What Is the Purpose of the Felt Seal for a Dryer?

Jule Pamplin

Inside a dryer's cabinet, the edge of the drum is lined with a seal between the drum and panels of the dryer's cabinet. Typically, dryers have a seal located on the front and rear edges of the drum or just the front edge. The seals are vital to the proper functioning of the dryer and should be replaced whenever wear or damage is detected.

Prevent Clothing From Escaping Drum

The space between the dryer's drum and the front panel of the dryer is wide enough to allow items in the load to pass through. The felt seal closes the gap to prevent clothing from moving from the drum to the inner cabinet of the machine, outside of the drum. A more costly problem arises when clothing is allowed to partially enter the gap between the drum and cabinet. The spinning of the dryer makes the clothing scrape against the metal edge of the drum not equipped with a seal. The scraping damages clothing to the point that it is no longer wearable.

Keep Heat Inside the Dryer's Drum

Maintaining a certain level of heat inside the dryer's drum is key to effective drying. Different settings allow users to regulate the temperature of the cycle and tailor the drying to the type of fabric being dried. A dryer without a seal allows much of the heat generated by the dryer's heating element to escape, causing the dryer to work harder to maintain the set temperature or fail to achieve the temperature prescribed for the type of clothing in the load.

Reduce Friction Between Dryer Parts

The felt seal prevents the metal parts of the dryer from making direct contact with each other. The front of the dryer's drum and the front panel of the unit will come in direct contact without a serviceable felt seal in place. The friction generated by the direct contact can damage the dryer parts and require costly repairs or replacement.

Aid Moisture Sensors

Some dryers are equipped with moisture sensors. The sensors detect moisture to determine how long to extend a drying cycle based on the amount of moisture left in the air within the dryer's drum. The conditions inside the dryer's drum should be as controlled as possible to allow the sensors to work properly. A properly controlled environment inside the dryer's drum is so crucial that LG dryers forbid owners from using dryer sheets, because they will disrupt the moisture sensors' readings.