Do some dryers dry faster than others

[pepperlc]

Ours is old but does the job. It just takes what seems like forever to dry a load. It is at least double the wash cycle even with an extra rinse. It might be even longer.

Is 1 hour reasonable or way to long?
karen

[midebbie]

Well...

I do think there is a difference with dryers. Our old electric dryer (low end model) probably took close to 45 minutes to dry a load. An hour seems pretty long. My new gas dryer can dry a load in about 30 minutes. Gas is definitely better at getting clothes dried.

One thing to do would be check the hose that leads from the dryer to the vent and make sure it is not clogged. That would make your drier less efficient.

[pepperlc]

I do have a gas dryer. We had it repaired not too long ago. The entire base of the dry was filled with lint. The guy cleaned out tons and checked everything. I think its time for a new dryer.
karen

[Guest]

Not sure. I do know that many other factors come into play. Such as,

*size of load - the smaller the load, the shorter the dry time...then again, teeny tiny loads take longer to dry than average loads in my dryer because the clothes do not get tossed around like they should. If I've washed one or two small items I throw them in the dryer with two large, clean and already dry bath towels and the shirts dry much quicker. With only the shirts in there, I find the dryer stopping while they're still damp.

*wash cycle used - a wash cycle with highest spin will take shorter to dry than the same load with a slower spin. Higher spin = more water removed.

* types of clothing - cotton t-shirts will take shorter to dry than a load of towels. Throwing a single towel or two into that same load of cotton t-shirts will lengthen the dry time considerably.

Nadine

[Guest]

PS - I pull certain things out of my dryer still damp especially if it's an item that will have to be ironed. If I'm ironing right away then ironing while still damp makes my ironing job look even better. If I'm not ironing until later than I jsut put the item on a hanger and let it air dry the rest of the way in the laundry room until I'm ready to iron.

Makes the other stuff dry quicker.

[Dani]

Is it time for a new washer?

I remember when we bought a new dryer a few years ago, I was looking for the energy star, and the salesperson told me it was only applicable to the washers. The effectiveness of your dryer depends on how efficiently your washer spins out the clothes. Our washer is ancient, and our clothes take forever to dry--despite having a newer dryer. It's on my wishlist!

[pepperlc]

We bought a new washer about 5 years ago when my twins were born. I like it and it does spin the water well. I just wish we had gotten a larger capacity washer.

I really think its the dryer. Its at least 13 years old already and we should be able to find something that is more energy efficient. Saw 2 nice ones on Sears.com and emailed them to dh.
karen

[Guest]

Our old dryer got "slower" as it aged. Maybe it just didn't heat as hot or didn't blow as well, I don't know.

Recently my new dryer had gotten horribly slow. It felt hot enough, just took forever. I had DH clean out the lint and it is better than it ever was. I'm in love with my 8-yo dryer!

Dana

[jvirginia]

Found this on-line ...

See below for info from Maytag on a slow dryer. An hour per load would kill me (especially given electricity prices in CT) - but we have a high efficiency washer so the clothes are already very dry when they go into the dryer.




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Drying is too slow
It normally takes about 45 minutes for a dryer to dry a full load. If your dryer is taking more than an hour, check these.

Vent
Heating element
Internal ductwork
Cycling thermostat


Vent
Frequently there's an obstruction in the vent duct from the dryer to the outside of the house. For the dryer to heat properly, the duct must be clean and clear of lint or any other substance.



Heating element
Your dryer's heating element may be partially burned out. If it is, your dryer still heats, but at such a low temperature that it takes three or four times as long to dry the clothes. If the element is partially burned out, replace it.



Internal ductwork
Your dryer has some internal ductwork. If it gets clogged, your dryer can't dry properly. In most dryers, to get to the internal ductwork to clear the clog, you have to substantially disassemble the dryer. A quick way to check for internal clogs is to remove the lint filter and use a flashlight to inspect the inside of the duct. If it looks clogged and you can't clear it using your vacuum, contact a qualified appliance repair technician.



Cycling thermostat
Although this isn't a common problem, one of the thermostats that controls the temperature in your dryer may break and cause the dryer to heat poorly. If so, you need to replace it. The thermostat is usually a small, round, black device mounted to an oblong steel plate. The plate is mounted to the internal ductwork with two screws.

[Dawnn]

I can dry a gigantic load in 40 minutes

It could depend on how "efficient" the washer is. In other words, if the clothes are fairly dry (because limited water usage via the washer), coming out of the washer, then your dry time will be faster.

[dtwining]

I just had a dryer repairman here...

I thought my dryer was taking too long. He says it should take 60 minutes at a normal dryer setting to dry a washer sized load (i.e. the amount that will reasonably fit in your washer) of medium weight mostly cotton clothes - not jeans or towels.

Mine takes about 55 minutes...I checked with a stopwatch.

Dyan

P.S. Forgot to add that you can get someone to come check the temp. of your dryer to make sure it is getting warm enough during each cycle.