Resource category
Troubleshooting
Common symptoms, likely causes, and what you can safely try before calling a pro.
My washer overflowed — what do I do?
Immediately turn off the water supply valves behind the washer (or the whole-house valve), unplug the unit, and dry standing water with towels and a wet-vac before it reaches drywall or subflooring. Then call for service — an overflow means the water-inlet valve or a clogged drain is failing and will happen again.
Read full answer →My dryer is hot to the touch — is that dangerous?
A warm dryer exterior is normal; a dryer exterior hot enough to be uncomfortable to touch is a warning sign. The most common cause is a restricted vent forcing the heating element to run hotter and longer than designed. Stop using the dryer and schedule a vent inspection immediately.
Read full answer →My clothes take two cycles to dry — what's wrong?
Ninety percent of the time, clothes taking two cycles to dry means the vent is restricted. The dryer's heat output is fine; the moist exhaust air just can't escape fast enough. A professional vent cleaning typically restores normal drying time immediately. If cleaning doesn't fix it, the next suspects are the heating element or thermistor.
Read full answer →There's a burning smell from my dryer — what now?
Stop the cycle immediately, unplug the dryer (or shut off the gas if it's a gas model), and do not run another load. A burning smell from a dryer almost always means lint is scorching inside the unit or vent, which is a pre-fire condition. Schedule an inspection and cleaning before using the dryer again.
Read full answer →Why is lint coming out of my outdoor vent hood?
Visible lint accumulating at or around the exterior vent hood means lint is escaping the dryer's internal filter — either because the screen is undersized, damaged, or because airflow is fast enough to carry more lint than usual through the vent. It's a sign the system needs inspection, not necessarily an emergency.
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