If you have a dryer, you know how nice it is to quickly dry and clean your clothes. What you might not know is that your dryer needs regular care and attention to keep working right. The belt that goes from the motor to the drum and lets it spin is one of the most important parts of your dryer. Broken or worn-out belts can make your dryer not work right, leaving your clothes wet and putting your home at risk of fire. You can tell your dryer belt needs to be changed by looking for certain signs. This blog post will also tell you whether you should do it yourself or call a professional.
How the Dryer Belt Works
The dryer belt is a thin band of rubber that goes around the motor gear and the dryer drum. It moves power from the machine to the drum so that the drum can spin and shake the clothes. In addition, the belt helps keep the drum in place and in tension. With regular use or too many heavy things, the dryer belt will wear out over time. An old or broken belt can make your dryer less effective and may even cause it to break down completely.
To keep your dryer belt from breaking, you should give your device regular care. This means cleaning the lint filter after each load, making sure the air hose isn’t clogged, and not putting too much in the dryer at once. Also, you should check the belt every so often for damage signs like cracks, frays, or coating. When any of these things happen, you should get a new belt right away.
Sign#1 Strange noises during operation.
Audible noises while the dryer is running are often a sign of a broken dryer belt. Sound effects like squeaking, grinding, or thumping may come from your dryer. This could mean that the belt is moving or rubbing against something. A worn-out or loose belt, a drum that isn’t lined up right, or a broken pulley or bearing can all cause this. These sounds can also hurt other parts of your dryer, like the motor or the drum.
Turn off your dryer and unplug it from the wall to find out where the noise is coming from. Then, open the dryer door and spin the drum by hand. There might be a problem with the belt or the drum if you hear noises or feel pushback. You can also take off the dryer’s front panel and look at the belt for any damage that you can see. You should get a new belt right away if you find any cracks, frays, or tears in it.
Sign#2: Clothes take longer to dry
Not drying clothes as quickly as normal is another sign of a worn-out dryer belt. If your dryer isn’t moving right, it might not be able to tumble your clothes and heat them all up evenly. This can make the cleaning process take longer, use more energy, and be harder on your clothes. Your clothes may also shrink or wrinkle if they dry for a longer time.
You should keep an eye on and compare your drying times to see if your dryer belt is changing how well you dry your clothes. A timer or a wetness sensor can tell you how long it takes for your clothes to dry all the way through. You can also check your drying times against what the dryer’s maker says is best for your model and load size. If the times it takes to dry your clothes change a lot, it could mean that your belt isn’t working right.
Sign #3: The dryer belt shows signs of wear and tear
Looking for signs of wear and tear on your dryer belt is one of the easier ways to tell if there is a problem with it. Take off the dryer’s front panel and look at the belt that goes around the drum to do this. On the belt’s surface, you should look for any cracks, frays, tears, or glassy spots. Also, check to see if the belt is pulling away from the drum or the pulley.
Damaged or loose belts can make it hard for the drum to stay in place and tensioned, which can lead to more dryer problems. A worn-out or broken belt can also break at any time, leaving you with a drum that won’t spin and a bunch of wet clothes. You should get a new belt as soon as you see any signs of damage to keep this from happening.
sign#4: Burning smell during the operation
You may need to repair your dryer belt if it smells like it’s on fire while it’s running. A burning smell could mean that your belt is getting too hot from moving or rubbing against something. This could make sparks or fires that set lint or other flammable things inside your dryer on fire. A burning smell could also mean that your motor or other electrical parts are getting too hot because of a broken belt.
If you smell something burning while the machine is running, you should not ignore it. If you smell something burning while your dryer is running, you should quickly unplug it and turn it off. Also, look inside and around your dryer for any smoke or fire. You should call 911 and leave the area if you see any signs of fire. If you don’t see any fire, check your belt for damage or signs that it’s getting too hot. Also, check the drum, lint filter, and vent hose for any lint buildup or clogs that could start a fire.
Sign#5: No spinning dryer drum
Obviously, you need to repair your dryer belt when the drum stops spinning. This can happen if your belt breaks or comes loose from the motor shaft or the pulley. This means that your dryer won’t be able to tumble dry or tumble dry your clothes. When you try to start it, you may hear a loud bang or a humming sound.
A broken motor, a broken switch, or a blown spark are just a few of the things that could stop the drum from spinning. Before you try to figure out what’s wrong, make sure your dryer is getting power by putting it into a different outlet or checking the circuit breaker. If the power is on to your dryer but the drum is still not moving, open the door and try to spin the drum by hand. You may need to fix or tighten your belt if the drum spins easily. There could be a problem with the motor or the drum itself if it doesn’t spin or feels stiff.
Repairs You Can Do Yourself vs Professional help
You may be wondering if you should repair your dryer belt yourself or call a professional appliance service. The answer is different for each person, depending on their level of skill, income, and how hard the problem is.
It’s not hard to change a dryer belt as long as you have the right tools and carefully follow the directions. There are videos and written guides online that show you how to change the dryer belt on a variety of dryer types and brands. A replacement belt is also easy to find and doesn’t cost too much. You can buy it at an appliance shop or online.
It can be dangerous to change a dryer belt, though, if you don’t know what you’re doing or run into other problems along the way. You could hurt other parts of your dryer, like the motor, the drum, or the wires. You could also lose your warranty or start a fire or electrical shock if you don’t follow the safety rules.
You should call a professional appliance service for help if you’re not sure you can change the dryer belt yourself or if you think there are other problems with your dryer. A professional can quickly and safely figure out what’s wrong with your dryer and fix it. Additionally, they can help you decide whether it is better to fix your dryer or get a new one.
How to Keep Your Dryer Belt in Good Shape
If you want to avoid problems with your dryer belt in the future, you should do some preventative maintenance. This will make your belt last longer and your dryer work better. Remember these things:
1: To keep lint from building up and to improve airflow, clean the lint screen after each load.
2: Regularly check the vent line for kinks or blockages that could stop airflow and cause the machine to get too hot.
3: Don’t put too many or too big things in your dryer at once; this could put stress on the belt and motor.
4: To keep clothes from shrinking and drying too quickly, use the right settings and processes for the load size and type of fabric.
5: Check the belt every so often for signs of wear and tear, like cracks, frays, or coating.
6: You should get a new belt as soon as you see any damage or problems with it.
The dryer belt is an important part of your machine that makes it spin and dry your clothes quickly. In addition to being inconvenient and frustrating, a broken or worn-out belt can make your dryer less safe and less effective. If you know what to look for and do some preventative maintenance on your dryer, you can keep it running well and avoid having to pay for expensive fixes or replacements.
