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Reply #28

When you say integrated baffles on the 29” dryers are you referring the the stamped baffles like on my ‘63 Whirlpool Imperial dryer?

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<span style="color: #ff0000;">What makes a good and safe dryer?</span>

 

Dryers are as safe as long every laundry machine owners do the once a year maintenance cleaning to reduce interior cabinet and exhaust duct lint buildup that could cause a dryer fire.

 

<strong>It seems like a moisture sensor is a must-have as well as a metal blower housing. </strong>

 

<strong>It depends on the specks of the MFG's as well of the price we are willing to pay for units.</strong>

<strong>Moisture sensors are better at detecting moister in the load over an exhaust thermostatic sensor.</strong>

 

<strong><strong>Is gas better than electric and why?</strong></strong>

<strong><strong>This is an on the fence answer:</strong></strong>

<strong><strong>Both get the job done.</strong></strong>

<strong><strong>Gas tends to leave a little moister in the load where electric tends to slightly (by a small margin) over dry.</strong></strong>

Gas dryer is cheaper to run over electric but the drawback is the scent of burning gas is left on the load and can be most pronounced if the gas company adds too much mercaptan.

 

<span style="color: #ff0000;">Who makes the best dryers and why? </span>

Everyone has their personal favorite dryer and since I've owned both 29" and 27" Kenmore's made by Whirlpool.

For me, they both win hands down.

1. For speed

2. Flexible drying temps.

3. Capacity

4. Longevity and easy to service

 

 
 
Reply #31

For some reason the lint screen never really seems to get full on my ‘63 Whirlpool Imperial dryer even with things such as towels which generally generate a lot of lint. I can literally clean the lint screen after every couple of loads but I usually clean it after each load I dry in it just because. Sometimes there is NO to very little lint when I dry small loads of laundry in it.
 
Thanks Larry for your detailed reply.

I totally agree about cleaning the dryer. Yesterday I took mine apart and was stunned by the amount of lint inside. We've lived in this rental for seven years (moved in when it was brand new) and I never took it apart to clean it. The vent has also never been cleaned but I don't have a means to do that. Unfortunately our building maintenance is non-existent so they'd never clean the dryers or the vents.
 
Dryer Fires

Are not caused by lint build-up on  the bottom of a dryer or minor build-up in the exhaust duct etc.

 

Major warning signs that you are at risk of a fire are

 

1 a dryer that takes MUCH longer t dry a load than it did originally 

 

2 a dryer that is extremely noisy, also one that has been catching and damaging clothing

 

Yes it is nice to clean and lubricate a dryer once in awhile but unless it is drying 5-10 loads a day you are wasting you time to do it every year and may be damaging the machine by taking it apart that often.

 

. For average users of around 5- 10 loads a week with none of the problems listed above I might think about service every 5-10 years and depending how bad it looks adjust your cleaning schedule accordingly.

 

John L.
 
 
This was the first disassembly of my 2004 SmartLoad in January 2014, age 9 years 3 months.  I was surprised at how little lint had leaked out of the mechanism, although there was an accumulation in the filter housing (last pic), which is part of why I was servicing it.

2nd pic, there's a clean swipe on top of the motor control module.

Plastic everywhere ... !

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Bob, it has always been my only daily-driver dryer for the duration.  There's no place to run another in the house.  I have several dryers stashed in the garage but the 240v outlet there is no longer conveniently accessible due to all the washers & dryers and other stuff in there.

My original DEGX1 was swapped-out (went to my mother) a couple years ago for the AeroSmart model ... same mechanism, different control panel (any SmartLoad chassis can take any model control panel).
 
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