Smell burning or see smoke? Turn the dryer off, unplug it or switch off the breaker, and call us. Smell gas? Leave the home and call the gas company or 911 from outside.
The slow dryer problem
The most common dryer call we get in Odessa is simple: the clothes take too long to dry. In our climate, that problem has a few extra causes.
Air in Odessa is damp much of the year. A dryer pulls in room air, heats it and pushes it out through a vent. If the air going in is humid and the vent is partly blocked, drying time climbs fast. Long vent runs are common in homes where the laundry sits in the garage or deep inside a larger house. Lint collects in those runs and slows airflow.
A slow dryer is more than a nuisance. Lint is easy to burn, and a choked vent makes the dryer run hotter.
What usually goes wrong
- No heat at all. Often a heating element, a thermal fuse or, on gas dryers, an igniter or gas valve coil.
- Long drying times. Usually airflow: a full lint screen, a crushed vent hose or a clogged outside vent.
- Drum won't turn. A broken belt or worn idler pulley is a common cause.
- Squeaking, thumping or grinding. Worn rollers, glides or bearings.
- Shuts off mid-cycle. Overheating, a bad sensor or a door switch.
Checks you can safely do
Turn the dryer off and unplug it or switch off the breaker before you start.
- Clean the lint screen. Do this before every load.
- Look at the vent hose behind the dryer. It should not be crushed, kinked or torn.
- Go outside and find the vent hood. With the dryer running, you should feel strong, warm air. If you feel little air, the vent may be blocked.
- Check the breaker. Many electric dryers use a double breaker, and one half can trip.
- If you have a gas dryer, make sure the gas valve behind it is open. Do not take apart any gas parts yourself.
Garage dryers and outdoor vents
If your laundry is in the garage, the dryer pulls in hot, dusty air in summer. Dust and pollen add to the lint, and the vent hood outside can attract nests and leaves. We check the full airflow path, not just the dryer, so the fix lasts.
After storms, check your outside vent hood too. Wind can bend the flap shut or pack debris in it.
Before a storm hits
When a hurricane is heading our way, it's smart to unplug the dryer along with other items you won't use. UF/IFAS suggests this or surge protectors to guard against power surges. Once power is steady again, plug it back in and run a short cycle to make sure it heats.
Fix it, or replace it?
Most dryers are simple machines, and many parts are worth replacing. Belts, rollers, heating elements, thermal fuses and igniters are routine repairs. A newer dryer with a failed main control board can still be worth fixing. If the drum is rusted or the dryer is old and needs several major parts, buying new may make more sense. We'll walk you through it with an upfront quote.
Covering all of Odessa
We serve homes on SR 54, in Starkey Ranch (off SR 54), along Gunn Highway (CR 587) and near the Suncoast Parkway at exit 19. We also cover Keystone, which shares the 33556 ZIP. See our Odessa service area page for more.
If the washer is leaving clothes too wet, the dryer may not be the real problem. See washer repair in Odessa. Learn more on our main dryer repair page, or see our pages for dryer repair in Land O' Lakes and dryer repair in Lutz.