The clothes dryer might just be the best friend any busy person hopes for. Instead of waiting for the whole day (or even two) for your clothes to dry, you can have a clean closet in the span of hours. This saves a lot of time and is way more convenient than having the clothesline in various spots in the house or letting your wardrobe freeze outside. That being said, if you want to use your dryer for a very long time, you need to take care of it. Prolonging appliance lives is possible and encouraged, so here are a few tips.
1. Don’t Dry a Full Load
You may think it’s a good idea to cram as much clothing in your dryer as possible, but that can have real consequences for its longevity. This is because over-stuffing your dryer may be expecting more than it can handle. The motor will wear out quickly, and then you’ll have a completely new expense to take care of.
What’s more, a packed dryer won’t have proper airflow. That means that your clothes won’t dry properly and you’ll end up running the dryer multiple times. Not only is that a waste of energy, but it can also end up being expensive, and will surely wear out your dryer sooner.
2. Stop Over-Drying
Over-drying is a common mistake most people make. They think they’re doing themselves and the clothes a favour by drying them more than the recommended time, just to be sure. Some even like the warm and toasty feel their clothes have after a longer session in the dryer.
In truth, though, when you over-dry your clothes, you lower their quality and weaken the fabric. Not only that, but you also overwork your dryer and shorten its life drastically. Let’s not forget that this is an extreme waste of energy and will surely pile up on your bills.
3. Vent It Properly
Venting the dryer properly is the essential part of extending its life. The vent should extend well beyond what the manual recommends, and there shouldn’t be any sags or kinks. If the venting is not done properly, it can cause the dryer to collect an excess of lint.
This can release carbon monoxide into your environment, won’t be good for your clothes, and will surely shorten your dryer’s life. Finally, it can turn out to be a real fire hazard. To avoid all these issues, make sure to follow the manual and take precautions beyond it.
4. Replace Parts when Needed
No matter how well you take care of your dryer, you’ll notice some parts are more durable than others. These breakable parts will often cause your machine to malfunction and will make it work improperly. You can try to get those parts fixed, but it pays off much more to get new appliance supplies as they will work better.
Fixing an old part which has seen its best days benefits no one. You’re sure to make your dryer work for years to come if you invest in some parts of it. This will also save you time and money in the long run, as fixing the same part multiple times ads up.
5. Be Thorough with Cleaning
Like any other appliance, your dryer will need an occasional wipe-down. Don’t stop there, though, as the inside should be cleaned as well. The attachments and dispensers should be cleaned out once a month to ensure a long and healthy life.
You can also wipe the drum inside, but for this, you need to choose your product carefully. Most soapy products will only end up damaging your dryer further, so warm water should be enough. Cleaning will make sure there’s nothing left behind which could damage the dryer, and decrease the risk of malfunction.
Conclusion
As you can see, prolonging your dryer’s life involves a little dedication and some time and energy. Overall, it’s not something we can do for the good of our loyal appliance and ourselves. Following this advice will help you get the most years out of your dryer, saving you money in the process. We’re confident your dryer will run like new for years to come.
Bio: Patrick Adams is a freelance writer and rock-blues fan. When he is not writing about home improvement, he loves to play chess, watch basketball, and play his guitar. More than anything, he loves to spend his time in his garage, repairing appliances and creating stuff from wood.