Dryer takes too long to dry
Updated November 2026 · Sherman Oaks Appliance Repair Co.
A quick airflow test
Start the dryer on a heated cycle and go to the vent hood outside. You should feel a strong, warm stream of air, like a hair dryer on high, and the flap should be wide open. Weak flow means a restriction. If you cannot reach the outside hood, pull the dryer out, disconnect the hose and run one load venting into the room. If that load dries in normal time, the dryer is fine and the vent is the problem.
Where vents get blocked
- The flexible hose behind the dryer. It gets crushed when the dryer is pushed back, especially in a tight laundry closet.
- Inside the wall or ceiling. Lint collects at elbows and in long horizontal runs.
- The roof or wall cap. Lint mats on the screen, and birds nest in the opening.
- The lint screen itself. Dryer sheets leave an invisible film. If water pools on the screen instead of passing through, wash it with dish soap and a brush.
Why this is so common in Sherman Oaks
Nearly two thirds of the housing here is in multi-unit buildings, and most of it was built before 1980. Laundry closets were often added later, in the middle of the unit, with the vent run 20 feet or more up to the roof. A dryer is designed to push air through a short, straight duct. Every extra foot and every elbow reduces airflow, so these vents need cleaning more often, about once a year with normal use.
Other causes
- Electric dryer on half heat. Some elements have two coils. With one broken, the dryer warms up but dries slowly.
- Gas valve coils. The burner lights at the start and then stops. See dryer not heating.
- Moisture sensor. Film on the sensor bars ends automatic cycles early. Wipe the two metal strips inside the drum with rubbing alcohol.
- The washer. If clothes come out of the washer dripping, the dryer is not at fault. See washer not spinning.
How we repair it
We measure the temperature and the airflow, open the dryer and clean the lint from the cabinet, blower and exhaust path, and check the vent to the outside. If a heating part has failed, we replace it.