As the weather outside turns grey, wet and miserable, drying your laundry can be a difficult task. To make it easier, many of us turn to our tumble dryers. Yet as with all household appliances, regular use combined with minimal maintenance and cleaning, can lead to faults.

For many of us diagnosing the cause of a fault may seem like a difficult task. But if you’re able to diagnose the fault, you’ll be able to save a vast amount of money by being able to repair rather replace the appliance.

Noisy Tumble Dryer:

Diagnosing a noisy tumble dryer takes no work at all. But ignoring the noise will result in it gradually getting worse, leading to further faults.

The cause of the noise will vary, depending on the noise being emitted. For example, if the noise is a rumbling sound when the drum rotates then the support wheels within your dryer may have gone out of shape. To test this, try slowly rotating the drum and if a regular bump is felt, check and replace the wheels as necessary.

Another sound which you may hear from your tumble dryer is a constant squealing when the drum is rotating. This is caused by the belt tension pulley being the victim of wear and tear. As the pulley becomes worn further, the noise will become progressively worse and can result in damage to the belt which can prevent the drum from rotating.

Tumble Dryer Not Heating:

Two of the most common reasons for your tumble dryer failing to heat are due to the thermostat tripping, and you can check this by pressing the little red button in the middle of the thermostat. If you hear a clicking sound then the thermostat has tripped, but by resetting it you should resolve the problem.

Should your thermostat be ok then the fault could lie with your element. To find out how to test the element on your tumble dryer, read our “How to Diagnose Tumble Dryer Drying and Heating Problems” advice centre article. The article will also explain how the drainage and reservoir on a condenser dryer could cause heating problems.

Drum Problems:

There are a few issues which can occur with your drum, from the drum not rotating at all through to the drum rotating unevenly.

If the drum rotates freely by hand without any resistance but not when the appliance is on, then the fault is likely to be with the drive belt. Replacing the belt on your tumble dryer can be done in as few as eight simple steps, as outlined in our “How to Replace the Belt on a Tumble Dryer” advice centre article.

A drum rotating unevenly is likely to be due to an issue with the bearings or wheels. Whilst replacing these can be a difficult task, carrying out the repair is a cheaper alternative to purchasing a new appliance, and within our advice centre you’ll find detailed information on how to carry out the repair.

Noisy tumble dryer, heating issues and drum faults diagnosed, there’s no reason why with a few simple repairs, some maintenance and cleaning you cannot keep your appliance running at its optimum level for longer.

Tags: Noisy Tumble Dryer, Tumble Dryer, Tumble Dryer Bearings