Home appliances are great saviors. They are easy to operate and buy us a lot of extra time and energy.
A dryer is no exception. If you want to get ready with clean and crisp clothes every morning, you must depend on a dryer as it does the job very nicely and in no time.
But what if your dryer is not on its track suddenly? It’s a common problem for dryers to make unusual noises such as knocking noises.
To solve the problem and get back to your machine-operated easy life you must know first why a dryer makes such noise. We’ve dug into the problem and found the reasons as well as the solutions. Take a look!
Dryer making knocking noise
A dryer mostly makes a knocking sound when its load is not balanced. It can make similar noise if the load is too heavy and not letting the drum rotate properly. Besides, worn or damaged drum rollers, uneven floor, dryer legs, or faulty parts can cause knocking noise.
A dryer is a combination of different parts. All of the parts work in an order to run the machine properly.
If any of these parts are faulty or missing or damaged it affects the dryer or the dryer drum. And then it starts showing different symptoms of damage such as a knocking sound.
Knocking sound basically means the dryer is lacking balance. But it can also happen due to poor connection, faulty parts, or heavy load.
Besides, lack of maintenance, poor placement, and less observation too can make a dryer imbalanced, unattended, and noisy.
Here is some common reason that might cause your dryer to make a knocking sound.
Imbalanced laundry load:
A dryer works properly only when the laundry is placed evenly. The drum needs to be fully filled with laundry maintaining a balance so that it can rotate in order.
If the clothes aren’t spread evenly the drying drum will not be able to work and thus make knocking or thumping sounds.
Heavy load:
Heavy load is another reason a dryer makes a knocking sound. Every dryer comes with a capacity that shouldn’t be crossed.
If you overload the dryer it will find it complicated to work and dry clothes., And while trying hard it may make a knocking sound.
Worn-out drum rollers:
Drum rollers are fast-moving parts in a dryer that keeps the dryer drum in one place. A dryer may include two or more drum rollers and it helps to make the drying drum move. After a certain period, these rollers usually get damaged and worn out.
A worn-out drum roller can make such a knocking sound while the dryer is commanded to work as it loose balance. A loose drum roller can be responsible for noise as well.
Uneven surface or dryer legs:
If you place the dryer on an uneven surface it might not sit well and thus make a sound. Dyer should be placed on an even surface that will not create any imbalance.
Moreover, if the legs of the dryer are not placed evenly it can make a sound while rotating and drying laundry.
Faulty dryer parts:
Not only the drum roller or legs, the other parts of a dryer too can cause a knocking sound in it if they are damaged or faulty. Driver motor, driver belt, or dryer pulley when damaged can make a knocking noise in a dryer.
If any of these parts get dethatched, lose, or worn out can make the dryer drum lose its balance and that’s why a dryer might make a knocking noise while working or connected.
Is it worth it to fix a knocking dryer?
Whether it’s worth fixing a knocking dryer depends on the problem’s severity, dryers’ usage duration, and the cost.
A dryer that makes an intolerable knocking sound while rotating is surely not in its best state. But since a noisy dryer is counted as a primary sign of damage, many run to repair it.
But it’s costly to repair appliances such as a dryer or a drying machine, so the question remains whether it will value the money and the time.
Well, if your dryer is too old like more than 4 years’ experts suggest not to invest money in it as the problem might be severe.
But if the appliance is not too used and the sound problem is not frequent you can repair it. Usually, it takes less than 400$ to repair a worn drum roller or belt which is worth the cost.
How do I fix a knocking sound in my dryer?
A knocking dryer can be fixed if it’s not much severe. Moreover, if the dryer machine is new and has warranty you may even get service regarding this noise issue from the manufacturer’s shop.
But if you think the problem is minor and can be solved, then here is how you can fix it.
Place it on an even surface:
Before you get lost in wires and screws try keeping the machine on a smooth surface that’s not uneven or bumpy. If your dryer is making sounds because of being misplaced, this attempt can solve your problem.
If the surface isn’t the problem, then observe the wheels or the legs of the dryer in case they are not balanced.
Balance laundry load:
Don’t put more than what your dryer can take. While putting wet laundry on a dryer make sure to spread them according to weight and size so that the drum doesn’t lose balance. If the problem is with your laundry load, this hack will fix it.
Replace the roller:
A dryer can have two or more drum support rollers that are placed beneath the drum. If one of these is damaged or worn out it can make the dryer noisy.
To fix a faulty drum roller remove the external parts by removing the screws. Remove the top case then remove the console of the dryer. Take out the drum’s blower housing and behind that remove the old rollers. Then fix the new roller.
Change the driver belt:
If the driver belt is damaged the dryer can make knocking noise. To change the driver, Remove the top panel first. Spot the driver belt and remove it detaching the screws. Install a new driver belt. Attach back every panel and restart the dryer.
Change the motor:
If nothing stops the noise then you might have to change the motor. A faulty motor can make such noise. Using screwdrivers remove the top and front panel. Remove the idler pulley, motor pulley, and motor clamps. Finally, remove the motor.
How much does it cost to replace dryer drum rollers?
The cost to replace dryer drum rollers can be different for different brands. Also, it can depend on the machine’s usage years.
Here we’ve given an idea of the cost if you want to replace the drum rollers of a dryer.
Samsung:
One of the most popular BRAND Samsung’s drum rollers are available on many e-commerce sites as well as in shops. You can find a set of drum rollers for 200$ to 450$ in general. But depending on the model or kits it can touch 1000$ sometimes.
LG:
LG drum rollers can be found in sets or separately in shops. They can cost 150$ to 300$ if you want to change one single roller. For sets, the cost is higher, about 500$.
Whirlpool:
The set of rollers of Whirlpool dryers that usually goes with almost all the current models can cost you 12$ to 30$. If you buy a bigger set with more rollers the cost will increase. But it’s hardly going to rip your moneybag as the parts can be found at reasonable prices.
Maytag:
Maytag has launched many types of dryers in the market. Though some dryers are luxurious the mid-cost dryers are there too. To replace drum rollers in a mid-budget dryer you may have to spend about 40$ to 100$.
Electrolux:
Electrolux sells replacement parts such as drum rollers for their different models of dryers at an affordable price. Their price range for 2 pieces of drum rollers is between 25$ to 100$.
Kenmore:
Kenmore dryer’s roller price starts from 20$. This is the lowest you can get for a set of 2 drum support rollers for their low-budget dryers. Most of the time the price range is between 18$ to 80$ and more.
Frigidaire:
If you only buy the rollers from external shopping websites or shops rather than Frigidaire’s own shop, a set of two rollers might cost you about 40$ in a sale price.
Final Thoughts
Faulty dryer support rollers are often responsible for knocking noise in a dryer. The dryer can make such a sound if the load is heavier or uneven. If the dryer’s part such as the driver belt, or motor is damaged it may cause a knocking sound and you may want to fix they.