How to See If There's Change in My Dryer
Some noises that come from your dryer while drying clothes are normal. But some noises are annoying or might be a sign of a part going bad. There are also noises that you can prevent, such as loose change in the dryer. Loose change usually makes a clanking noise or sometimes sounds like a large zipper hitting the drum. It is a good idea to see if there's change in your dryer and remove it rather than allow it to scratch the inside of the drum.
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Open the door just enough to turn the dryer off. Hold the door until the dryer drum comes to a complete stop.
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Place a clothes basket in front of the dryer under the door opening. Pull out garments one piece at a time and shake them over the clothes basket. Loose change stuck inside of clothing will fall out. Place the garment in the clothes basket. Continue removing garments one piece at a time in the same manner. Often, you will find the loose change is in the clothing.
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Grab the paddle inside the drum and rotate the drum periodically as you remove clothes. Loose change is usually heard if it is not wrapped in clothing and against the drum. Rotate the drum by hand once all clothing is out of the dryer. Loose change inside the baffle will make noise.
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Unplug the dryer power cord. Slide a putty knife under the front corners of the top panel and pull the top panel up like a car hood. If you have a space-saver dryer, remove the screws on the back of the unit securing the top panel with a Phillips-head screwdriver. Slide the top panel back far enough that you can access the outside of the dryer drum.
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Rotate the drum so that the paddle is at the top of the drum. With a Phillips-head screwdriver, remove the screws on top of the dryer drum that secures the paddle. When removing the last screw, reach inside the drum and hold the paddle with one hand.
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Pull the paddle out of the drum and remove the loose change. Insert the paddle into the drum, lining up the mounting holes with the drum holes. Hold the paddle with one hand and thread the retaining screws through the dryer drum with your free hand. Tighten the retaining screws with the Phillips-head screwdriver.
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Lower the top panel and push down on the front edge to lock it in place. If you have the space-saver type dryer, slide the top panel forward and secure with the screws on the back of the unit. Plug the dryer power cord back into its outlet.
References
Writer Bio
Kenneth Crawford is a freelance writer with more than 10 years of experience. His work has appeared in both print and online publications, including "The American Chronicle." Crawford holds an associate degree in business administration from Commonwealth College.
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