Why Is My Dryer Taking So Long?

Go outside while the dryer runs and feel the vent hood.

CPSC advises checking the outside dryer vent while the dryer is operating to confirm that exhaust air is escaping; if it is not, the vent or the exhaust duct may be blocked. Strong warm air means the path is clear and the fault is elsewhere. Weak or cool air means the load is being asked to dry into air that cannot leave, which explains both the long cycle and the heat building up inside.

Lint collects beyond the filter even when the filter is cleaned every load.

Clean the lint screen before or after every load. CPSC testing found that lint still accumulates inside the dryer even when it is installed to the manufacturer instructions, properly exhausted, and the screen is cleaned between cycles, so the duct needs periodic cleaning of its own. A screen that looks clean is not evidence that the duct behind the machine is clear.

Flexible plastic or foil ducting traps lint and crushes behind the machine.

Most manufacturers specify rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct, which provides maximum airflow, and CPSC recommends replacing plastic or foil accordion-type material with it. Check the run itself as well: a duct crushed flat behind the dryer, sagging between joists, or running much farther than the manual allows will restrict air no matter how clean it is.

Overloading and the wrong setting imitate a mechanical fault.

A drum packed tight cannot tumble, so clothing never presents wet surfaces to the air. Heavy items such as towels and bedding legitimately need longer than a mixed load. Confirm the cycle and heat setting, and confirm the machine is not on a timed low-heat or air-fluff program, before concluding that the dryer is broken.

Heat that never arrives, burning smells, and gas work belong with service.

If air moves freely and the drum still never warms, the heating element, thermal fuse, or gas valve is the likely cause, and those are service items rather than user checks. A scorched smell, a hot exterior panel, or a dryer that trips its breaker means stop using it and call qualified service. Never run a dryer with the exhaust disconnected indoors.