Dryer Takes Too Long to Dry Clothes — West Hollywood Repair

What this symptom usually means

Long dry times are almost always an airflow problem, not a heat problem. The dryer is probably reaching temperature — it just can't move the moist air out fast enough. Before we replace any parts, we inspect the airflow path end to end. Below is a breakdown of the most common causes we find on this exact problem, roughly in order of frequency.

Common causes, in order of likelihood

Clogged exterior vent

The dryer vent that exits the side of the building gets plugged with lint. In West Hollywood condos with long vent runs, this is extremely common.

Plugged internal lint path

Even with the trap clean, lint builds up in the housing around the trap and restricts flow.

Collapsed flexible vent hose

The plastic or foil flex hose behind the dryer can collapse when the dryer gets pushed back — cutting airflow in half.

Failing heating element

An element with a partial break makes less heat. Clothes eventually dry, but slowly.

Bad moisture sensor

The sensor bars inside the drum can get coated with dryer sheet residue and misread 'dry' as 'wet' or vice versa — causing short or long cycles.

When it's time to call

Call when two cycles to dry one load has become normal. Long dry times also mean higher utility bills and — more importantly — higher lint fire risk.