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Clothes dryers are used frequently in our everyday lives. They are a modern necessity. However, they can break down at the most inopportune times. Sometimes other articles besides clothes get put into the clothes dryer, such as chewing gum, loose change, paper in pockets, and other foreign objects. When this happens, the lint trap does what it is designed to do: trap lint and little pieces of paper. Then lint stuffs the exhaust hose. Drying time increases due to the inefficient operation of the clothes dryer. It’s time to fix it.

Clothes dryers are large appliances that dry clothes, towels, and other items by removing moisture from them with a combination of heat, motion, and air. Electric and gas clothes dryers are primarily different because of their sources of energy. A motor used to turn a drive belt is utilized in both dryer models. The drive belt rotates the drum holding the clothes. Air is directed past the heat source by the blower into the drum. There the air extracts lint and moisture from the clothes and pushes it through a lint screen and out the exhaust duct. Clothes dryer options are regulated by the appliance controls which allow you to set temperature and drying time. Some clothes dryers utilize mechanical timers and some use digital electronics. Now that you know how a clothes dryer operates, you are ready to fix it using the following steps:

Disassemble the clothes dryer:

1. Turn off the power at the electrical service panel or unplug the dryer.
2. The control console must be unscrewed at each end. You can find the fasteners at the bottom front, sides, or the top of the dryer.
3. Using a soft towel or some other cushion, lay the console face down on the floor.
You must take off the rear panel of the console so you can get to the temperature selector, start switch, timer, and circuit diagram.
4. If you need to access the drum, remove the top-mounted lint screen if there is one, and slip the blade of a putty knife between the dryer top and body. This will disengage the attachment clips.
5. If you need to remove the dryer’s rear panel, move the dryer away from the wall and then remove the screws located around the panel edges.
6. If you need to remove the toe panel, use a putty knife under the center top of the toe panel which will catch the clip. Then you can remove the panel.
7. If you need to remove the front panel, loosen the screws located at the panel corners. This will allow you access to the drum and motor.
8. Disconnect and label wires attached to any apparatus you may need to remove, after you are inside the dryer itself.

Now you can service the idler pulley and drive belt, or you can test the heating element, motor and other components with a multimeter. Multimeters test electrical continuity and voltage.

This is how you service the idler pulley or drive belt:

1. Raise the top of the dryer or remove the top panel and then take off the front panel (see the directions above.
2. Use a block of scrap wood to support the dryer drum.
3. First move the idler pulley toward the motor pulley. This will slacken the drive belt and you will be able to disengage the belt.
4. Carefully inspect the pulley, spring and idler bracket for wear. Then adjust or replace those parts if you need to. Idler pulleys are kept in place by either belt tension or by spring tension.

Reassemble the clothes dryer carefully and make sure all the labeled wires are connected to the right source and that all panels are secure.