Heat Pump dryer not drying, not drying properly, too long drying

Issue

  • Tumble dryer is not drying
  • Tumble dryer is not drying properly (fabrics are still slightly damp)
  • Tumble dryer drying cycle takes too long

Applies to

  • Heat Pump Dryers

Solution

Difference between heat pump dryers vs condense dryers or vented dryers

Tumble dryers that are equipped with a heat pump give very gentle and energy-efficient drying at lower temperatures than condenser and vented dryers, but the drying time will be somewhat longer than on appliances with high energy consumption.

This is normal and not a malfunction in any way.

On these appliances, it may seem that the appliance is not heating for a long period of time at the start of a drying cycle. This is because all of the heat pump’s energy is used to heat and evaporate water/moisture in the clothing. Simply let the appliance run through the selected cycle until the desired drying results have been achieved according to the chosen cycle and options.

Opening the door during a cycle to check on the clothing will extend the cycle by at least half an hour each time the door is opened. This is because the heat pump takes a long time to reach full working pressure in the heating system.

If you find that your dryer is not drying satisfactorily, there are a number of possible causes:

  • For best results with the lowest possible power consumption, the machine must be cleaned regularly, and you should use the correct cycle and options for the type of clothing you want to dry.
  • It is important that the clothing is sorted and dried according to clothing type when you use electronic (automatic) cycles.
  • For some types of clothing, (e.g. with very thick seams) additional drying may be necessary after drying with a timed cycle (more than 10 minutes duration, because the last 10 minutes of the cycle consist of cooling without heat.)

See the tips below for optimal and energy-efficient drying

1. Clean the filter carefully after each drying cycle

Remove the fluff from the filter with your fingertips and clean the filter with a vacuum cleaner if necessary

When the filters are dirty, the warm air cannot pass through the filters properly, which can lead to poor drying results. This can be caused by using too much detergent during washing. As a result, the warm air will also contain detergent residues during drying, which can then cause the filter to become clogged.

Please note that the filter may appear clean but still be blocked.

After cleaning, you should be able to see through the filter when you hold it up towards the light.

If the filter is damaged, we recommend replacing it.

2. Spin the laundry well before drying.

3. Do not exceed the maximum load size / Do not overload the appliance

The indication of loading quantity in the manual always refers to the weight of the dry laundry.

Select the correct drying program for the items in the drum.

Overloading can reduce the heat circulation around the clothing thus extending the drying time.

De-tangle clothes before adding them to the dryer to reduce drying time.

4. Choose the right drying program.

Make sure that the respective type of washing and the care symbols on the label of the laundry comply with the drying program.

You will find help in the program overview in the user manual.

AEG user manual

Electrolux user manual

5. For programs that are humidity-controlled, such as "Cotton", select a higher level of dryness, such as Extra Dry.

6. If the load consists of different thicknesses of fabric or different types of fabric, sort the laundry by thickness and fabric type and dry separately.

Depending on the model, some devices also offer special programs, such as "MIX XL", "JEANS" or "Bed Linen", which are suitable for different types of fabric or laundry of different thicknesses.

7. Drying slightly damp clothing:

If you want to finish drying clothes that are almost dry, you can use a timed cycle (over 10 minutes duration, as the last 10 minutes of cycles consist of cooling without heat.)

Automatic drying cycles cannot be used for clothing that is only slightly damp.

8. Set the remaining moisture level option to the highest drying level if your dryer is equipped with it.

Check the setting of the standard drying levels as stated in the user manual. For the best drying result, the setting should be set to CO_ once. If the setting of the standard drying levels is not set correctly, this can cause a poor drying result.

Water hardness level

Display symbol

9. Clean the condenser and condenser compartment of the dryer

When the condenser is dirty, the warm air cannot be condensed properly, due to insufficient airflow, which can cause poor drying result

If the condenser is dirty, it may be the reason why the machine is not heating up.

10. Ensure a room temperature is higher than +5°C and lower than +35°C

The optimal room temperature to achieve the best drying results is between 19°-24°C.

If the ambient temperature is too low or too high, the tumble dryer may not operate correctly.

If the ambient temperature is too low, the drying time will be longer (at temperatures between 10˚C and 15˚C the drying time can be extended by 30% and at temperatures between 5˚C and 10˚C the drying time can be increased by as much as 50%.

11. Check whether the appliance is getting hot:

Firstly, clean the appliance and then start a timed cycle of at least 120 minutes with no load.

After one hour, open the door and check whether the drum is hot inside (with at least 20 minutes remaining on the display).

If the inside of the drum is hot, the heating system is working.

Contact an Authorized Service Centre.

If the above steps don't resolve the issue, we recommend contacting an Authorized Service Center.

AEG Book a Service

Electrolux Book a Service

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