Long Laundry Dry Times

A common complaint we hear is of clothes dryers not heating like they used to. They may still get warm, but not hot enough to dry a load in one cycle. When we hear this, we immediately suspect a restriction. If you are still getting heat, than your element is likely fine. Elements tend to go out completely, all at once, meaning they either work or they don't. There are thermostats than can be failing, but most commonly the cause of this problem is a restriction in the dryer vent or wall duct. This simple test can help us determine the cause.

The first thing you want to do is to inspect your vent hose to see if it is kinked or pinched, as this alone could be the cause. If there are no visible hose restrictions, disconnect it from the dryer side. Now, with the vent hose disconnected, try running a normal load of clothes. Please be aware that during this test your wash room will get humid while the dryer is running. If the dryer still does not dry like it should with the vent hose disconnected, it is time to schedule a service call for your dryer.

However, if the dryer does dry properly with the vent hose disconnected, we now know there is a vent or duct restriction. Sometimes this is just lint build up that has collected in the hose and can be easily removed. If your dryer duct vents directly outside, check for any blockages in the duct, or even outside of it and remove if present.

If your duct is vented through the wall, as many houses in Lubbock are, you will need to call to schedule a duct cleaning. A duct cleaning professional will run a lint brush from the roof down to remove any build up that has collected inside the wall duct. They should also inspect any attic duct work for malfunctions. We recommend having wall ducts cleaned every 3-5 years as a preventative measure.