Match your symptom to narrow down the likely cause before calling us.
These checks are safe for homeowners. Do not attempt to open sealed refrigerant systems, touch electrical components behind access panels, or work on gas lines — always call a licensed technician for those.
The lint trap should be cleared before every load, not once a week. A partially clogged lint trap reduces airflow by 20–40%. Pull the screen, remove all lint, and if buildup is on the screen mesh, rinse it with water and let it dry fully before replacing.
Disconnect the dryer from the vent, use a dryer vent brush kit (available at hardware stores) to clean the duct from both the dryer end and the exterior, and confirm the outdoor flap moves freely. This is one of the most impactful home maintenance tasks you can do — it also prevents dryer fires.
During a cycle, go outside and check the vent exhaust cover. The flap should swing fully open with strong warm air flow. A flap stuck shut (frozen, warped, or obstructed by a bird nest) blocks almost all airflow. Clean or replace it.
Flexible foil or plastic dryer duct collapses, kinks easily, and accumulates lint much faster than rigid metal duct. If your dryer uses flexible duct, replacing it with rigid aluminum significantly improves airflow and reduces fire risk.
Vent restriction is the single most common cause by far. Lint accumulates in the vent duct, outdoor flaps get stuck, or flexible ducts collapse. When air can't flow through, the dryer has to run much longer to evaporate moisture from clothes. Clean the lint trap before every load and clean the full duct at least once a year.
For average households doing 5–6 loads per week, annual professional dryer vent cleaning is recommended. If you have a long duct run, multiple bends, or pets that shed a lot, consider cleaning every 6 months. A clogged dryer vent is the leading cause of house fires from appliances in the US.
Running a dryer twice as long as necessary essentially doubles your energy cost for laundry. In Charlotte, a typical electric dryer costs about $0.40–$0.60 per cycle. If you're running two cycles where one should suffice, you're spending an extra $200–$300 per year just on laundry electricity.
The moisture sensor consists of two small metal bars inside the drum. Clothes pass over them during tumbling and the sensor detects electrical conductivity (wet clothes conduct, dry clothes don't). When the sensor is coated with dryer sheet residue, it reads clothes as dry before they actually are, ending the cycle early. Clean the bars with rubbing alcohol.
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