Dryer Making Noise? Squeaking, Thumping, Grinding or Loud

A dryer making noise is usually telling you which part is wearing out. A squeal or squeak points to the idler pulley, the drum rollers or the belt, a rhythmic thump to rollers with flat spots or a lumpy load like sneakers, grinding or scraping to worn drum glides, a bearing or something caught in the drum seam, and a rattle to something loose in the drum or the blower. Most of these parts are inexpensive, and a few of the noises are not problems at all.

Safety first. Unplug the dryer, or switch off its breaker, before you reach inside it, pull it out or look behind it; electric dryers run on 240 volts. A burning smell along with any noise means stop the dryer and leave it off until it has been checked. We repair gas and electric dryers. If you ever smell gas, leave the house and call 911 or your gas utility from outside, and do not touch light switches.

Normal dryer sounds

Before you hunt for a bad part, rule out the sounds every dryer makes:

• The drum turning and the blower humming. A steady hum from the motor and blower while the drum turns is normal.
• Roller noise on a new dryer. Whirlpool says roller sound in the first cycles after installation decreases with regular use.
• A light thump after the dryer has sat unused. The drum support rollers can flatten where they touch the drum, which causes a thump for the first few minutes until they round out again.
• Zippers, buttons, buckles and rivets. They rattle and scrape as they tumble. Turning those garments inside out quiets them.
• The washer next door. A washer in its spin cycle can make the dryer cabinet vibrate.

Dryer making noise? Checks you can do yourself

1. Run it empty for a minute. If the noise disappears, the load was the cause. Sneakers, a bath mat and sheets balled into a knot all thump.
2. Search the drum. Unplug the dryer and look for coins, pens, hair pins and screws. Whirlpool notes that small hardware can catch in the seam where the drum meets the front or rear and scrape on every turn.
3. Check under the lint screen. Pull the lint screen and shine a flashlight into its housing. Small items such as coins or socks can fall into the lint chute and hit the blower wheel. Fish them out with a lint brush made for dryers, not your fingers, and always run the dryer with the lint screen in place.
4. Level the dryer. A dryer that rocks on an uneven floor, or is missing a leg, will pound or knock. Adjust the legs until all four sit firmly, front to back and side to side.
5. Look around and behind it. With the dryer unplugged, check that nothing is leaning against it or sitting on top, and that the vent duct is not touching the cabinet or vibrating against the wall.
6. Turn the drum by hand. With the dryer still unplugged, turn the drum slowly. A scrape, a grind or a rough spot you can feel points to the drum support parts described below. A drum that is hard to turn at all may be seized.

Dryer squeaking or squealing

A squeal that follows the drum around, gets louder as the dryer warms up or turns into a chirp is almost always a bearing or a belt wearing out:

• Idler pulley. This spring-loaded wheel keeps tension on the drive belt. When its bearing wears, it squeals, then seizes, and it can take the belt with it.
• Drum rollers. On most dryers the back of the drum rides on two rollers. Dry, worn rollers squeak on every turn.
• Belt and lint. Whirlpool says lint buildup inside the dryer can make the belt and pulleys squeal, and that the belt and pulleys wear as the dryer ages. Cleaning out that lint means removing panels, which is a service job.

Rollers and the idler pulley are usually replaced together, with a new belt, so you are not back in a year.

Dryer thumping

A steady thump once per revolution usually means drum rollers with flat spots that no longer round out after a few minutes of running. A worn or damaged belt can thump too. A thump that comes and goes with the load is the load: tennis shoes, a bath mat, or sheets, curtains or a bedspread rolled into a ball. Stop the cycle and untangle the sheets, and dry sneakers on a dry rack if your dryer has one.

Dryer grinding or scraping

Grinding and metal-on-metal scraping come from the parts that carry the drum, or from something caught between them:

• Hardware in the seam. A coin or screw caught where the drum meets the front or rear panel scrapes on every turn. Check 2 above finds it.
• Drum glides. Many dryers support the front of the drum on plastic or felt glides. When they wear through, the drum rubs metal.
• Rear drum bearing. On dryers with a rear bearing and shaft, a worn bearing grinds and can let the drum sag.
• Drum seals. When the felt seals wear through, the drum rubs the front or back panel, and you may see marks on clothes.

Stop using a dryer that grinds. A drum dragging on metal wears through parts quickly.

Dryer rattling

A rattle usually means something loose: a coin in the drum, something in the blower housing, a loose cabinet screw or the vent duct buzzing against the wall. Checks 2, 3 and 5 above find most rattles. If the rattle comes from low in the front of the dryer and the lint chute is clear, the blower wheel may be cracked or loose on the motor shaft.

Dryer loud when spinning

If the dryer is simply louder than it used to be the whole time the drum is spinning, the likely causes are worn rollers or glides, a failing idler pulley or a motor with worn bearings. Whirlpool links a loud, rumbling sound to failing drum rollers, and notes that rollers are typically replaced as a set.

A loud buzz or hum while the drum does not turn is different: the motor is trying to start and cannot, because of a jammed drum, a seized pulley or a failing motor. Turn the dryer off right away, since a stalled motor overheats, and see dryer not spinning or starting.

What usually fails

• Idler pulley. Squealing or chirping, louder when warm.
• Drum rollers. Squeaking, rumbling, or a thump every revolution.
• Drum glides. Scraping and grinding at the front of the drum.
• Rear drum bearing. Grinding from the back of the dryer.
• Blower wheel. A rattle or roar from the lower front, often with slow drying; see dryer takes forever to dry.
• Drive belt. Thumping or squealing, then a drum that stops turning.
• Motor. A loud buzz, a hum with no drum movement or a grinding bearing.

When the noise is a worn part rather than a sock in the lint chute, have a technician replace the rollers, pulley or glides before a seized part takes the belt or motor with it.

What it costs in Atlanta

The diagnostic is $80 and is waived when you approve the repair. Dryer repairs start at $180 labor plus parts, and you get a written flat-rate estimate before any work begins. Typical dryer repairs run $230 to $380 all in on standard brands, and rollers, pulleys, glides and belts are among the least expensive dryer parts. Every dryer repair includes an airflow check at the machine. Many repairs can be finished on the first visit, and every repair carries our 60-day parts-and-labor warranty. See our pricing.

Repair or replace?

A noisy dryer rarely needs replacing. Unless the motor or the drum itself has failed on an older machine, repair is usually the better value. Our repair-or-replace guide has the rule of thumb, and how long appliances last has typical lifespan estimates.

Schedule a visit or read about our dryer repair service. Prefer to talk? Call (470) 778-4087.