Dryer repair in Fort Myers and Bonita Springs
Call before 11 AM and we aim to be there the same day.
The service call fee is waived when you go ahead with the repair.
Fort Myers area
Punta Gorda, Pine Island, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach
Bonita Springs and Naples area
Estero, Bonita Springs, North Naples, Naples, Marco Island
Dryer problems we repair
Electric and gas, vented and ventless. Before blaming a part, we check the airflow: a clogged vent on its own can cause slow drying, blown fuses and a burning smell.
- Why it happens
- Usually it is airflow, not heat. Lint packed in the duct behind the dryer, a crushed foil connector, a long run up to the roof or a nest in the outside hood keeps the wet air inside, and the clothes stay damp however hot the drum gets. On gas dryers, worn gas valve coils let the burner light and then go out, so the heat comes and goes.
- What the technician checks
- We measure the airflow and the exhaust temperature at the outside vent, then look at the connector, the lint duct inside the cabinet and the hood. If the dryer itself is fine and the vent is what holds it back, you hear that before any part is replaced.
- Why it happens
- An electric dryer heats with a coiled element that eventually breaks open. A gas dryer lights its burner with an igniter, checks the flame with a sensor and opens the gas through two valve coils. On both, a thermal fuse and a high-limit thermostat cut the heat when the dryer overheats, and a blocked vent is what usually makes it overheat. An electric dryer also needs both halves of its 240-volt circuit: with one half off, the motor runs and the heater does not.
- What the technician checks
- We check both legs of the supply, test the element or the igniter, sensor and valve coils, the fuse and the thermostats, then the airflow. A fuse replaced without finding why it blew simply blows again.
- Why it happens
- On many electric dryers the thermal fuse sits in the motor circuit, so when it blows the whole dryer goes quiet, not only the heat. A door switch, the start switch, a belt switch that opens when the belt breaks, a motor that will not turn over or a control board can leave the panel lit and the drum still.
- What the technician checks
- We check the power at the outlet, then the door switch, the fuse, the start circuit and the motor windings, and find the reason a fuse blew before we fit a new one.
- Why it happens
- A long flat belt wraps around the whole drum and the motor pulley, and a spring-loaded idler pulley keeps it tight. When the belt snaps or slips off, the motor spins freely and the drum does not move. Unplug the dryer and turn the drum by hand: if it spins with almost no effort, the belt is gone.
- What the technician checks
- We fit a new belt and check what broke the old one: a seized idler, a stiff roller or a worn motor pulley. We replace those too when they are worn.
- Why it happens
- A steady thump that gets worse with a heavy load comes from worn drum rollers or a roller with a flat spot. A high squeal is usually the idler pulley or a dry rear drum bearing. A scraping sound near the door means worn front glides or felt seals. A rattle near the floor can be a blower wheel that cracked or caught a sock.
- What the technician checks
- We take the drum out, check the rollers, the idler, the bearing, the glides and the blower wheel, and replace rollers and glides in sets, because they wear together.
- Why it happens
- Sensor dry cycles end when two metal bars inside the drum stop seeing moisture. Dryer sheets and fabric softener leave a film on those bars, so the dryer decides the load is dry too soon. A dryer that runs too hot also cycles off on its thermostat, and a tired motor can shut itself off when it heats up.
- What the technician checks
- We clean and test the moisture bars and the circuit that reads them, check the cycling thermostat and the exhaust temperature, and dry a test load.
- Why it happens
- Lint that settled inside the cabinet, around the heater or the burner, a heating element that shorted to the cabinet or a relay stuck closed on the control can all heat the dryer past its limit. A faint smell in the first minutes after weeks of no use is often dust on the element; a smell that stays is a reason to stop.
- What the technician checks
- We clear the lint from the cabinet and the heater or burner area, test both thermostats, check the element for a short and the relay for welded contacts. Leave the dryer off until then.
- Why it happens
- Lint left on clothes means air is not moving through the screen and out of the house. Dark streaks along one line come from worn drum glides or felt seals, which let the drum rub on the front panel. Greasy spots are often lip balm, crayon or ink melted onto the drum.
- What the technician checks
- We check the airflow and the lint screen housing, replace worn glides and felts, and clean melted wax or ink off the drum.
Dryers and vents in Southwest Florida
Long condo ducts, cold ceilings, propane and nests in the hood: the local reasons a dryer stops drying.
Long vent runs in condos
In mid-rise and high-rise buildings the dryer often vents through a long duct to the roof or into a shared riser, sometimes with a booster fan. Lint settles along the way and you cannot reach the outside hood yourself. If drying time keeps creeping up, ask the association when that run was last cleaned.
Water in the duct
When a vent runs through an air-conditioned ceiling, the hot, wet exhaust cools inside the duct and leaves water. It drips back toward the dryer or collects in a sag, and wet lint turns into a paste that clogs a duct far faster than dry lint.
Electric, gas and propane
Most homes here have electric dryers. Gas models turn up in communities with natural gas lines and in houses on propane, and they add an igniter, a flame sensor and gas valve coils to the list of usual suspects. Say which kind you have when you call.
Nests in the outside hood
May to November
Birds, wasps and lizards move into vent hoods whose flap is stuck open or missing, most often in a house closed for the summer. Before the first load in the fall, run the dryer and check that the flap opens and air comes out.
Rusted vent hoods near the beach
In homes close to the water, on Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach or Marco Island, salt air corrodes metal vent hoods until the flap sticks half shut. A rusted hood blocks the exhaust as well as lint does, so look at it whenever you clean the screen.
After a storm
June to November
Wind bends vent hoods shut and fills them with debris. If water reached a ground-floor laundry room, the motor, the wiring and on gas models the gas valve need checking before the dryer is used again.
Dryer brands we repair
Electric and gas, full-size and 24-inch compact, side by side or stacked over the washer.
High-end brands
High-end appliances: parts are covered by a 1-year warranty.
Everyday brands
3-month warranty on labor for all appliances except high-end.
- Café
Brand names and logos belong to their owners. SUNTECH is an independent repair service.
Check the airflow first
Six things to look at before you call. The first four all deal with airflow, the most common reason a dryer stops drying.
Lint screen under the tap
Clean it, then run water over it. If the water beads up instead of passing through, dryer sheets have left a film. Wash it with dish soap and a soft brush.
The slot under the screen
With the screen out, shine a light into the slot it sits in. Lint that slips past the screen piles up below it; a vacuum with a narrow crevice tool takes out what you can reach.
The flap outside
Run the dryer on heat and go outside to the vent hood. You should feel a strong, warm stream and see the flap open. A weak puff, a flap that stays shut or lint around the hood means the run is clogged. Skip this one if the vent ends on the roof.
The connector behind the dryer
Pull the dryer out a little and look at the short duct to the wall. It should be metal, with no kinks and no flattened sections.
Breaker or gas valve
An electric dryer sits on a double breaker. If the drum turns but there is no heat, switch it fully off, then on. On a gas dryer, the valve behind it is open when its handle lines up with the pipe.
Load size
Fill the drum no more than about two-thirds, and dry towels and bedding apart from light shirts. Mixed and packed loads dry unevenly and fool the moisture sensor.
What the duct should be made of. Look at the piece between the dryer and the wall. Rigid metal pipe is best, and semi-rigid aluminum is fine as the short connector; a thin foil accordion needs replacing, and white vinyl or plastic needs replacing now. Dryer makers rule out foil and plastic in their installation guides. Inside walls and ceilings the duct must be rigid metal, and building code limits its length to 35 feet, less for every elbow, unless the dryer maker allows more.
Leave these to us
A smell of gas: do not touch light switches or the dryer. Leave the house and call your gas or propane company from outside.
Never bypass a blown thermal fuse with a wire or replace it with a different rating. It is the part that stops a dryer fire.
Lint inside the cabinet, around the heater or the burner: cleaning it means taking the dryer apart, with the power and the gas off.
A foil or plastic duct hidden in a wall, the attic or a ceiling should be replaced with rigid metal, not cleaned and put back.
Dryer repair questions
Why is water coming out of the dryer vent?
On a vented dryer it is condensation: warm, wet exhaust cools in a long duct or one that runs through an air-conditioned ceiling, and the water runs back or out of the hood. A duct that sags makes it worse. On a ventless dryer, water on the floor usually means a full water tank, a kinked drain hose or a condensate pump that stopped.
How often should the dryer vent be cleaned?
The lint screen after every load. The duct at least once a year, and more often for a long condo run or a large family. If a normal load starts to need a second cycle, have it looked at now rather than at the yearly date.
Is it safe to keep using a dryer that takes forever?
Better not. Every extra cycle runs the dryer hot with lint drying out in the duct, which is the setting for a blown thermal fuse and for lint fires. Clean the screen, check the flap outside, and stop using it if the top or sides feel hotter than usual.
What goes wrong with ventless and heat pump dryers?
Miele, Bosch, ASKO, LG, Samsung and Whirlpool all make dryers that need no outside vent. They turn the moisture into water in a tank or a drain hose and have their own faults: a clogged second filter or condenser, a tank sensor, a pump. Clean every lint filter the dryer has before you call, including the second one many models keep at the bottom front; a lot of these problems end there.
Can you work on a dryer stacked over the washer?
Yes. Many repairs on a stacked dryer are done from the front. Some need the dryer lifted off the washer or the pair pulled out of the closet; we say so before we start, and it helps if the space in front of the closet is clear.
What does the service call cost?
We tell you the fee when you call. If you go ahead with the repair, the service call fee is waived.
What warranty do I get?
3 months on labor for all appliances except high-end. On high-end appliances, parts are covered for 1 year.
How can I pay?
Card, check or cash.
Send a request
Tell us the appliance, the brand and what it is doing.
Your request is sent
Thank you. Here is what happens next.
If it cannot wait
Call before 11 AM and we aim to be there the same day.
Fort Myers area
Bonita Springs and Naples area