DIY GUIDE · HOME REPAIRS & HANDYMAN · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to fix a tumble dryer that takes too long or will not start yourself
An hour. £0–£35 in a filter, a sponge or a vent kit, if anything.
Filters, condenser or evaporator, water tank, vent hose and power — the owner's checks for a slow or dead tumble dryer, and where to stop.
- Every step, start to finish
- Checked October 2026 — sources at the end
- Honest about when to call a pro
FIRST, THE HONEST ANSWER
Do it yourself, or get a repairer?
Do it yourself if…
- Loads come out damp, or the dryer needs a second cycle to finish
- The filter or tank warning light stays on after you empty or clean them
- A vented dryer pushes damp air or fluff into the room
- It will not start at all and the socket and plug are the first suspects
Get a pro if…
- The drum will not turn though the motor runs, or you hear a thump and a squeal — the belt or its pulley
- It runs but produces no heat at all with every filter clean
- There is a smell of burning or scorch marks anywhere, or it trips the circuit
- It is a gas tumble dryer: any fault beyond the lint filter belongs to a Gas Safe registered engineer
Safety first
- Unplug the dryer and let it cool before every check. A display that is off does not mean the heater is cold or disconnected.
- Lint is fuel. Clear the filter every load and do not run the dryer overnight or while the house is empty.
- A gas tumble dryer is gas work beyond its lint filter. HSE says it is illegal to use a gas appliance you suspect is unsafe; turn it off and call a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- Check the make and model against the government's product recall list; some heat-pump dryers are in a modification programme for a fire risk.
- Never open the cabinet. The drum, belt, heater, motor and the heat-pump circuit sit behind panels with mains wiring.
Stop here: Inside the cabinet, the sealed heat-pump circuit, and anything gas
The dangers are mains electricity, heat and, on a gas dryer, gas. The belt, heater, thermal cut-outs, motor and board sit behind panels; the heat-pump circuit is sealed refrigerant work for a qualified technician. On a gas dryer, the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations in Great Britain and their Northern Ireland equivalent require anyone working on it for you to be Gas Safe registered. Past the filters, tank, sensors and hose, book an engineer. How to hire a tumble dryer engineer →
| MATERIAL | COVERAGE | FOR THIS JOB |
|---|---|---|
| Replacement lint filter, by model | Only if the mesh is torn | One |
| Evaporator sponge filter, heat-pump models | By model number | One if the old one is torn or flattened |
| Vent hose kit | Same diameter as the dryer outlet, commonly 100 mm | One kit for a vented dryer with a split hose |
Is the dryer short of air?
Time a full load against what the programme promised. If a cotton load the display says will take 120 minutes takes 180 minutes, it is running 50% long. After clearing the filters and the condenser or evaporator, time the same kind of load again: a dryer that was choked usually comes back close to its own figure.
Run the comparison with laundry spun at the same speed; wetter laundry in is the commonest reason a dryer seems slow.
A vented dryer blows warm wet air out through a hose to a window or a wall vent. A condenser dryer cools that air on a metal condenser and collects the water in a tank or sends it down a drain hose. A heat-pump dryer does the same with a refrigerant circuit and an evaporator that needs its own sponge filter. The model plate and the manual tell you which, and each has its own set of parts to clear.
The filter in the door opening catches most of the fluff, and a felted filter slows every load and lets lint past into places you cannot reach. Clear it after every cycle, wipe the housing behind it, and wash it under the tap in the opposite direction to the lint when it gets greasy, letting it dry before refitting.
A condenser behind the kick plate furs with lint and needs rinsing until the water runs clear. A heat-pump dryer has a sponge filter in front of its evaporator that one maker says to check every few cycles, with the evaporator itself cleaned every six months. A clogged one is the commonest reason a two-year-old heat-pump dryer takes all evening.
On a vented dryer the hose should be as short and straight as it can be and lead outside, not into a cupboard or a bucket. A crushed or sagging hose collects water and lint, and a hose that loops down then up becomes a trap. Replace a split or crushed hose with a new one of the same diameter rather than taping it.
The government's product safety list includes a modification programme for a number of heat-pump tumble dryers with a fire risk. Look up your make and model before you spend money on it, and register the dryer with the maker so a notice reaches you.
THE PART THAT DECIDES THE FINISH
Before you start — the dryer and the space
Match what your dryer is doing to a case below. Every case begins with the dryer switched off, unplugged and cooled down.
Damp at the end, long cycles
The commonest complaint, and almost always airflow.
- Let the dryer cool fully before touching anything inside the door
- Check the lint filter and its housing first
- On a condenser dryer, find the kick plate at the bottom front and the condenser behind it
- On a heat-pump dryer, find the evaporator filter drawer behind the kick plate
Will not start
No response, or it starts then stops at once.
- Check the door is fully shut and nothing is caught in it
- Check the child lock, the delay timer and that you pressed start
- On a condenser or heat-pump dryer, empty the water tank — a full tank stops the programme
- Test the socket with a lamp you know works
Water on the floor
A puddle under the door or behind the dryer.
- Check the water tank is pushed fully home and its lid is seated
- Look at the door seal and the felt seal round the drum opening
- If a drain hose is fitted, follow it for kinks and check it is not lifted too high
- Check the dryer is level
Vented dryer blowing damp air into the room
Condensation on windows and fluff on the floor.
- Check the hose is attached at the back and not split
- Follow the hose to its outlet and check it reaches outside
- Look for a sag where water collects
- Check the outside vent flap opens and is not furred with lint
Noisy
Rattling, scraping or a regular thump.
- Empty the drum and check for coins, buttons or a bra wire caught in the drum holes
- Check the dryer is level and stable
- If stacked on a washing machine, check the stacking kit is fitted
- A squeal or grinding from the drum belt or bearings is the point to stop
A gas tumble dryer
Rare, but still in use, with a gas pipe at the back.
- Your part is the lint filter and loading, nothing more
- If you smell gas, turn the appliance off and do not use it
- Do not move the dryer on its gas connection
- Book a Gas Safe registered engineer for any other fault
THE JOB
How to fix a tumble dryer, in order
Cool it, unplug it, clear the space
10 minSwitch the dryer off and pull the plug, then leave it with the door open until the drum is cold to the touch. Empty it, put a towel on the floor in front, and get your vacuum, a brush and a torch. Read the case above that matches your fault. If it is a gas dryer, your work in this guide is only the lint filter and the loading; turn to the stop section for everything else.
- Never work on a dryer straight after a cycle; the heater and the drum stay hot
- Take a phone picture of the hose or drain connection at the back before you move anything
- Make room to pull the kick plate down without kneeling on the hose
Mistake to avoid: Opening the filter housing on a hot dryer. Hot lint is a fire risk and the metal edges burn.
Clean the lint filter and its housing
10 minLift the filter out of the door opening. Many fold open like a book. Peel the lint off by hand, then wipe the mesh with a damp cloth or vacuum it. If the mesh looks greasy or the lint has felted into it, wash it under running water in the opposite direction to the lint, and let it dry fully. While the filter is out, vacuum the housing it sits in and wipe round the front of the door opening. Refit the filter the way it came out.
- Do this after every load from now on; it takes seconds
- On a two-part filter, clean and refit both parts in the order the manual gives
- Hold the mesh up to a light: a fine film you can barely see blocks more air than it looks
Mistake to avoid: Running the dryer with the filter out to see if it dries faster. Lint goes straight into the condenser or the hose, and that is a fire risk.
Empty the tank and clear its funnel
5 minOn a condenser or heat-pump dryer, slide the water tank out of its drawer at the top or from behind the kick plate, carrying it level. Empty it down the sink. If there is lint in the small funnel or filter at the inlet of the tank, rinse it out under the tap. Slide the tank back until it clicks fully home. A tank not seated properly leaks onto the floor or keeps the warning light on.
- Empty it after every load, not when the light comes on
- If you have the drain hose option and a sink waste nearby, connecting it saves the job for good
- One maker gives a maximum drain height of 80 cm for the direct drain hose
Mistake to avoid: Leaving the tank to fill mid-cycle. The dryer pauses with wet laundry inside, and a half-finished load creases and smells.
Rinse the condenser
20 minOn a condenser dryer, open the kick plate at the bottom front, release the locks on the condenser and draw it out by its handle. Carry it to a shower tray or sink and rinse it with the shower head or under the tap, through the fins, until the water running out is clear. Do not use a brush on the fins or a pressure washer; they bend. Let it drain, slide it back, lock it and close the kick plate.
- Rinse from both sides; lint packs in from the front
- Check the seal round the condenser housing for fluff before you slide it back
- Clean the condenser every month or so, more often if you dry towels and fleeces
Mistake to avoid: Refitting the condenser with its locks undone. It vibrates loose, leaks warm wet air into the cabinet, and the dryer slows again.
Clean the heat-pump evaporator filter
20 minOn a heat-pump dryer, open the kick plate and take out the evaporator filter drawer by twisting or unclipping its cap as the manual shows. Open the drawer and take out the sponge. Vacuum the drawer and wipe the sponge with a damp cloth, or rinse it under the tap if it is clogged, then let it dry completely. Put it back without squashing it, refit the drawer and lock it. If the manual shows a cleaning routine for the evaporator fins behind it, follow it gently with a vacuum and a soft brush, never a knife.
- A heat-pump dryer must stand upright for some hours after being moved or laid down before it is switched on; one maker says 12 hours for a new one
- A torn or flattened sponge is a cheap part bought by model number
- The evaporator fins are soft aluminium; one firm pass of a hard tool flattens them
Mistake to avoid: Pushing a screwdriver or brush hard into the evaporator to dig out lint. Bent fins strangle the airflow, and the sealed refrigerant circuit behind them is not an owner's part.
Check the vent hose on a vented dryer
20 minEase the dryer forward with a helper. Unclip the hose from the outlet at the back and look along it for splits, crushing and lint. Shake it out outside. Then look at the route: it should run as short and straight as possible to a window kit or a wall vent and outside, with no dip where water can pool. Check the outside flap opens freely. Refit the hose to the dryer outlet so it cannot slip off, and push the dryer back without crushing it.
- Replace a split hose with one of the same diameter; tape does not hold on a warm, flexing hose
- A hose venting into a cupboard or a bucket fills the room with damp and is not a fix
- Clear the outside vent of lint and leaves twice a year
Mistake to avoid: Pushing the dryer back against the wall and crushing the hose. The airflow halves, and the dryer is slow again from the next load.
Clean the moisture sensors and the seals
10 minMany dryers decide when to stop by two metal strips inside the drum, near the filter, that read how wet the laundry is. Fabric softener and limescale coat them and the dryer either stops early or runs long. Wipe them with a cloth dampened with a little vinegar, then with plain water, and dry them. While you are there, run a damp cloth round the door seal and the felt seal at the front of the drum, picking out lint.
- Look for the strips just inside the door opening or below the filter slot
- Do not use an abrasive; it scratches the strips and they read worse
- A torn front felt lets air bypass the filter, and it is a part by model number
Mistake to avoid: Ignoring the sensors because the drum is hot. A coated sensor tells the dryer to stop while the load is still damp.
If it will not start: door, settings, power
15 minCheck the door shuts with a firm click and no sleeve is caught in it. Check the child lock is off and no delay is set, then press start. Empty the tank. If the display is dead, test the socket with a lamp you know works. If the lamp works, unplug, open the plug top, check the cord grip and the terminals are tight, and fit a new 13 A fuse. Plug the dryer straight into a wall socket, not an extension lead.
- One maker says to hold the child lock button for three seconds to release it
- If the new fuse blows at once, the fault is in the dryer and you stop
- Any scorching at the plug or socket and you stop there too
Mistake to avoid: Running a dryer from an extension lead. Its heater draws enough current to overheat the lead and the plug.
Level it and test with a real load
45 minCheck the dryer with a spirit level across the top and adjust the feet until it stands level and does not rock, with a helper to tilt it. Then plug in and dry a normal load spun at the usual speed. Time it against what the display promised, and feel the laundry at the end. If it dries close to its own figure, you are done. If it still runs long with every filter and the condenser or evaporator clean and the hose clear, the heater, the sensor control or the sealed circuit is the suspect, and that is your stop.
- Do not overload: laundry needs room to tumble or it dries in a damp ball
- Do not add wet items halfway through
- Note any fault code; the engineer will ask
Mistake to avoid: Leaving the dryer running overnight or when you go out, to finish a slow load. A choked dryer is a heat source sitting on a pile of lint.
The mistakes that make it worse
- Skipping the lint filter between loads
- Never cleaning the condenser or the heat-pump sponge, which nobody sees
- Leaving a slow dryer running overnight or unattended
- Taping a split vent hose instead of replacing it
- Opening the cabinet to look at the belt or heater
Stop here and get a tumble dryer repair engineer
- The drum will not turn, or you hear squealing, grinding or a regular thump from the drum
- It runs without any heat with every filter, the condenser or evaporator and the hose clean
- Any burning smell, scorch marks, a fuse that blows again or a circuit that trips
- It is a gas dryer with any fault beyond a dirty lint filter
| WHAT YOU SEE | WHY, AND THE FIX |
|---|---|
| Tumble dryer not drying clothes properly | Felted lint filter, a choked condenser or heat-pump filter, or a crushed vent hose. Clean all three, spin the laundry harder, and do not overload. |
| Dryer takes hours to finish | Air path blocked or moisture sensors coated. Clean the filters and condenser or evaporator, then wipe the sensor strips with a little vinegar. |
| Tank light stays on after emptying | The tank is not seated fully or its float is stuck with lint. Rinse the funnel, push the tank home until it clicks. |
| Water leaking from the front of the dryer | Tank not seated, lint on the door seal, or the dryer out of level. On drain-hose models, a kink or a drain too high. |
| Dryer will not start | Door not latched, child lock on, delay set, tank full. Then the socket and the plug fuse. A fuse that blows again means stop. |
| Room fills with damp air, vented dryer | Hose split, off the outlet, or not leading outside. Replace the hose and route it short and straight to an outside vent. |
| Drum not turning but you can hear the motor | A broken drive belt. That repair means opening the cabinet, so it is an engineer's job. |
| Burning smell when the dryer runs | Switch off and unplug at once. Do not use it again until an engineer has looked at it. |
WHAT YOU SAVE
What it costs to do it yourself
| Evaporator sponge filter, heat-pump models | £4–£5 |
|---|---|
| Replacement lint filter, by model | £12–£13 |
| Vent hose kit, 100 mm | £5–£13 |
| Front drum felt, by model | £20–£21 |
| Total, a typical slow or damp dryer | £0–£35 |
| DIY total | £0–£35 |
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
Most slow dryers cost nothing to fix but the hour. A filter or hose is a fraction of a call-out; the belt, heater or a sealed-circuit fault is what the price guide band is for.
RATHER NOT?
Tumble dryer engineers near you, with prices shown
The ones who cover your area, nearest first, with one score from every review. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
Clear the lint filter after every load and empty the tank. Clean the condenser monthly, the heat-pump sponge every few cycles, and look at the vent hose twice a year.
Untangle items, do not overfill, spin the laundry hard first, and never add wet items mid-programme.
Lint goes in the general waste. A dead dryer is electrical waste: the retailer selling you a like-for-like replacement must take it back free, or your council collects it or takes it at the household waste recycling centre.
Register the dryer with the maker so any recall or modification notice reaches you.
Fixing a tumble dryer that takes too long or will not start: questions people ask
Almost always airflow: a felted lint filter, a furred condenser or heat-pump sponge, or a crushed vent hose. Clean them all, spin the laundry harder, and do not overload the drum.
Rinse it under running water until the water runs clear about once a month, more often if you dry a lot of towels. On a heat-pump dryer, one maker says to check the sponge filter every few cycles and clean the evaporator every six months.
No. Run it while you are at home and awake, clear the filter every load, and check your model is not on the government's recall list.
It means opening the cabinet beside the heater and wiring, so treat it as an engineer's job. Your part stops at the filters, tank, sensors, seals and hose.
Only the lint filter and the loading. Any other work on a gas appliance in your home must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
On the Locufy UK price guide a repair costs £60–£250 per repair, typically £100. Belts sit in the middle; heaters and boards towards the top.
MORE GUIDES
More DIY guides
Sources — checked October 2026
- Beko — how to clean a tumble dryer: filters, water tank and drying sensor
- Beko — what to check if a tumble dryer is not drying properly
- Beko — how to clean a condenser
- Beko — how to clean a heat-pump evaporator filter (evaporator every six months)
- Beko — how to install a tumble dryer: 12 hours before first use of a heat-pump model, 80 cm drain height
- Beko — troubleshooting a tumble dryer that will not work
- HSE — domestic gas safety FAQs: unsafe appliances and Gas Safe registered engineers
- GOV.UK — product recalls and alerts, including the heat-pump tumble dryer modification programme
- GOV.UK — WEEE regulations: free like-for-like take-back by retailers
- GOV.UK — dispose of household waste
- Beko spare parts shop — tumble dryer parts, price check October 2026
- Wickes — tumble dryer vent kits and duct, price check October 2026