Does Your Noisy Ventless Dryer Need Professional Repairs?
ShareVentless clothes dryers are ideal for for homeowners and renters who need the ability to quickly dry their laundry at home but lack the space or outside access needed to accommodate a full-size, vented dryer. However, while they are different from conventional vented dryers in many ways, they are just as vulnerable to mechanical malfunctions.
Excessive noise coming from any kind of clothes dryer is never a good sign, and ventless dryers are no exception. In many cases, these particularly loud or unusual noises are symptoms of serious mechanical problems, and a noisy ventless dryer may need to be repaired by a professional appliance repair service.
How can you tell if your noisy ventless dryer needs repairs?
Some households use ventless dryers powered by heat pumps. While they are very energy-efficient, ventless dryers with heat pumps can be considerably louder than other types of dryers while functioning. The heat pump itself may also make intermittent knocking or clanging noises, especially during cold weather; this is normal and shouldn't concern you unless the knocking is unusually loud or frequent.
However, the vast majority of ventless dryers sold in the US are condenser dryers. Condenser dryers usually create similar levels of noise to vented dryers and do not create knocking noises during normal functioning. Any kind of excessive noise coming from a ventless condenser dryer should be treated as a potential warning sign.
Why is your ventless dryer making so much noise?
If your ventless dryer is making significantly more noise than usual during operation but you can't hear any usual noises (such as knocking or scraping), this is usually caused by motor failure. Failing motors frequently become louder and less powerful when they are about to fail completely. This is much more common in older dryers, but newer dryers can be vulnerable if you frequently overload them with heavy laundry.
Dryers that make unusual thumping or knocking noises (and aren't powered by heat pumps) can be more difficult to diagnose. These noises are generally caused by a mechanical issue that is preventing the dryer drum from turning smoothly. Worn-out drum belts, damaged drum rollers and loose drum baffles (the ridged structures inside the dryer drum) can all cause loud knocking, thumping or banging noises.
Squeaking or scraping noises from a dryer are usually caused by metal scraping against metal as the dryer functions. Worn or damaged drum rollers can cause squeaking as well as thumping noises. A failure of the drum seals (usually made of felt) that surround the drum's exterior edges can also cause high-pitched squeaking.
Does your noisy ventless dryer need professional repairs?
Unfortunately, if your dryer is making unusual or loud noises, repairing it yourself can be very difficult.
Loose or damaged drum baffles can be reattached or removed relatively easily, but to reach any other malfunctioning components, a ventless dryer must be at least partially disassembled. This can be both challenging and hazardous, especially in the compact kitchens and laundry rooms that ventless dryers are usually used in.
If your ventless dryer is making any kind of unusual noise, your safest bet is to have it inspected and repaired by a professional appliance repair service. These services have the tools and knowledge to repair any kind of noise-producing malfunction quickly and safely, using replacement parts sourced directly from dryer manufacturers.