Why is my dryer hot to the touch, or smelling like burning?
A dryer is supposed to get warm. It is not supposed to get hot to the touch, and it is never supposed to smell like something is burning. Both usually trace back to the same thing: hot air that cannot get out of the house, and lint sitting close to the heat.
The short version
- check_circleA burning smell with smoke, or a smell that keeps getting stronger, means stop the dryer and unplug it. If there is smoke or fire, get everyone out and call 911.
- check_circleA dryer top or front that is too hot to keep your hand on usually means the exhaust is restricted and the heat is staying inside the machine.
- check_circleA musty smell points to moisture that is not leaving, or something living in the vent.
- check_circleA faint smell on the first few runs of a new dryer is normal. A smell on an older dryer that was not there before is not.
What should you do if your dryer smells like burning?
Stop the dryer and unplug it, or switch it off at the breaker. If it is a gas dryer, turn off the gas supply to it as well.
- check_circleIf you can see smoke or flame, get everyone out of the house and call 911 from outside. Do not open the dryer door to look
- check_circleIf you smell gas, leave the house and call your gas utility or 911 once you are outside. Do not switch anything on or off on the way out
- check_circleIf there is only a smell and it fades once the dryer is off, leave the dryer off until the vent and the machine have been checked
Do not keep running loads to see whether the smell comes back. Lint is fuel, and a burning smell means something close to the heat is already warming up.
Why does my dryer smell like burning?
The most common cause is lint where it should not be. When the vent is restricted, lint that should be blown outside builds up in the duct, inside the machine, and in the space behind it. Lint near a heating element is what you are smelling.
Other causes are worth ruling out:
- check_circleSomething left in a pocket, like a crayon, lip balm or a tissue, melting or scorching in the drum
- check_circleDryer sheet residue or a very dirty lint screen
- check_circleA new dryer burning off its factory coating on the first few runs, which fades on its own
- check_circleA failing part in the machine itself, which is a job for an appliance repair technician
If the smell goes away once the drum and lint screen are clean, it was probably the load. If it keeps coming back, check the vent next.
Why is my dryer hot to the touch?
The top and front of a dryer get warm during a cycle. That is normal. What is not normal is a machine that is too hot to keep your hand on, or a laundry room that turns noticeably warmer every time the dryer runs.
That heat is air that should be leaving the house. When the duct is restricted, the dryer keeps heating but the hot, damp air has nowhere to go, so it builds up in the machine and the room. You will usually notice longer drying times at the same point, because the moisture is staying in the load too.
Dryers have safety devices that cut the heat when they overheat. If yours keeps shutting off mid-cycle, or has stopped heating altogether, that can be the machine protecting itself from a blocked vent.
To check, go outside while it runs. You should feel a strong, steady push of warm air at the hood. If it is weak, the heat is staying inside. The signs your vent needs cleaning guide walks through the rest of the checks.
Why does my dryer smell musty?
A musty or damp smell is moisture that is not leaving. If the vent is restricted, water vapour from every load condenses in the duct instead of going outside, and damp lint in a dark duct starts to smell.
The other cause is something living in the vent. A flap that is stuck open lets birds and small animals into the hood, and a nest in the duct blocks the air and brings its own smell. If the smell gets stronger in spring, look at the outside hood first. The vent covers guide explains the right way to keep animals out.
A dryer that runs too hot or smells
A dryer that is too hot to touch, or smells like burning, usually has a restricted vent. The hot air cannot leave, so heat builds up in the machine and lint collects close to the element. A musty smell means moisture or an animal nest in the vent. If there is smoke, flame or a smell of gas, get out and call 911 from outside.
Once the dryer has been switched off and it is safe, check the airflow at the outside hood. NestFlo does dryer vent cleaning in Burlington, Hamilton, Oakville, Mississauga, Milton, Waterdown, Georgetown and Stoney Creek, at a flat $199, or $179 for a first cleaning.
Common questions about a hot or smelly dryer
Is it normal for a dryer to be hot to the touch?
Warm is normal. Too hot to keep your hand on is not. That level of heat usually means the exhaust is restricted and hot air is staying inside the machine instead of leaving through the vent.
What should I do if my dryer smells like burning?
Stop the dryer and unplug it. If there is smoke or flame, get everyone out and call 911 from outside. If it is only a smell, leave the dryer off until the vent and the machine have been checked.
Can a clogged dryer vent cause a burning smell?
Yes, it is the most common cause. A restricted vent lets lint build up in the duct and around the machine, close to the heat. Failure to clean accounts for 31 percent of dryer fires in United States Fire Administration data for 2018 to 2020.
Why does my dryer smell musty?
Usually moisture that is not leaving, condensing in the duct and dampening the lint, or a bird or animal nest in the vent. A flap that is stuck open on the outside hood is the most common way animals get in.
Which areas does NestFlo cover?
Burlington, Hamilton, Oakville, Mississauga, Milton, Waterdown, Georgetown and Stoney Creek. Just outside those? Ask anyway, and if we can reach you we will say so honestly.