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Heat pump dryer does not dry properly

There are a number of reasons why your heat pump dryer may not be drying properly, namely: you have not selected the correct drying program for the type of clothing, there is too much washing in the dryer, the moisture sensor is dirty and the filter and condenser are not clean.

Heat pump dryer does not dry properly

Update

October

Yannick
Yannick

A wash geek since 2017

1. You did not choose the right program

Like a washing machine, a heat pump dryer has several different programs designed to give you the best drying results for the type of material you want to dry. For example, cotton has a much shorter drying time than denim and synthetic fabrics dry much faster than cotton. Most heat pump dryers have a programme to suit every kind of laundry and you should check this before you use your dryer. Always use the correct program for the material you want to dry and make sure you never have a mix of several materials together, always separate your laundry by the type of material.

In addition to the usual programs, some heat pump dryers also come with extra features such as a program that allows you to dry several materials at once. This is especially useful when you don’t have too much laundry and don’t want to run the dryer for just a few garments. There are also heat pump dryers with a program that dries the laundry at a high temperature, removing allergens. There are also dryers with a program that gives you a good drying result in a short drying time.

2. The warm air does not have enough space

If you are drying too much laundry at once, the machine does not have enough space to blow the warm air through the drum and as a result, your laundry will not dry properly. It is always recommended to leave about 10% of the dryer empty to create enough space for the warm air to circulate.  

Most heat pump dryers give information about the maximum drum capacity, which can vary between 6 and 9 kilograms. A small household of two will need the smallest size, a family of four will need an 8kg tumble dryer and larger families will benefit most from the largest 9kg capacity.

Do you want to avoid putting more laundry in the dryer than it can handle? Make sure your washer and dryer have the same load weight, so you never have more laundry than you can dry. There are also heat pump dryers that will tell you when you’ve put too much laundry in the dryer. These have a built-in weighing mechanism that sends out a signal when your laundry is heavier than the dryer can handle, so you don’t have to worry about it yourself!

3. The humidity sensor is not clean

On the inside of a heat pump dryer is a sensor that measures how high the humidity inside the drum is. If you have been using your dryer for a long time, the sensor may not be working properly because it is (partly) blocked by dirt that has accumulated. This could be leftover detergent or fabric softener, a pile of hair stuck in the drum, or something larger, such as a leftover sock.

You can easily fix this by carefully cleaning the sensor. The location of the sensor depends on the brand and model, so it is best to consult the manual if you want to know exactly where it is located. You don’t need any special cleaning products to clean the sensor, you can just use lukewarm soapy water and a soft cloth. Don’t just clean the place where the sensor is, take the whole inside with you. This will prevent other dirt from sticking and interfering with your sensor again in no time.

4. The filter and condenser are not clean

If the above problems have been ruled out, then one option remains and that is that the filter and condenser of your dryer are not clean properly. In some cases, the condenser of a heat pump dryer is completely self-cleaning and automatically rinses clean during drying. So in that case, you can rule out the condenser being the problem. It can also be partly self-cleaning, where the inside cleans itself and you only have to clean the outside grid. You don’t need to do this after every drying cycle, once every two months is more than enough. The easiest way is to use a vacuum cleaner or a soft brush to do this.

The filter on a heat pump dryer is often on the inside of the door, and you can easily snap it out of the unit. After you remove the filter from its holder, you can snap it open and you should see that dust has accumulated there. You can choose to remove the lint with your hands, but you can also use a vacuum cleaner to clean the filter and holder on the inside of the door. If you want to make sure the filter is extra clean, or if there is dirt or lime on it, you can choose to wash it with water or soak it in a tub of water with a dash of vinegar. It is important to remove the dust from this filter regularly, preferably after every drying cycle.

Please refer to the information in your heat pump dryer’s instruction manual when cleaning the parts to avoid damaging the appliance or not cleaning the correct part.

Yannick
Yannick

A wash geek since 2017

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