You may not always be able to stand around your dryer, waiting for the cycle to end. In such cases, using a timed cycle on your Samsung dryer is best. You may notice that the drum is still running when you check in after the indicated time, but why does it happen?
Your Samsung dryer keeps adding time because there may be issues with the moisture sensor, you’ve overloaded the dryer, or a vent in the machine is clogged. If your dryer adds extra time automatically, it’s a malfunction requiring troubleshooting.
You may initially think this is not a serious issue and that a couple of added minutes of drying time will not affect you. However, if the cause behind prolonged drying time may be a faulty machine component, ignoring it can cause damage to your dryer. Let’s look at five reasons why your Samsung dryer keeps adding time.
1. Issues With the Moisture Sensor
If the moisture sensor in your Samsung dryer is faulty, it can confuse the machine and extend the drying time.
Typically, the moisture sensor is built into the lint filter’s housing and sets the cycle duration based on the moisture content in the drum. As such, if the moisture sensor in your Samsung dryer can’t detect moisture properly, it might keep adding time to your drying cycle.
A reason why this may happen could be because you’re using dryer sheets. Dryer sheets tend to leave a waxy coating over all the dryer’s components, including the moisture sensor. This causes the sensor to malfunction.
How To Fix
Place a dry cloth in the drum to test your moisture sensor and run your dryer on the automatic setting. The dryer should stop within 5 minutes. If the dryer is still working after 5 minutes, there is a high chance that it’s the moisture sensor causing issues.
Before you call a technician, try cleaning your moisture sensors first and see if it solves the problem. To do this, prepare a mild soap solution and wipe down the sensor bars with a soft cloth. Ensure you dry them thoroughly before running a test cycle.
Check out this video by Samsung Care that shows you how to clean your moisture sensor and its location on the machine:
However, if cleaning your moisture sensors doesn’t solve the issue, it’s best to call a technician. If the moisture sensor is faulty, you may need to replace it with a new one.
2. Overloading the Dryer
Too many pieces of wet clothing in the dryer causes the auto-sensor to detect moisture continuously. When there’s a heavy and damp load, a Samsung dryer may add extra time to compensate for the unusually high water content.
Also, given that a large dryer load has more cloth layers, there’s not enough space for hot air to circulate and thoroughly dry the entire load.
Many people tend to overload their dryers, thinking it will reduce their drying time. However, this can be counterproductive if you use a dryer with an auto-sensor instead of manually entering the cycle duration.
How To Fix
Avoid filling more than three-quarters of the drum when loading the dryer, even if it means splitting the load. Leaving ample space between your clothes and the top of the drum allows the load to tumble freely within the dryer so hot air can reach all items.
Drying your clothes in small batches also helps your dryer work more efficiently. Your dryer will stop adding time when the load doesn’t surpass its recommended capacity, which you can look up in the care manual.
3. Clogged Vents
While it sounds unlikely, clogged vents can also cause your dryer to malfunction and add time to your drying cycle. A blocked duct means the dryer can’t cycle air flow well, affecting how efficiently the dryer heats the air passing into the drum.
Additionally, fluff blocking the vents also prevents moisture from escaping. This confuses the machine because the sensors will detect moisture from the clothes in the drum and other parts of the dryer.
How To Fix
Check your Samsung dryer’s vents for blockages or pieces of lint, and clear them if you find any. As Samsung dryers have strong exhaust blower systems, lint can get lodged in other areas of the vents, such as the elbows or outer regions of the duct.
If cleaning the vents doesn’t solve the problem, you may need to contact your local service center. Installing a new rigid vent system can allow fluff to travel along smoothly along the pipes and prevent blockages.
You must also check if your lint filter is collecting fuzz efficiently, as a clogged lint trap can also disrupt airflow in and out of the vents.
Conclusion
A Samsung dryer that keeps adding time to the drying cycle may be due to the following issues:
There’s a problem with the moisture sensor.
You’ve overloaded the drum.
The dryer has clogged vents from lint buildup.
You can attempt fixing the problem at home by testing the moisture sensor, drying smaller loads at a time, and cleaning out the vents of the exhaust system. However, if you can’t solve the issue at home, it is best to contact your local Samsung service center.
