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Amana dryers are designed to run pretty silently. So, squeaking noises will never come from the machine unless it’s experiencing a problem that needs your attention.
A squeaking Amana dryer is likely not level, causing the spinning drum to rub against other parts inside the machine. Besides that, lint caught around the belt and pulleys can also cause those noises. Finally, don’t forget to check for a worn-out drive belt and pulleys, as those moving parts squeak after experiencing long-time wear.
You shouldn’t delay in addressing squeaking noises in your dryer. This guide will show you how to identify and fix the source as quickly as possible.
Why Is My Amana Dryer Squeaking?
Your Amana dryer shouldn’t make squeaking noises under normal circumstances. Here are the likely reasons that happens and what you can do to fix it:
Dryer Is Not Level
What it is: Your Amana dryer functions by spinning a drum loaded with laundry items. As the drum spins, it creates plenty of force that would send it in many different directions.
However, a dryer is designed for its drum to spin in balance or equilibrium as long as the whole machine is perfectly level.
When the dryer is level, the drum will spin without touching any other parts of the dryer and creating noise.
What’s happening: The first reason your Amana dryer is squeaking is that the dryer is not perfectly level anymore. When the dryer isn’t level, the spinning drum rubs against the dryer’s frame intermittently or continuously, causing the squeaking noise you hear.
Firstly, it could be that the dryer was not level during setup. That’s especially the case if your dryer is still new to its location.
For example, the floor directly underneath the dryer might not be level, which could affect the machine. Besides that, the dryer’s adjustable legs could have been set incorrectly.
That problem doesn’t just happen to new dryers. Amana units that have occupied the same spot for years can also gradually become unlevel after years of vibrations and small movements.
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How to fix it: Firstly, ensure that the floor underneath the dryer is perfectly level. That will make it much easier to keep your dryer level.
Read: Why Does My Dryer Take Several Cycles To Dry Clothes? – Troubleshooting Guide
Lint Buildup Around Moving Parts
What it is: Lint is an unavoidable byproduct of using a dryer. It consists of the fibers from your clothing items that come off as they tumble freely in the dryer’s hot environment.
Dryer lint can cause plenty of problems, and that’s why all dryer models have at least one lint trap built into them. The trap helps to prevent lint from finding its way to other parts of the dryer and causing problems like clogs.
What’s happening: Squeaking noises in your Amana dryer can also result from lint buildups. Despite the manufacturer’s best efforts to trap lint with a filter, some of it will still pass through the tiniest gaps to build up somewhere in the dryer.
In this case, a squeaking noise is caused by a lint buildup around the dryer’s moving parts like the dryer belt and pulleys.
The dryer belt and pulleys are always moving silently. However, a buildup of lint on these parts will cause friction and produce the squeaking noise you hear.
How to fix it: When dealing with dryer lint, the only solution is to remove as much of it as possible. Unfortunately, you’ll have to remove the dryer’s panels to access the belt and pulleys where the lint buildup has formed.
Once you do that, remove loose lint and dust with a vacuum. You can then use a brush to deal with the more stubborn lint build-ups around those parts.
Read: Why Dryer Smells Like Sewage?
Worn Out Drive Belt
What it is: The motor in your Amana dryer isn’t connected directly to the drum that it turns. Instead, a drive belt connects the two and helps the motor transmit its power.
As a result, the drum gets turned by the belt, which is turned by the motor.
Drive belts are made using a combination of materials. Still, manufacturers primarily use rubber to help the drive belt maintain its tension when wrapped around pulleys.
What’s happening: If you’ve had your Amana dryer for quite some time, the squeaking noise you hear is likely coming from a worn-out drive belt.
Remember: the drive belt is primarily made of rubber, and it’s kept under constant tension. So over an extended period, that belt will gradually become loose and slip slightly while in use.
As a result, the worn-out belt creates a squeaking noise as it tries to maintain its grip on the motor and drum’s parts.
How to fix it: There’s no way to restore a worn-out drive belt. So, a total replacement is required.
Access the internal parts of the dryer to remove the existing belt. Then, wrap the belt around your Amana model’s motor, drum, tensioner, and any pulleys.
Read: Gas Vs Electric Dryer | In-Depth Comparison
Worn Out Pulleys
What it is: As you saw above, the drive belt wraps around the motor, the drum, a tensioner, and several pulleys.
The pulleys are part of that system for two reasons. Firstly, they help to redirect the belt in whatever way is required by the dryer’s design.
Secondly, the pulleys also support the belt’s movement to transmit energy from the motor to the drum as efficiently as possible.
What’s happening: The pulleys inside are the final source of the squeaking noise coming from your Amana dryer. Those pulleys are continuously spinning as a result of the belt’s movement.
However, pulleys also experience wear after being used for so long. A worn-out pulley can’t turn smoothly and will produce squeaking noises as a result.
How to fix it: Pulleys are yet another component in your Amana dryer that you can’t repair or restore. So instead, you’ll have to replace them with new ones.
Even if you’re only replacing one affected pulley, it would be an excellent idea to replace all of them together as preventive maintenance.
Think of it this way: all the pulleys work simultaneously. So if one is worn out, the others will also wear out soon.
Replacing them all as a set reduces the work you’ll have to do in the future.
Read: GE Electric/Gas Dryer Not Heating?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are a few more answers that you’ll find helpful when troubleshooting your Amana dryer:
How Do You Level A Dryer?
You can level a dryer by turning its adjustable legs. The dryer typically comes with a tool that you can use to adjust the legs. However, you can also use a wrench or pliers to adjust them.
How Do I Know If My Dryer Belt Is Broken?
You’ll know your dryer belt is broken if your Amana dryer can turn on but won’t start. Without a belt, the dryer won’t power its motor. As a result, the machine won’t start a new dryer cycle, and you might also hear a clicking sound.
What Causes Dryer Lint?
Dryer lint is made up of the fabrics in your clothes. The heat and continuous tumbling release those fibers from your clothes and cause them to float through the air.
Read: 5 Reasons Why Fisher Paykel Dryer Is Not Heating
How Do I Get Lint Out Of My Dryer?
The lint trap in your Amana dryer is designed to remove lint from your dryer’s air. However, you must keep the trap clean to work effectively. For lint build-ups in your dryer, you can use a vacuum and a brush to remove them.
What Causes A Dryer To Be Out Of Balance?
A dryer will go out of balance when the adjustable legs shift over time. Besides that, an uneven floor underneath the dryer will also cause it to be unbalanced.
