How to Fix a Clothes Dryer That Isn't Drying

Quick ways to get your dryer to dry your clothes again.

If your clothes dryer feels really hot, but your clothes take forever to dry, the vent may be clogged. A clogged vent traps the excess hot air inside the dryer's drum. But the low circulation of air keeps clothes from getting dry. This is a big problem -- the extra heat can damage fabrics and can start a fire -- but it's nothing you can't fix yourself.

1. Start by checking the vent flap or hood on the outside of the house. Make sure that you feel a strong flow of air coming out when the dryer is running. If not, try cleaning out the vent with a straightened clothes hanger.

2. If the vent flap is not the problem, check for a kink or sag in the duct and straighten the hose if necessary.

3. If a kinked or sagging duct is not the problem, disconnect the duct from the dryer and look for blockage inside with a flashlight. To remove the blockage, shake it out or run a wadded cloth through the duct. If the duct is damaged, replace it.

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During a field exercise at Camp Lejeune, N.C., my squad was on a night patrol through some thick brush. Halfway through the exercise, we realized we had lost our map. The patrol navigator informed us, "Our odds are 1 in 359 that we'll get out of here." "How do you come up with that?" someone asked."Well," he replied, "one of the degrees on the compass has to be right."

-- K.S. McGuire