Dryers might appear big, intimidating and bulky, but as far as appliances move, they’re the darlings of do-it-yourselfers. You can solve many gas dryer problems by straightforward troubleshooting, and dryer parts are not that hard to access or replace. If you notice a combination of clunking noises and not drying, however, the scenario doesn’t possess a single solution. You’ll have to play detective, because at least two things are wrong with your dryer.
Start Simple
Naturally, your dryer is plugged in — right? — but don’t double check that it is, since this is a potential reason for clothing not drying. Then assess the lint filter and then the port opening to the outside. Brush away all the lint, and make it a habit to remove lint before and after each drying cycle. Another obvious but possible problem: Make sure the dryer is set to a heated cycle; you also could accidentally be on Fluff Air or also a similar choice on the dial.
Broken Rollers
Broken rollers lead the record of suspects causing clunking noises. Two rollers, one each in the right and left sides below the drum, support the drum as the belt turns it. A set place in the rubber or a broken piece may cause a quick clunking sound, which amplifies to a resounding din that thumps all through the house. It is possible to open the front panel of your dryer, pull the drum and replace the rollers.
Additional Reasons for Clunking Noises
A marginally slower clunking noise may be in the metal-to-metal scraping of worn dryer drum glides. Or the belt may be worn, or the clothing baffle loose. If you observe clunking with nothing at the drum, you might have foreign objects in the blower wheel. Checking this option requires disassembling the dryer to access this massive plastic wheel adjacent to the port, typically in the lower left rear of the dryer when facing the rear panel. You can consult online resources that perform sample sounds of their different clunking noises, which conveniently inform which noise goes with which problem. If you can’t otherwise explain the noise, the problem might be with the engine and will require a professional technician.
Trickier Reasons for Not Drying
Once you’ve eliminated the basic reasons for clothing not drying, escalate your investigation to the thermal fuse for continuity, which you may check using a multimeter. If the fuse checks out, then test the thermostat or thermostats, again using a multimeter. If the thermal hoist and also thermostats test OK, the problem may lie together with the gasoline burner assembly and will require a trained technician.
