Noisy tumble dryer – should I be worried

It rumbles, it scrapes, it squeaks with such a deafening din. Is it a bird? A plane? Or your significant other attempting that bizarre new hobby they found on YouTube? No, it’s a super noisy tumble dryer! Okay, hardly superhero material – actually, far from it – but a noisy tumble dryer is most certainly going to stop you in your tracks.

They’re already one of our loudest white goods at the best of times so when they are suddenly making an even more horrible racket, it’s distressing for a number of reasons. But should you be worried? The short answer is: yes, quite possibly. It almost assuredly suggests there’s an underlying problem that will, quite likely, require the services of a repair company.

At Repair Aid, we repair tumble dryers on a daily basis so we know all about the causes of these sounds. Here are some of the main noises you are likely to here and the reasons as to why you are hearing them:

Squeaking sounds

If you’re hearing something that sounds like a really loud mouse, there’s a good chance this is being caused by tension pulleys that are part of the wider drive belt. Sadly, the drive belt is something in near-constant operation while the tumble dryer drum is spinning. Good news: they are totally replaceable as they are just small plastic parts. Even just cleaning and greasing these parts might do the trick as they can also become quite dry – another cause of the squeaking. Bad news again: it’s not so easy to strip all of this out and clean it. And, even then, your efforts may be for nothing. Your best bet is to give a company like Repair Aid a call.

Scraping noises

This generally indicates that the metal in the drum is scraping off something as it revolves. If so, this isn’t good and it needs to be fixed immediately or else your tumble dryer could end up damaged beyond repair – so this is something you shouldn’t be ignoring. If the plastic bearings have been completely worn down, there’s the possibility that the drum can scrape on the metal fittings when it rotates.

Some brands of tumble dryer are also more susceptible to these problems than others. Also, make sure that the appliance is totally level. You can observe this by looking to see if the top or bottom is slanted or if you have a level to measure it. If one leg is wonky, you could shove something under that leg to help prop it up and temporarily solve the problem. You’ll know if this is worked by the relative silence when you next use the dryer!

Rumbling and vibrations

If you’re noticing a rumble that’s causing things to vibrate, then this could also be tied to tension pulleys as, when they aren’t working properly, they can rumble. Also as above, this could be caused by the plastic and brass bearings having been so worn down through continued use. While rarer, it’s possible for this to also be caused by the motor. However, to check this would require you to remove the drive belt which, without the special tools, strength and know-how, is going to be beyond most peoples’ abilities.

Noises from condenser dryers

One last cause can be related to whether you own a condenser dryer or not. If you’re not sure if you have a condenser dryer, it’s likely you do if your dryer isn’t connected to a vent. As condenser variants need to have more parts and have to do more than their vented siblings, there is generally more potential for them to develop problems. One cause of noise specific to condenser dryers can be to do with the pump which provides water for the condenser drawer.

This noise will be unlike any described above as it won’t involve any squeaking or scraping and it will be constant – irrespective of whether the actual drum is moving or not. The pump will likely need to be replaced.

Call in a professional

We’re all trying to save money – especially right now – but no-one can stand living with a noisy tumble dryer for very long; nor will your neighbours want to deal with it if you live beside others and there are thin walls! It may even save you money later as if the problem goes unaddressed, it could leave you with even more expensive repairs later or in need of a replacement tumble dryer.

If you’re in the London area, give us a call at Repair Aid on 020 7183 6944 to book one of our engineers for an appointment, or you can use our online form.