Why Does My Dryer Vibrate So Much?
The clothes dryer is a modern marvel. The first electric dryer with a rotating drum was invented by J. Ross Moore in 1935 to spare his mother from hanging clothes during the bitterly cold North Dakota winters. In a dryer, a motor spins a large drum where the clothes are placed. An electric heating element or gas-fueled blower fan generate and distribute heat. Exhaust and water are vented through the dryer exhaust system. Due to its many moving parts, it may take some detective work to diagnose an excessively vibrating dryer. Does this Spark an idea?
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Unbalanced Feet
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Many dryers are equipped with small pads, or feet, situated at the bottom of each corner of the dryer. Usually these feet are threaded screws and are therefore adjustable. A dryer may vibrate because one or more of these adjustable feet have shifted, causing the dryer to become slightly unbalanced. The feet are easily adjusted by hand or with a small wrench.
Unstable Flooring
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A dryer requires a dry, level floor for wobble-free operation. If the floor is not level, unstable or has a gap or slight elevation under one of the adjustable feet in the corner of the dryer, the spinning motion of the dryer may cause the machine to vibrate. A carpet or a mat placed under the dryer may reduce vibrations.
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Malfunctioning Part Interactions
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A dryer is a machine with moving parts. Depending on the design, these can include a motor, bearings, a flange connected to a bushing, pulleys, belts, a blower or a fan and a rotating drum. If your dryer is vibrating excessively, one of the moving parts or belts may be malfunctioning. For example, a weakened flange and bushing system will not support the rotating drum sufficiently. The drum may sag as the motor spins it unevenly, causing the dryer to wobble or vibrate. Depending on the dryer model, a seal or rollers that are worn or broken may also cause the machine to vibrate. These problems and parts are best corrected by a professional repairman.
Loose Parts
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A dryer contains a fan or blower unit to distribute heated air throughout the machine during operation. The fan or blower may have shaken loose, or a blade may have broken and shifted. Additionally, a belt or pulley may be broken, causing the drum to spin improperly. Most dryer manufacturers offer troubleshooting advice and information for basic repairs and replacement parts within the service manual distributed with the dryer.
Excessive Lint
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Great quantities of lint may clog the vent or may have accumulated in one section of the blower unit of the dryer. This excessive lint may fill a crevice and rebuff the rotating drum, causing the drum to shift off its course and vibrate as it strikes the inside of the dryer. Removing the lint from the clogged portion of the dryer will eliminate vibration problems immediately (as well as reducing the risk of fire).
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References
- Photo Credit laundry dial image by Sirena Designs from Fotolia.com
