We usually take our washing machines for granted until something goes wrong. Most people use this essential appliance daily or weekly and rarely consider investing time or effort into its maintenance.
Imagine you put your laundry to dry on a Sunday evening. When it’s time to go to work in the morning, your anticipation of finding your work clothes being crisp and clean might shatter if your dryer suddenly decides to stop functioning due to poor maintenance.
Things can obviously go wrong, especially when this simple equipment is not properly cared for. Dryers may leave clothing just half dry, stop operating entirely, or even catch fire if they are not properly maintained.
Here are some passive actions that may damage dryers over time, leading to dire consequences.
1. Neglect to Clean the Lint Filter
Numerous individuals believe they’ll clear out their lint filter at a particular time, but they tend to procrastinate.
However, things are easily neglected with the most effective plans unless they become a pattern.
It’s a good idea to clean the lint filter in your dryer after each wash.
It will assist in ensuring that your dryer is maintained for it to function at its full potential.
To clear out the lint filter, ensure that your venting pipes are free of dirt.
These pipes enable the air to pass and stream outward. Although pressure is required to dry clothes, too much might result in a risky outcome, such as the vent bursting into flames. This process should be repeated several times each year.
2. Not Inspecting the Venting Outlet
While it may not appear to be an alarming issue, your dryer can overheat if you fail to inspect and clear the vent pipes.
A clump of lint or a wayward garment could trap the heat and prevent it from being vented properly.
To mitigate this risk, you will need to check the outlets yourself from time to time.
These safety protocols are now commercially available through professionals.
3. Placing the Dryer on a Slanted Surface
Your dryer must always be placed on flat land to work effectively. Use flattening equipment to verify if the floor in your basement or laundry space is leveled under the dryer if you have any doubts.
If you see that your dryer is resting on a level that is even half a circle away, it’s advisable to follow the manual instructions and learn how to modify the bottom of your dryer to make it more steady.
4. Ignoring the Number of Fabric Softeners Being Utilized
Fabric softener sheets are notorious for causing difficulties in machines, yet most of the issues are caused by user error.
These items are intended to reduce stationary adhesion, and they must be harmless to use if used properly.
For starters, customers must only utilize the number of sheets advised.
When excessive sheets are being used, the softening agents in the sheets might create a remnant, clogging the drain.
Cleaning the dryer and its inner parts regularly can help prevent waste accumulation. Moreover, a sheet might get wedged inside the mechanism, clogging the system.
Fabric softener sheets being used must be discovered and disposed of after each wash.
5. Utilizing Polyvinyl Vent
One of the most notorious elements inside dryer vents is having a vent that is composed of polyvinyl.
This material has quite a lot of downsides that have caused it to lose popularity among other materials.
It is best to completely avoid using polyvinyl vents. Use rubber tubing instead of a polyvinyl vent!
Since it lacks the mobility and roughness that metal vents have, the material does not satisfy current safety requirements.
Instead, utilize vent ductwork piping, a semi-rigid material found at your nearby retail shop.
6. Placing the Dryer in a Tiny Space
It could be a disaster to cram your laundry dryer into a small place.
Dryers require a little more space to allow air to flow into them.
You might have the risk of fire or faulty equipment if you try to squeeze your devices into a small compartment without leaving enough space for ventilation and manoeuvring.
7. Keeping the Vent Outlet Wide Open
The warmth invites creatures to make their homes in this cozy nook. You should never leave your vent wide open without concealing it with a cover.
It is common for birds to make their nest and die inside the vent tube. It could also cause a rat infestation with this opening, and they might bite through anything in their way. It would not only put your machine in danger, but you can also end up with unpleasant guests wandering inside your house.
8. Overloading the Dryer
Many users believe that they could save electricity bills by washing too much at once. They may load a ton of wet clothes into the dryer and fill it beyond recommended loads.
This usually backfires and will cause the garments to become crumpled, moist, or possibly still wet.
The overloading of dryers also results in the disc, hinges, and thermocouples being overworked, causing the machine to malfunction or be rendered inoperable through internal damage. It is a colossal blunder.
The smarter option is to stick to the load capacity given in the dryer’s handbook.
9. Placing the Incorrect Things into Incorrect Segments of Dryer
We all may want to believe that a dryer can effectively dry anything and everything. Some may reason that it’s just a metallic container filled with spinning super-heated steam, but it is an incorrect notion. Dolls, handbags, and cosmetics are inappropriate for drying in washing machines or dryers and might result in damage.
Whenever the dryer isn’t being used, shut its door, notably if you have pets. Pups and kittens have a habit of crawling into the machines to nap, resulting in quite tragic and disastrous outcomes.
10. Clothes Carrying Chopstick, Bubblegum
Examine pockets for objects such as pens, bubblegum, chapstick, earrings, or even mobiles before placing your clothes into the machine.
Such objects are known to cause extensive damage to your dryers as clothes tumble at high speeds.
Keeping your clothes in check before the drying process is a standard procedure.
Checking to turn each pocket completely before loading the garments into the device is the most effective approach to avoid tragedies.
Inspect pockets before placing damp clothes in the dryer.
If you hear sounds and notice signs that indicate there might be a solid object in there during the washing process, switch off your dryer immediately and inspect again.
Conclusion
Dryers can reduce significant time and make our daily task routines much more convenient though at an expense.
You should always use brief dryer cycle lengths and medium temperature to tread a fine line amongst efficiency and reduce the harm your garments sustain from the machine; the objective is to minimize technical stress and thermal exposure to your clothes.
You must never forget to use the dryer according to the manual. If anything does go wrong, you can reach out to professionals who are available at all times.
