• Common clothes dryer problems can be repaired.laundry dial image by Sirena Designs from Fotolia.com
  
  Instead of using a clothes dryer in the convenience of your home, you may need to do your laundry at a laundry mat if your clothes dryer has problems. However, troubleshooting your clothes dryer problems immediately prevents you from having to repeatedly go to the laundry mat.
  
  

Won't Start

• If your clothes dryer wont' start, verify the door is shut firmly and it is plugged in. Verify the switch is turned on. Check your clothes dryer for a blown fuse or a tripped circuit breaker at your home's main breaker box. Both the fuse and the breaker must function properly for your clothes dryer to start. Fuses often blow in dryers, needing replacement. Refer to your owner's manual for the location of the fuse in your clothes dryer, as this varies from manufacture to manufacturer.
  
  

Mice

• If you notice mice in your home, your clothes dryer may be attracting them. This is a common problem associated with clothes dryers. Mice are lured by the lint and warmth of clothes dryers. Mice may enter your home via your clothes dryer through the duct and exhaust vent. Verify your vent duct hood remains closed when the dryer is off. If it remains open, replace it.
  
  

Won't Heat

• If you notice your clothes dryer won't heat enough to dry your clothes or won't heat at all, verify the fuses and circuit breaker are functioning--no blown fuses and the circuit breaker is in the "on" position. A clothes dryer won't fully heat if these are not working properly. If the breakers and the fuses are in working order, your thermostat in the clothes dryer has become faulty. Replace the thermostat to repair you dryer.
  
  

Takes Too Long

• If your clothes dryer takes too long to dry clothing, remove some of the clothes. An over-packed clothes dryer cannot function properly. If your clothes dryer still takes too long to dry a load of clothes, verify the flapper on your vent duct hood opens wide when your dryer is on. If the flapper vent hood does not open, replace it with a new one. Also verify lint does not clog the filter, your exhaust vents work and duct are free of lint and debris.
  
  

Won't Turn Off

• If you open the door to your clothes dryer and it does not turn off, your door safety switch is defective and needs replacement. The door safety switch typically is behind the cabinet front, near the clothes dryer door hinge.