Tumble dryer noisy: what our engineers find
These figures come from NAC's own repair records: 211 tumble dryer jobs our engineers attended for this fault. Here is what they found, what fixed it and what it typically cost.
When a tumble dryer starts rumbling, grinding or banging, the cause is most often a broken fan blade. This is the fan at the back of the machine that moves air through it. Over time the blade can crack, warp or wear away in the middle where it fits onto its shaft, so it works loose, wobbles and catches on the cover around it. Engineers sometimes find that the motor driving the fan has failed as well, and that a dropped motor has shattered the blade against its cover.
An engineer will first make sure the dryer is safe, then run it to hear where the noise is coming from and check that the drum turns freely. If the fan has simply come loose, tightening it can be enough to put things right on the spot. If the blade is broken or worn so it no longer grips the shaft, a new one is needed, and this often has to be ordered and fitted at a second visit. Where the motor or cover is damaged too, those are replaced at the same time, and engineers sometimes clean out built-up fluff while the dryer is open.
If your dryer is making a loud noise, it is best to stop using it until it has been looked at, as a broken fan can leave it unsafe to run.
Written by our engineers from these jobs.
- Jobs attended
- 211
- Confirmed repairs
- 129
- This is not a success rate. Jobs inside their 60-day window, jobs still being classified, jobs held for review and visits that didn't end in a repair aren't counted.
- Fixed at the first appointment
- 12%
- about 1 in 9 of our repairs
- Typical total paid by customers
- £134 to £187
- including parts and VAT, from 126 repairs
What's usually behind it
The causes our engineers found and fixed, as a share of our 129 confirmed repairs for this fault.
-
Broken fan blade: about 1 in 4 of our repairs, from 32 jobs.
25%
We only list causes with enough repairs behind them, so the shares won't add up to 100%.
Error codes we see with this fault
- Samsung DC: Door not recognised as closed.
By brand
Brands with enough repairs of their own for this fault to show separately.
Hotpoint tumble dryer noisy
43 jobs, 33 confirmed repairs. Customers typically paid £134 to £170 (from 32 repairs). 6% fixed at the first appointment.
This is not a success rate. Jobs inside their 60-day window, jobs still being classified, jobs held for review and visits that didn't end in a repair aren't counted.
No single cause has enough repairs behind it yet to show for Hotpoint.
Why the first-appointment figure differs by brand. Our engineers carry common parts on the van, so those repairs can be finished at the first appointment. Other parts have to be ordered in, and fitting them takes a second visit.
About the price. £134 to £187 is the typical total paid by customers, including parts and VAT: the middle half of what customers paid on 126 of these repairs. Repairs paid for by manufacturers and insurers aren't counted, because that work is charged at contract rates. It's a guide, not a quote. Your engineer confirms a fixed price before any work starts.
Before you check anything yourself
- Switch the tumble dryer off and unplug it, or turn it off at the isolator switch, before you touch anything. Our guide to safely isolating an appliance walks you through it.
- If it involves the mains supply, sealed parts, or you're not confident at any point, stop and book a qualified engineer rather than risk injury or further damage.
Rather leave it to us?
- Fixed-price quote before any work starts
- Same or next-day visits where available
- UK-wide engineer coverage