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folklaur
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| Posted: March 28 2008 at 5:50pm | IP Logged
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I am in the middle of literal MOUNTAINS of laundry as I sort, pack, and get rid of stuff. And my dryer just died. I could just cry. It worked, and then it didn't. Oh, goodness.
I just needed to vent. Sorry. 
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guitarnan
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| Posted: March 28 2008 at 5:57pm | IP Logged
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If you have time to have dh go to the library, there's a book called Dryer Repair Under $50 that we have successfully used many, many times. Dryers aren't that complicated, so repair is limited to only a very few things.
If you send me details (noise? smell?) I will ask dh when he comes home, but it might be late.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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folklaur
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| Posted: March 28 2008 at 6:03pm | IP Logged
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The button that you press to start it - it has been acting weird, I have had to really push it to get it started.
Today it just didn't. No noise, no smell. When I set the timer I can still hear it ticking down, and I already checked the breaker. I popped the button off so I could push in the "actual" switch...and still nothing.
wah.
I know - there is very little to work with. But it worked yesterday, and there was no smells or sounds or anything.
ANY help/suggestions would be great....my dh can't go to the library...he is in Vegas....
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guitarnan
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| Posted: March 28 2008 at 7:06pm | IP Logged
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Oh, that's right. I'm sorry I forgot.
Dh says the switch itself is worn out. He suggests trying to take the front panel off (there are screws) to see if you can get to the switch. Perhaps a neighbor can help you get the part from an appliance parts store.
Obviously I have no idea what kind of dryer you have...but dh says on most dryers, if you can access the switch once you take that front plate off, it's a fairly easy repair - for him, under 15 minutes - for me, well, ??? The only thing is, if you have a dryer with a whole row of buttons (horizontal) instead of a single start button, you might have to buy a switch that powers all those buttons - big bucks. A single-button start switch is fairly cheap - $25? A service call will be probably $150 to do the same job.
Dh says it's most likely that the switch is just worn out - there's a slim chance it only needs lubrication, but probably not. Also, many switches are sealed units, which means even if a lube is the answer, you have to replace the switch anyhow.
The most effective thing would be to get a friend or neighbor to help (and to get that book from the library...), if your budget is limited. As is typical of appliance failures, though, it's Friday and a lot of parts stores aren't open on weekends.
Then again, you could dry your current load at a neighbor's or a laundromat, and then try to fix the dryer. A weekend service call might be more costly than one you place next week, I don't know. It varies by region. One of my IRL friends had a water heater leak on a holiday weekend at midnight in Indiana, and a $200 water heater plus installation wound up costing her $1200 because of the time of week and night she had the repairs done. Not the choice I'd have made, but I am not her, caring for an elderly parent.
If you have any church friends (Knights of Columbus? They rescued me from plumbing disaster when dh was deployed!) who could help, consider asking them, too.
With appliance repair, you're often facing time vs. money decisions. If you can spare some time to get parts and convince friends to help you, you can save money.
I know exactly how you feel - these things never happen here when dh is here, only when he is gone (he leaves Sunday, btw!). It is SO frustrating. I am pretty intrepid about this stuff, as you can probably tell from this long explanation of dryer repair, but, then, I also have little spare cash to hand over to repair pros, unless I've tried the do it yourself approach first. I've been known to call my dad in Calif. (I am in Maryland) to get repair hints, too. That's how we replaced our dishwasher's solenoid three times (next time, the dishwasher goes!).
Let me know if you have more questions. Dryers just don't have that many parts, so I think the key issue is accessing the wiring behind that front panel that covers the wires and switches. If you can get to the place where the start switch attaches to wires, you should be able to easily replace your start switch.
(Note: If this makes no sense whatsoever and you can't ask friends to help, it would be perfectly OK to call a repair person. Just ask if there's a price difference if he comes on Friday, Saturday, Monday, etc.)
Hang in there. It's laundry, not your roof...You and your husband will figure out what to do. You're undoubtedly overwhelmed by the pre-move process, and I am well aware of how that stress magnifies every single problem. (Moving is more stressful than you might guess...I know it's one of the top five life stressors, right up there with death of spouse, death of child, etc. Your feelings right now are normal!)
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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folklaur
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| Posted: March 31 2008 at 6:47pm | IP Logged
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Thank you Nancy!
Dh was home this weekend, and replaced the switch, and then another fuse (or something ). Didn't take too long at all, and it works! whew!
Thanks again!!
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guitarnan
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| Posted: March 31 2008 at 7:04pm | IP Logged
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You are welcome, Laura! I don't think your dh needed my advice, but I'm so thankful he was able to get home and fix things quickly.
We probably checked that Dryer Repair for Under $50 book out of the Virginia Beach public library system ten times while we lived down there. My dh was pretty sure getting your dryer going again would be easy enough.
Dryers are so simple, there just aren't many parts that can fail. (Dishwashers, too.)
I grew up in a do it yourself family, and living on one income means we do as much for ourselves as possible now, too(kitchen remodeling...hmmm...that's a long tale!).
I am SO glad your dryer is working. Prepping for a move is just, well, awful. I am really praying we don't have to move again for a long time. I know just how panicked you were!
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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KC in TX
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| Posted: March 31 2008 at 7:49pm | IP Logged
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Wow, Nancy! I'm in awe. The next time dh deploys and I have an appliance problem, I'm contacting you!
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KC,
wife to Ben (10/94),
Mama to LB ('98)
Michaela ('01)
Emma ('03)
Jordan ('05)
And, my 2 angels, Rose ('08) and Mark ('09)
The Cabbage Patch
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MaryMary
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| Posted: March 31 2008 at 11:26pm | IP Logged
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Such an impressive thread!!!
Way to go, Nancy!!!
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Mary
Wife 2 1
Mum 2 four blessings on earth and two in heaven!
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guitarnan
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| Posted: April 01 2008 at 6:18am | IP Logged
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KC - it's not me, it's dh. He's a whiz at this stuff, and the things he can't fix, my dad can.
Once dh was out to sea and I called him by cell phone to diagnose a friend's car problem (her husband was on the ship, too). She couldn't believe that I would do that, but she had a car that was very similar to one of ours and the diagnosis was easy. Dh has also diagnosed my car problems by email while underway.
Ask away...always happy to assist, as I know from 22 years of experience how totally annoying appliance and car failures are, and they so seldom happen when dh is home! (And, I don't know about you, but my cars collude in the driveway. The newly repaired one boasts about its new parts to the others, and they all break down in succession.)
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: no no no no! My dryer!
