We all enjoy the convenience of our modern day household appliances, and would probably find our daily routines disrupted if we where not able to utilize them. But all to often, we take our appliances for granted and only think about them when something goes awry. Well I wanted to offer up a few pearls of wisdom to help you get the most out of these tireless appliances, and possibly save your some money at the same time. Here are just a few things you can do to get the most out of your clothes dryer.
Clean the Lint Screen - I am sure most everyone cleans the lint screen, but really how clean is it? In particular if you are using fabric softeners or dryer sheets during your load, these will leave a thin film coating everything over time (ever noticed the dryer drum turning blue?) including the lint screen. To ensure the screen is indeed clean, run it under some water and make sure water runs through the screen. If it begins to pool on the screen or worse, fills the thing up, it’s time to get out the scrub brush.
Check the Dryer Vent - Clothes dryers are very dependant on moving lots of air over and around the cloths to get them dry. This warm moist air needs to find it’s way out of the unit and that is where the vent comes into play. When was the last time you looked behind your dryer at the venting to make sure it hasn’t shifted or come lose? The vent line from your dryer to the connection at the wall needs to be as short and straight as possible. Every 90 degree bend in the line is the equivalent of 4 feet of straight hose so limit your bents. Also, make sure you are using a ridged or simi-ridged hose with a smooth interior wall. The old plastic or metal foil (slinky) hoses are no longer acceptable to use and should be removed and updated. How about the hose in the wall. Unless you can see from one end to the other, there are most likely places for lint to accumulate and begin to disrupt the airflow. Many service companies can clean your vent for a reasonable fee, or you can find do-it-yourself kits at various places online. And while you are at it, keep the area around where the vent exits the house clear too. That small bush planted by the house may be much larger now.
Use the Automatic Settings - Most dryers will have an auto dry setting that will use one or more sensors to determine the moisture content of your clothes and shut the machine off when they are dry. Saving you time, energy (money), and your clothes by limiting there exposure to prolonged direct heat. And if your dryer has a cool down feature, use it to allow the clothes to slowly cool at the end of the cycle by using the remaining heat within the dryer drum.
Let your Dryer Breath - Your dryer moves a lot of air to dry a load and that air needs to come from somewhere. Leave your laundry room door open, or open a window to help provide ‘makeup air’ to the dryer. If the dryer is in a small room with little ventilation, it will have difficulty moving enough air to properly dry your clothes. Not providing enough air to the dryer will have a very similar effect to blocking off the vent hose. This advice goes for your vent hood too.
Don’t Stuff your Dryer - Because the clothes need to tumble to efficiently transfer the moisture to the surrounding air, don’t pack the drum full of clothes. This isn’t usually a problem on top load washers, but many front load washers can wash a lot of clothes in a single load. Be kind to your dryer and make sure what you are putting in the unit can tumble around freely.
These are just a few of the tips I offer to people I see on a daily basis. Your clothes dryer is one of the more energy hungry appliances in your home. By taking these few steps, you can easily save some money, and possibly extend the life of your dryer.
See TechnicianBrian at the Appliance Repair & Training Blog
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