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electric dryer taking longer and longer to dry clothes
I have an electric dryer that is taking longer and longer times to dry the clothes about 2-1/2 hours to do a standard load. The time seems to be increasing - Is this dangerous? It is probably running my electric bill up? The dryer came with the house I bought a year ago. I would guess the appliance purchased by the previous owners is about 4 years old. I dont know the manufacturer- It is a good quality machine.
Yes, it can be a fire hazard and it is running your electricity bill up because it is running three times as long as it should to dry the clothes.
We had this problem a few years ago, but we figured out pretty easily how to correct it. First off, unplug it and have someone help you move the dryer out to an open area where you can get to all sides of it. Unscrew the screws that are holding the top on and remove the top from it. When you look down into the dryer from the top, you will be surprised to see just how few parts this thing is made of. Use something to wipe the lint off the outside of the barrel. You will also see lint collection on the walls of the inside and the back of the unit. Just make sure you clean all the lint from it as good as you can. This lint collection is what can cause the fire hazard.
While you are at it, also clean the vent that leads to the outside of the house. We have a long feather duster that works well for this. Put the top back on, slide it back into place, plug it back in, put some wet clothes in it and let it run. You should see a dramatic decrease in the amount of time it will now take to dry a load of clothes.
If you do not see a dramatic improvement, then you can safely assume that there is a more serious problem such as the heating element starting to go bad.
Try the cleaning first before you go to the expense of calling for any kind of service. It is most likely the reason for your problem. We have become accustomed to dragging ours out at least once or twice a year to clean the inside like this and it has really helped.
NJMMOM is right on the money. It is running up your electric. It is a hazzard. Open the unit up and clean everything thouroghly From top to bottom the blower housing, vent hose, everything.
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