When clothes come out damp, the usual causes are a clogged filter, a blocked vent, an overloaded rail or too short a program for the load. Heavy fabrics also take longer in a cabinet than in a tumble dryer, because the air moves around clothes that hang rather than tumble.
Check These First
- Start with the lint filter and any air intake screens.
- Look at the hose or duct on the back of the cabinet for a kink or heavy lint.
- Hang items with space between them, so air reaches each one.
- Choose a longer program, and use the heavier setting for wool, jeans or coats.
What the Signs Mean
A cabinet that stays cool inside points to a heating part or a thermostat. A cabinet that heats but stays humid points to poor ventilation or a vent that does not clear the moisture. Water collecting in a reservoir, if your model has one, should be emptied, because a full reservoir stops moisture removal.
What Cannot Be Told From the Door
Heat, fan and humidity sensors all affect drying, and they look alike from the outside. We test each one. In Houston, damp room air and long vent paths often add to the problem, so we also look at where the cabinet vents.
Many older cabinets are still worth repairing, and we tell you plainly if one is not. See our drying cabinet repair page.
Delicate items and wool dry slowly by design, so judge the cabinet by a normal load of cotton first. If cotton comes out dry and only heavy items stay damp, the cabinet may be working as built. If everything stays damp, something has changed.
If the cabinet still leaves clothes damp, call us or use the online form to schedule service, and we will confirm a three-hour arrival window.