Fisher Paykel Dryer Inconsistent Drying

If you just opened your dryer after a cycle to find that your clothes are still wet, don’t panic.

Although wet clothes after a cycle can be a sign that your dryer needs professional repair, in many cases, it’s a minor issue you can fix yourself.

In this guide, I dive deep into why your dryer isn’t drying clothes and explain, step-by-step, how you can troubleshoot.

So, if your dryer isn’t dryer, or it’s taking much longer than usual, keep reading.

Why Your Dryer Isn’t Drying Clothes

There are many reasons why your dryer is not drying clothes. Those reasons might stem from user mistakes, inadequate maintenance, or equipment failure. It might seem simple, but one of the first things to check is the power supply.

Make sure that your dryer is plugged in completely. If the plug is not pushed into the socket, it could account for the issue. You’ll also want to make sure that your power supply is adequate for your dryer.

Typically, a dryer requires 240 volts or more to run properly. Check your outlet to test and verify that it provides enough power, or check with a professional for assistance.

Once you’ve verified your dryer is properly plugged in and getting enough juice, you can begin troubleshooting other possible reasons, including:

• Improper use
• Clogged air vents
• Maintenance issues
• Part malfunctions or wear and tear

Many of these situations require only simple DIY solutions (which I cover in the next section).

Improper Use

Here are some common scenarios you might encounter:

• Putting too many clothes into the dryer: Dryers rely on heat and airflow. As the drum in your dryer turns, hot air blows onto your clothing. The tumbling effect spreads the air, warming the water in the clothes and turning it into steam. Airflow removes the steam from the dryer. Check the manufacturer’s instructions to see the maximum loads for your dryer. Newer models have sensors and will turn off if the drum is overloaded.
• Using the wrong settings: Bulky items such as towels, bedding, or bathroom rugs may require a higher heat setting to dry properly. Your user manual will help you select the correct dryer setting.
• Washing uneven loads: Group similar clothing together for the best outcome. If you dry light clothes and heavy clothes in the same load, it can produce an even result, leaving heavier clothes damp or overdrying the lighter clothes.
• Washing soaking wet clothes: If your clothes are dripping wet, it puts unnecessary stress on your dryer. You may find yourself running several cycles to get the job done, a significant strain on energy costs as well.

Clogged Air Vents

Check your air vents to ensure good airflow. For a vented dryer, go to the vent outside of your home. Place your hand near the vent during a cycle to check for a steady stream of warm air. If the airflow is poor or non-existent, you may have blockages. Cleaning your air vent is also a good idea to prevent fires.

Side note: Ventless dryers, such as condenser dryers and heat pump dryers, recirculate air and extract moisture from clothes without high heat.

Maintenance Issues

Consistent maintenance goes a long way. One of the best steps you can take is to clean the lint screen after each drying cycle. A dirty lint screen can restrict airflow and clog the air vent.

Part Malfunctions or Wear-and-Tear

Unfortunately, parts wear out over time. Issues often include:

• Heating element: The heating element controls how warm or hot the dryer gets and is powered by gas or electricity. In an electric dryer, the assembly looks like one large coil or a collection of smaller metal coils. Gas models utilize an igniter. Although a heating element on a dryer can wear out over time, poor maintenance and operation can speed the process.
• Thermal fuse: This device protects your dryer from overheating. If your dryer overheats, the fuse will blow and prevent the heating element from delivering hot air to the drum. Depending on your dryer, there may be several fuses.
• Thermostat: This part monitors the dryer’s temperature and will shut off the dryer to avoid overheating. Depending on your model, you may have one or two thermostats (cycling thermostat and high limit thermostat). If either thermostat is faulty, the heating element won’t properly work.
• Sensors: Newer dryers have sensors to monitor heat performance and the dampness of clothes. Faulty sensors can cause the appliance not to heat at all or to keep running unnecessarily.
• Valve solenoid coils (gas dryers): These coils open the valve to allow gas to flow properly into the solenoid assembly. Once there, the igniter begins the flame. If the igniter clicks without a flame, one or more coils have failed.
• Control board (electric dryers): This is an electronic board, much like the motherboard in a computer. This is rarely the issue, but burnt or shorted out sections of the board can impact performance.

Solution 1: Load Fewer Clothes in the Dryer

Believe it or not, every item of clothing doesn’t need to be dried by machine. You can cut down on loads by purchasing a drying rack. Hang some clothes for drying and load the others into the dryer.

It’s easy to overload your dryer. Visually, you’ll feel like there is more room to add clothes, but functionally, too many clothes can hinder performance.

Overloading the dryer not only decreases its energy efficiency but also impacts the airflow and increases lint production. Your dryer works harder to dry a big load, causing stress to the motor and heating element.

To avoid dryer overload, follow these steps:

1. Check the user guide to determine the dryer capacity. In general, your dryer should have twice the capacity of your washer so that it can safely handle the maximum load. For example, a 2.5 cubic foot capacity washer should pair with a dryer with at least 5 cubic feet of capacity.
2. Choose the right drying cycle. Study the drying cycles in the user’s guide to determine the best one to use for what you are drying. You might want to choose sensor-guided cycles over timed cycles for the most efficiency.
3. Shake and load clothes loosely into the dryer drum. Balled up clothing will impact drying time (See Solution 4 for more tips).
4. Leave enough room for clothes to tumble freely. You should see them rising and falling while the drying cycle runs. A good rule of thumb is to leave ¼ to ½ of the dryer empty.

Solution 2: Wash Even Loads

Washing even loads is as simple as drying groups of clothes that are similar in bulk. Mixing thick, heavy towels with thin t-shirts might result in the shirts being dry long before the towels, prompting you to keep running cycles until everything is dry.

Washing uneven loads can stress the dryer’s sensors, motor, fuses, and thermostat, causing them to fail. Overloaded dryers can also damage the drum over time.

To wash even loads, follow these steps:

1. Sort dirty laundry by weight. Place towels together. Group sheets together. You get the idea. In many cases, especially with advances in laundry technology, you can mix colors without an issue.
2. Add the grouped clothing or linens loosely into the dryer drum. Leave enough space for them to tumble freely (as mentioned in Solution 1).
3. Select the appropriate drying cycle.

Solution 3: Remove Excess Moisture Before Drying

A properly functioning washer will wring clothes of excess moisture in its final cycles. If this isn’t happening, you need to troubleshoot your washer or seek the help of a professional. If you are washing fabric by hand, make sure to wring it out.

Avoid adding dripping wet garments into a dryer. Doing so can overwork the dryer drum, stress the heating element, and break the dryer.

Below are a few tips to consider:

• Use a high-powered spin cycle or an extra spin cycle. This will drain as much water as possible from your clothing or linens.
• Hang soaking wet clothes (especially if you get caught in the rain). Allow the excess water to drip off into a tub. You can also use a blow dryer to help the water evaporate.
• Wring out excess water. If you’re handwashing certain items, be sure to wring them out as much as you can before putting them in the dryer.

Solution 4: Load Bulky and Lightweight Clothes Separately

Try not to dump wadded, wet clothes in your dryer. Doing so could overwork the tumbling function of your drum and tax the tumbling mechanism over time. This can include the motor, drive bolt, pulley, idler, and other parts.

Also, tangled clothes can restrict airflow, causing faulty thermostat readings or overheating. This can impact the heating element, fuses, and sensors. It might not cause an issue at first, but it can degrade your dryer’s effectiveness over time.

Use these steps to load clothes separately:

1. Pull apart clothes that got tangled in the wash.
2. Unfold individual pieces that turned inside out, such as socks, pant legs, and sleeves.
3. Shake out each piece and place it loosely in the dryer drum.
4. Leave enough room for them to tumble freely (See Solution 1 to avoid overloading).

Solution 5: Use a Higher Dry Level

Sometimes your clothes aren’t drying because you select the wrong cycle or not enough heat for the job.

If your default choice is timed dry, consider other options based on what you are drying. Although dryer models vary, here are some common cycles:

• No heat (air fluff or dry): Good for pillows, coats, or comforters to shape and loosen wrinkles, but will not completely dry the items.
• Delicate: Perfect for delicate or thin clothing made of silk, rayon, or containing intricate details such as embroidery, decals, screen printing.
• Permanent Press: A catch-all cycle for synthetic fabrics, linen, or lightweight fabrics.
• Timed: A cycle that runs for a set time and alternates the heating intensity.
• Sensor (automatic): This cycle senses the amount of moisture in the clothes and adjusts to accommodate efficient drying.

Choosing the wrong cycle can overwork or overheat your dryer and eventually cause failures in the heating element, fuses, thermostat, and sensors. If you are using timed drying and finding that your clothes are taking more than an hour to dry, you might be using the wrong cycle.