You may wonder and ask yourself: why does my dryer smell like gas when you open your dryer door in the middle of the cycle and, the gas smell spread into your laundry room? Read this article till the end to learn the cause of smell like gas from the dryer.
The dryer is an essential part of almost every household; it saves your time and space. The dryer makes drying clothes easier and comfortable. However, if any issue arises in the dryer, it can cause you a lot of hassle.
Air drying clothes is also an option, but it takes time and requires space. Sometimes dryers can smell if they don’t have proper cleaning maintenance. Other reasons can include faulty parts of the dryer: such as a vent, motor, belt, or filter. If your dryer smell like gas, you should plug off the appliance and immediately turn off the household gas supply. By doing this, you are preventing a fire hazard. Next, you will look for the cause. But before everything else, you should know how it works. Without further ado, let’s start!
How Does A Gas Dryer Work
As I said, before looking at the cause of why your dryer smell, you must understand the heating system of the dryer. The essential components required for drying clothes in the dryer are the gas supply line and valve, ignitor, and flame sensor. The dryers require an ignitor to combust natural gas or propane from your gas supply line. The burning gas will produce heat to dry the laundry in the dryer drum. The moist air is expelled outside through the vent. The vent also gets rid of byproducts produced from the combustion of the gas. So, there is no burning smell from the dryer.
Why Does Your Dryer Smell Like Gas?
So, why does my dryer smell like gas? The gas smell can arise from the dryer for several reasons. However, the most common cause of the gas smell is gas leak, dirty filter, ventilation failure, faulty dryer ignitor system. Below, these causes are explained in detail and resolved.
Cause #1. Dryer ignitor failure
These components: ignitor, gas valve, fuses, flame sensor, and thermostat, ignite and maintain the fire in the dryer to dry laundry. All the heating components work together to convey signals to the ignition coils located on the top of the gas valve. The coils on the top of gas valves activate them and allow the gas to flow into the burner unit of the dryer.
You will have to remove the panel to get access to the ignitor. Then, switch on the dryer and ignite the flame. If the dryer cannot ignite with an orange or red flame within fifteen seconds, it indicates a faulty coil. To double-check, keep the ignitor on for ninety seconds. It should be able to produce heat during this time. If there is no flame but a gas smell, you will replace the faulty coils. Know what causes dryer ignitor not to ignite.
Cause #2. Damaged or worn-out gas valve
If the dryer cannot ignite after replacing coils, it pinpoints the gas valve issue. The confirmation of the gas valve issue in your dryer is that you will be able to smell it even after switching off the dryer. Remember, once the dryer is switched off, the valve must close to prevent gas from escaping. The gas valve can wear out and get damaged over time. Hence, it will not seal shut completely, and gas can leak out into the surrounding. You will have to replace the gas valve seal. However, your first step should be to close the household gas supply line. This will prevent an accident.
Cause #3. Ventilation failure
The dryer vent expels the moisture and toxic gases produced from gas combustion outside. If the vent is clogged or jammed, these gases will remain in your dryer and will eventually spread into your laundry room. It can also overheat the dryer. Usually, the vent is accumulated by the lint from the laundry. Hence it is recommended to clean your dryer vent at least once in six months. Use a vacuum or stiff brush to clean the dryer vent. Click on this link to know how to tell if your dryer vent is clogged.
Cause #4. Dirty filter
You must clean the dryer filter once a month, and you should replace it once a year. If the filter gets clogged with lint, it can cause many problems. In addition, it includes the blocked heating system, which will make your dryer take a longer time for drying laundry. The dryer takes a long time to dry load; it will get heated up quickly. Additionally, the gas can leak into your dryer and create a fire hazard. You can find the lint filter on the panel of your dryer. Open the filter using your hands and clear away the lint.
It’s A Wrap!
You can quickly troubleshoot the problems of the dryer smelling like gas. The main point of having no gas smell is keeping good maintenance of the dryer. Deep clean the dryer once in six months and replace the components if needed. However, your safety is a priority. So, call a professional repair company to help you sort out the issues. Hopefully, we have answered your question on why does my dryer smell like gas. Read related articles; know why does my dryer smell and why does my washer stink.