How disappointing is it to get ready to fold your laundry, only to open the dryer and find damp clothes inside? Gah!
Sometimes, another few minutes on a timed cycle will do the trick. Other times, you can find yourself running 2-3 cycles to fully dry your clothes. If any of these sound familiar, Stop! You could be putting your family and home in danger! At worst, you are at risk of a fire. At best, you’re wasting time and energy on a fixable problem that could quickly turn into a serious threat. If you can’t use your dryer and need to wait on a repair, check out our article on making do without your dryer.
CLOGGED DRYER VENT
One common cause of a Samsung dryer taking too long to dry clothes is a clogged vent or lint screen. The first step is to clean the lint screen. By the way, you should remove the lint from this screen after every cycle. If you don’t do that already, consider this your “sign” to get in the habit!
You can see for yourself if the vent is significantly clogged by checking the air flow leaving the vent on the outside of your home. Air should be leaving the vent at 15 miles per hour or more. If you can’t see much air coming out, the next step is to check behind the dryer to see if the vent hose is properly connected to the wall, and if it is pinched from sliding the dryer too close to the wall. If that line looks good, then you’ve probably got a clogged dryer duct or even a detached duct. It’s important to know that all of these problems are a major fire hazard! Dryers get very hot, and lint is extremely flammable. In fact, a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) fact sheet more than 14,000 house fires each year are caused by dryers. Additionally, the NFPA reports that the leading cause of dryer fires is a failure to clean them.
Our friends at Vent Pros will be happy to assist anywhere in the Midlands. Vent Pros recommends having your dryer vents inspected and cleaned at least once per year, even if you are not noticing problems described above.
NOT HEATING
Another symptom to check is whether the dryer is getting hot. If you find your Samsung dryer is not heating, it won’t be able to dry your clothes efficiently either. This can be caused by several issues, including a failed dryer element, blown fuse, or other problem within the control system. Diagnosing and replacing these components gets into the “advanced” category of DIY – it’s usually best to call a professional for help at this point.
In many cases, you may find clogged ducts and no heating. This can happen when a dryer vent becomes clogged, forcing the dryer to work harder and at higher temperatures, since the moisture isn’t removed from the dryer by exiting through the vent. When the temperature climbs, it can blow fuses, cause the heating element to fail, or trigger other safety shut-off features. In these cases, both the problem with the dryer and the clogged ducts have to be addressed.
OTHER ISSUES
Samsung dryers, and other brands, can also experience many other problems. Squeaky noises, certain cycles not working, or even not turning on can all happen. If you experience any of these problems, it makes sense to call a professional to get it repaired right the first time.
If you’re experiencing any of these problems in the Midlands area, Appliance Professional would be honored if you would call or schedule an appointment online. We have years of experience with Samsung dryers and will get your dryer fixed quickly and correctly the first time.
