Bonnie:
To answer your original question of what could be wrong,
A classic sign of a venting problem is if your dryer is running and hot but your clothes don’t seem to dry. It can take three or more cycles to dry your clothes. Sometimes your dryer may seem very hot at the top while it is running.
A dryer works by using a blower to suck air in from the surrounding area through the heater into the drum. The heated air then passes through the tumbling clothes carrying away moisture and lint. The moist air then passes through the lint screen to the blower and out the exhaust to the vent hose or pipe if you have a hard metal vent. Most use some form of vent hose to connect from the dryer to the vent going to the outside. Manufacturers recommend semi rigid metal (aluminum) or hard metal venting for a dryer. Anything that interferes with this air flow will cause a drying problem. Hint: Overloading can be a problem - there needs to be space for the air to pass through.
There are some steps you can do yourself to check for vent blockages.
1) Clean your lint screen. It is a good idea to periodically wash your lint screen with dish-soap and hot water if you use fabric softener. Check for any holes in your lint screen.
2) Check for a good air flow at your outside vent. Look for where your dryer vent exits the residence outside. If you have a screen over the vent, check to see if it is blocked with lint. It might be an idea to use a flapper type vent as the screens do get blocked. If the exit is not blocked and you are not getting a good air flow, you probably have a blockage along the line. Look at the vent leaving the dryer. The vent hose may be crushed or kinked, blocking air flow.
3) If you have an electric dryer only, you can check a vent blockage by disconnecting the vent hose at the dryer exhaust outlet and run a test load in the dryer. If everything dries normally, then your blockage is probably in the vent somewhere between where it leaves the dryer and exits the residence. Clean your vent (if possible ) and reconnect the vent to the dryer. If you use flexible plastic vent hose- throw it away and use at a minimum flexible metal vent. It is a bad idea to not vent a dryer. Moisture and lint can rapidly build up in your residence and it should always be vented outside.
NEVER VENT A GAS DRYER INTO YOUR RESIDENCE EVEN FOR A TEST. IT MUST BE VENTED OUTSIDE AT ALL TIMES.
Always refer to your use and care guide that came with your dryer. The manufacturer really does want you to get the most out of your appliance. There are lots of tips and operating information points in these manuals.
Aside from taking to long to dry, poorly venting dryers can also pose a serious fire hazard. Lint is flammable and your dryer already has an ignition source (the heater) in it. If you search on the web for clothes dryer and house fires you may be surprised at the results. It might be a good idea to have your dryer serviced by a technician if you have a venting problem. There can be a potentially hazardous lint buildup inside the dryer. Note that there are hazardous live circuits inside a dryer and various safety devices that a technician will check.
There are other problems such as a poor front or rear drum seal, slow turning blower wheel, etc. that can cause this effect.
If you are not sure or totally comfortable with checking your dryer, call your local appliance service company and they can certainly assist you.
