Dryer Belt - Everything You Need To Know
A dryer is one of the most useful appliances that we have in our home. When coupled with a washer, nothing comes close to matching the versatility of this truly dynamic couple. Without a dryer, a washer just isn't quite complete. Of course, as life may happen, things may go wrong with dryer. One such fix is often as simple as a dryer belt.
The most common "symptom" of a worn out or broken dryer belt is that the dryer drum is not spinning when the dryer is in operation. Another common symptom as it may be is that the dryer drum sounds loud. If you have either of these problems, the first step to a good diagnostic check would be a look at the dryer belt.
Usually, the first step is to completely remove the hood protecting the dryer. This is protecting you from the dryer as well as protecting the dryer from you. Make sure to keep the screws in a safe place so that you can replace the hood when you are done. The hood is usually kept in place with screw around the seams. I have seen screws around the door that keep the hood in place, but usually that isn't the case.
Once the hood is removed, it is time to check the belt. The belt is usually made of a hard, black, steel-laced rubber. If the belt is laying limply around or at the bottom of the dryer drum, you have found your problem. However, the dryer belt doesn't usually just snap for no reason. I would check the belt if it is still attached for firmness. There should be no slack whatsoever on the belt. Over time, wear and tear causes the belt to stretch. This is a common occurrence and isn't anything to worry about. Rubber tends to stretch over time, even though it is steel-laced.
Before you decide on how to replace the belt, you should remember to take the belt with you along with the make and model of your dryer. Usually, dryer belts,. Once purchase, are not refundable. Therefore, if you get the wrong size or fit, you will not be getting a refund. The sales clerk will usually have a book that tells him or her which belt you need for your particular dryer. The dryer belts usually start at around $15 USD and go about to about $75 USD. I found that most dryer belts have a price of about $30 USD.
Dryer belts are easy to install. Although I do suggest that you have some muscle of some form to help with this. The belt is really tight around the dryer drum. You can usually see the natural flow of the dryer belt around the pulleys and then the dryer itself. If this fixes your non-spinning or loud dryer drum, you are lucky. Sometimes, it can be quite expensive to fix a dryer when it is not functioning properly.
