen & empty it ever so often

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I don't recall ever seeing plastic hoses. I never bought a steel life preserver, either.

AirWalter Loc: Tipp City, Ohio

Remember the story you just told us about being to lazy to clean the filter after each drying session and when your house catch's fire. You should take the back of the dryer once a year and vacuum all the lint in the piping to the outside. Makes a big difference. Mine is a Whirlpool over 23 years old.