LG Dryer Flow Sense – What It Is And How It Works?

An LG Dryer Flow Sense indicator means that the dryer that airflow may be restricted. The market for clothes dryers is very competitive. So, manufacturers tend to highlight different features to stand out from their competitors, like LG and its Flow Sense dryer feature. But is Flow Sense just hype, or is it a feature that offers value?

An LG Dryer Flow Sense indicator is a crucial safety feature that monitors the dryer vent for any airflow restrictions. That feature enables your dryer to warn you if the ducting is clogging up, so you can clean your dryer vent in time. Depending on the code, the alert could be minor or even a fire hazard.

Keep reading to discover what Flow Sense is, how it works, and how you can troubleshoot it when its indicator turns on.

What Is LG Dryer Flow Sense, And How Does It Work?

Flow Sense is a safety feature that you can find on LG dryers. It helps monitor the dryer vent and ensure that there’s no blockage. Doing so enables you to keep your dryer running efficiently and prevent fires.

LG’s Dryer Flow Sense works by monitoring the dryer vent for any restrictions in airflow. Typically, problems in that area happen because of lint buildups and pinched or kinked ducting.

Whatever the case might be, restricted airflow is very dangerous for a dryer. So when your LG dryer’s Flow Sense detects that exhaust air isn’t moving as fast as it should, it will trigger a warning to let you know that there’s an issue.

Then, you can intervene by cleaning or adjusting your dryer exhaust vent to restore proper airflow. You will also clear the Flow Sense error code and indicator as you do that.

Read: 7 Reasons Why Your Dryer Damages Clothes

What Does The LG Dryer Flow Sense Indicator Look Like?

Helpful information about your LG Product. You can find the Flow Sense indicator on your LG dryer’s display panel. The indicator has the words ‘Flow Sense’ printed underneath an icon of a box with four horizontal lines.

When your dryer exhaust works without any problems, the Flow Sense indicator will not light up, and none of the Flow Sense error codes will appear. 

However, when the dryer senses a problem with its vent, it’ll illuminate the Flow Sense. The appliance will also show an error code that tells you how severe the problem is.

What Are The LG Flow Sense Error Codes?

LG dryers with Flow Sense will also display error codes related to how bad the vent blockage is. Here are the LG dryer error codes associated with Flow Sense and what they mean. D80 D90 or D95?

• No error code: There are no airflow restrictions in the dryer vent.
• D80: A blockage is restricting airflow by 80% to 90%. The dryer will still work, but less efficiently, so your clothes might take longer to dry.
• D90: Something is restricting airflow by 90%. The dryer will automatically enter a cool-down mode and then stop working. That happens to protect the dryer from damage and prevent fires.
• D95: The dryer’s airflow is restricted by 95% or more. This level of airflow restriction is a severe fire hazard, so the dryer will also enter cool-down mode and stop working.

When the Flow Sense indicator lights up and any of the error codes above appear on display, that means your dryer is not venting correctly. You should resolve the problem as soon as possible to prevent fires and allow your dryer to work efficiently again.

How To Clear LG Flow Sense Error Code?

After you’ve removed the blockage in your dryer ducting, the Flow Sense error code should clear by itself. However, you can also clear the code by resetting the dryer following one of these two options:

• Turn off the dryer’s circuit breaker for at least five minutes. Or,
• Unplug the dryer from the wall outlet for at least five minutes.

Doing either of these will also clear the dryer’s memory and the error code. As long as there are no airflow restrictions in the dryer’s vent, the Flow Sense indicator should not light up, and the code won’t return.

Read: Why Your Dryer Gets Hot When Not Running

What Happens If A Dryer Is Not Vented Properly?

When the Flow Sense indicator turns on and a related error code is displayed, that means the dryer is not venting correctly. A lack of venting causes problems for the dryer and your household.

Firstly, restricted airflow through the dryer vent causes the appliance to work much longer than usual to dry your clothes. Not only will that waste your time, but it’ll also use a lot more energy to dry a standard load.

Secondly, when hot air can’t escape through the vent, the dryer and its vent will eventually overheat. That can cause the dryer to malfunction and pose a severe fire risk to your home. 

Remember: a buildup of lint and dirt clogging the vent can ignite very quickly, which is why dryer fires cause damage, injuries, and death in the US every year.

Read: 6 Reasons Why LG Dryer Won’t Start

Why Is My LG Dryer Showing ‘Flow Sense’, And How Do I Fix It?

An LG dryer that shows the Flow Sense indicator means that the appliance isn’t venting properly. You must resolve this problem immediately to prevent fires and allow the dryer to work efficiently.

Here’s how you can do that:

• Check The Lint Filter: When troubleshooting your dryer’s Flow Sense, start with the lint filter inside the appliance. A dirty lint filter will restrict air flow, but it only takes a few minutes for you to clean. An easy vent cleaning begins by removing the lint. An easy way to do that is to grab some of the lint and rub it against to filter to gather more lint.
• Clean Any Clogs: Next, clean your dryer vent ducts thoroughly. Be sure to pay extra attention to the corners in those ducts, as that’s where lint and dust get trapped very easily.
• Shorten The Ducting: You should try to minimize the length of your dryer’s ducting as much as possible. The longer the ducting, the more lint and dirt can get stuck inside. So, place the dryer against the wall where the ducting leads to outside the building.
• Change To A Rigid Vent: Dryer vents should never use flexible ducting. That kind of ducting gets pinched and kinked quickly, leading to blockages and airflow restriction. So, it’s best to upgrade to rigid ducting. That will help your dryer vent more efficiently and prevent the Flow Sense indicator from coming on.
• Check The Vent Cap And Louvers: The vent cap and its louvers (if it has them) are the final points of the dryer vent ducting before the air leaves the building. Once you’ve checked and cleaned the rest of the dryer vent, you must check the vent cap for any clogs or blockages. The louvers might get stuck and stop air from flowing out in some cases.

Read: Gas Vs Electric Dryer | In-Depth Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Dryer Vents

How Do I Fix The Flow Sense On My LG Dryer?

To fix the Flow Sense error on your LG dryer, you must restore unrestricted airflow to the dryer’s ducting. You can do that by cleaning any blockages and buildups of lint, allowing the dryer to vent correctly again.

What Happens If You Don’t Clean The Dryer Lint Filter?

Two things will happen when you don’t clean the lint filter (or lint ‘trap’) regularly. Firstly, your dryer won’t vent properly, making it harder to remove moisture from your clothes inside. Secondly, more lint will escape into the ducts and cause a clog there, instead.

What Happens If Your Dryer Vent Is Blocked?

A blocked dryer vent won’t allow hot air from the appliance to flow out of the building. As a result, your dryer will take much longer to dry your clothes, causing it to waste energy and possibly overheat. In a worst-case scenario, the blockage could ignite and cause a fire in your building.

How Often Should You Clean Your Dryer Vent?

You should clean your dryer vent twice a year, at a minimum. However, you should clean it more often if you use your dryer heavily, like when many people in the same household or building share the same dryer.

Can A Dryer Vent Catch On Fire?

Yes, dryer vents clogged with lint and dirt can quickly catch on fire. That’s why manufacturers like LG rely on features like Flow Sense to warn you of a clogged dryer vent and prevent fires from starting.

Read: LG Dryer D90 Error Code But No Blockage – Troubleshooting Guide