How long does it does for one average load of clothes to dry in your dryer? Also, the approx. age of your dryer if you know it. TIA

By Reds9298 on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 - 08:38 pm:

Sorry, how long does it TAKE for one average load of clothes to dry in your dryer - I left out a word.

By Pamt on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 - 08:42 pm:

I just got a new frontloader Whirlpool Duet and it takes 34 minutes (gas dryer). Before...it took about 45 minutes (electric dryer...6 years old).We have had both electric and gas dryer before and we notice that gas is faster regardless.

By Tink on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 - 09:25 pm:

Electric dryer, 2 years old, about 45 minutes-1 hour. Nothing special about either my washer or dryer.

By Kateg on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 - 09:35 pm:

I just got a new frontloader & it dries in about 34 minutes...before it took forever, about 45 minutes to 1 hr. plus it seems...sometimes 1 hr. 30 mins.

By Cocoabutter on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 - 09:56 pm:

It all depends on how well your washer spins out the water from your load. The more water that spins out the quicker the drying time.

Typically my old dryer (gas-15 years?) would take about 1 to 1-1/2 hours, but I just got a new washer so now we're talking 30-45 minutes!

By Bobbie~moderatr on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 - 10:03 pm:

This is sooo IRONIC... My 2 1/2 year old dryer was taking forever to dry. I use to be able to start a long wash cycle and the dryer would kick of shortly after the washer did. It was getting so I had to run it a full hour, or longer, to get things all the way dry and tonight it didn't seem to want to heat up at all. I did a search and it suggested taking of the front of the dryer and cleaning out the area bellow the lint catcher... Something to do with obstruction of air flow. Says your lint catcher can be cloged with the residue from your fabric sheets and cause the flow of air to be obstructed too. I just finished my first load in the dryer and TADA working good as new. So proud of myself and so happy I don't need a new dryer. I just went out and bought a new washer this morning and it was delivered tonight. Cha-Ching... it says most heating issues in a dryer are caused by obstruction of air flow, by the way and it is a free fix..

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 - 10:26 pm:

It takes about 45 minutes to an hour. I can't remember how old it is, but maybe 8-10 years old or so. I have a gas dryer.

By Cocoabutter on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - 01:15 am:

Oh, Bobbie!

I clean my ductwork going out the back of the dryer every year or so, too! The lint filter wasn't catching all the lint, and it was getting built up inside the ductwork. I took the vent duct off the back of the dryer and just replaced that, and took a brush used for cleaning the dust and dirt off the fridge coils and reamed it through the duct in the wall going to the outside. Does a world of good!

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - 07:59 am:

Yeah, DH cleans out the ductwork once in a while, too.

By Kaye on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - 08:14 am:

A load of regular clothes dries in about an hour, a load of darks (jeans and such) takes about 70-90 minutes. My dryers is 16 years old, it was a wedding gift

By Reds9298 on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - 08:22 am:

Ours is electric and about 10 years old and takes THREE 50-70min. cycles!!! It's hot, spinning fine, all the duct things are clean, the trap is always clean, and DH replaced the heating element about 3 months ago. ???? It's always taken longer to dry, but it just gets worse and worse. It's taking practically a DAY to dry a load of laundry for heaven's sake. It's crazy because it seems to be running fine but not drying until 3hours later. My dryer is always running.

I knew it was way long but I'm so used to it that I forgot what regular dryers take. I wonder what my electric bill would be like if I wasn't running my dryer all stinkin' day!! Looks like we need to head to Lowe's for new washer/dryer. The washer is very old - not sure how old because it came with the house. The dryer was pretty new when we moved here 8 years ago.

Kaye-I would take your "old" dryer...it's faster!!

By Karen~admin on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - 08:55 am:

Ditto Deanna! Mine s**ks! We must have the same dryer. I've replaced the heating element more than once, I clean the lint filter after each load, it just takes FOREVER to dry clothes - it's an all day process to do a load of jeans and a load of towels. My friend has the exact same dryer I have and hers takes just as long too.

We really need to replace our washer and dryer, even though they are only about 7-8 years old. They are just NOT good ones, and when I think of the time and electricity that goes into doing laundry at my house, it makes me want to scream.

By Bobbie~moderatr on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - 10:40 am:

The lint is not built up in the back of the blower, to the outside vent, it is in the front under the lint catcher. The only way to truly clean this part out is to remove the front of the dryer and clean it out through the inside of the front. If you remove the back to get to the heater you aren't seeing what is built up under the lint catcher. If you have a catcher, inside at the front of the unit you can tell. Take out the catcher and look down in it with a flash light, If you can see a lint then it is likely blocking the flow of air.. After 2 and 1/2 years I had a butter tub full of lint down there, as I said and it isn't a very large space, so it was ristricting the air flow for sure. This isn't like I said at the back of the blower.. Which is where most people clean, when they clean out the lint from their dryer. They don't realize that the lint builds up infront of the blower too.. Do a search for causes for your specific dryer not to reach full heat and I bet it suggest the lint too..

Also, the guy at the appliance store said that a dryer/washer usually functions at full function for 8 years and then things start to fall apart. We had our washer for 10, before I replaced it yesterday. Our old dryer lasted 8 years and then it caught fire.. LOL but I didn't know about cleaning out the lint period at that time.. LOL OOPS!! Anyway, look into it before you go out and spend a bunch of money to replace it.. And it shouldn't take over an hour to dry a heavy load... That is just nuts..

Got to run, not spell checking..

By Reds9298 on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - 11:07 am:

Thanks Bobbie - I'll try looking down the catcher with a light. Yes, it's NUTS the amount of time it takes! I DO NOT want to spend the $ right now on new washer/dryer, so we'll try everything!

By Vicki on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - 02:10 pm:

Mine usually takes about 30ish minutes. It is usually done when the washer is done. I don't usually check before that. We have the front loaders. Now before then, I was ALWAYS waiting on the dryer! LOVE my front loaders!

By Karen~admin on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - 02:52 pm:

I actually have a flexible brush type thingie to run down the place the lint filter goes to clean out all the lint that is in there. So, I know that's not the problem with my particular unit. :-(

By Vicki on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - 03:16 pm:

Did you get it from QVC Karen? LOL I have one too! It gets out tons of stuff! Have you ever done it from the outside in? I am sure my neighbors think I am nuts out there with mine. LOL

By Kaye on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - 04:01 pm:

Here is a dumb question....have you acutally felt the clothes get warm? If not then chances are you having an electric problem. Go to your breaker box and flip your breaker and then turn it back on.

Long story on why I know this....but apparent on a 220 outlet for a dryer, it only take 110 for it to run, the other 110 is for the heat part.

By Reds9298 on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - 05:00 pm:

Yes, the clothes get plenty warm, which is why it doesn't make sense to me.

By Reds9298 on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - 05:38 pm:

They are warm in-between every 70 min. cycle, just not dry yet. Getting drier every time, but not dry. Almost 3 hours!!!

By Cocoabutter on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - 08:40 pm:

Sounds like a new one might be your best bet.

Good luck!