LG Dryer (newer model) leaking residual gas... DIY the repair?

[jeromedawg]

Hey guys,

My wife started noticing the odor months ago and we just didn't think much of it and kept using it. No issues but it was always lingering in the back of our minds. Finally, we figured it's probably a good idea just to have it checked so called up the gas company and had someone check it today. He came to the conclusion that it's one of two things, the likelier being an electrical issue specifically pointing at the burner releasing gas w/ proper ignition (he mentioned that the burner was turning on but it was shutting off faster than what he knows it should in his experience - even with nothing in the dryer). It took maybe 10 minutes or so of testing and running the dryer before the gas came out. He checked the valves from the wall and those are OK. The only other thing he was saying is that the vent could be blocked, but he seemed to be tuned in more to the dryer itself and the fact that the burner was shutting off faster than normal.

Anyway he basically had to declare the dryer a hazard, unplugged it, and tagged it. Also left me a receipt saying I need to have a licensed qualified professional come out to inspect the appliance/issue and fix it.

I called LG and they quoted me $185 not including taxes for a technician to come out and fix it, as the dryer is out of warranty :( They also gave me the names of a few authorized partners but I just Yelped them and most of the reviews recommend staying away.

For those of you who have gone through this, what would you advise? I'm hesitant on DIYing it just because I have no experience repairing dryers (or washers.. or any appliance for that matter lol). Also, we just had our newborn so I'm not sure how much time I'll have to tinker around with something that might be sitting inoperable for who knows how long... I went through this with replacing my car door and fender on my own and that took a really long time. For now, we're probably gonna have to resort to air-drying our stuff, which I guess is more Mustachian anyway :D

Oh, if it's of any use, the model number is DLGX2802W

[Argyle]

Anything that involves gas, I don't DIY.  Especially with an infant, who might be more susceptible.  I vote for getting the professional to fix it. 

[jeromedawg]

Anything that involves gas, I don't DIY.  Especially with an infant, who might be more susceptible.  I vote for getting the professional to fix it.

Thanks, this is my inclination as well... as far as finding a good person to fix it, what's the best method? Currently, I'm just using Yelp and calling around for quotes. Problem is that most of these places want to send someone out (and charge you $60 for a 'diagnostic' fee) to figure out the issue. Of course, they say if they have to repair something the money you already spent on the diagnostic will count towards it. Basically, that leaves no room for getting quotes from different people so you know you're not getting ripped off (e.g. if Vendor A charges 200% more than Vendor B does or whatever). And of course they don't want to give quotes out over the phone :T

[Argyle]

I have a subscription to Angie's List so I just look on there for top-rated repairers.  Of course you can also ask around among friends also.  I think for a repair around $185 it's not worth trying to get bids and estimates.  I'd just go with the top-rated company you can get the name of.  I always look for a company that calls me back pretty promptly and that arrives on time, and they've correlated pretty exactly with good service and honesty.

[music lover]

A gas leak is not something to mess around with if you don't know what you're doing. Suck it up and pay the $185. That $185 has to pay for the wages of a professional with certification, travel time back and forth, overhead, etc.

[jeromedawg]

A gas leak is not something to mess around with if you don't know what you're doing. Suck it up and pay the $185. That $185 has to pay for the wages of a professional with certification, travel time back and forth, overhead, etc.

I've heard mixed things about LG's customer service and some vendors they partner with... do you guys think the $185 is worth paying through LG directly? Or should I try to get a highly-rated local appliance repair person/shop to come access and fix?

It did seem a bit odd to me that LG is saying that it's a $185 flat fee charge to fix whatever the issue is, without really knowing or verifying *what* it is - I just don't want to get caught in a bait & switch type of situation with them and find out that they have to charge me $XX.XX more because of this or that...

[regulator]

A gas leak is not something to mess around with if you don't know what you're doing. Suck it up and pay the $185. That $185 has to pay for the wages of a professional with certification, travel time back and forth, overhead, etc.

I've heard mixed things about LG's customer service and some vendors they partner with... do you guys think the $185 is worth paying through LG directly? Or should I try to get a highly-rated local appliance repair person/shop to come access and fix?

It did seem a bit odd to me that LG is saying that it's a $185 flat fee charge to fix whatever the issue is, without really knowing or verifying *what* it is - I just don't want to get caught in a bait & switch type of situation with them and find out that they have to charge me $XX.XX more because of this or that...

I would go independent, personally.  Likely the local partners pay kickbacks to LG and you end up paying for it.

[patrat]

If it is worth is to you, you may be able to talk them out of the trip fee if you deliver the appliance to the repair shop. Of course, you have to disconnect the gas line from the dryer to do that... your call on that. Never intimidated me, but we all have different backgrounds. Only do it if your are 100% on what you are doing.

Professionals have tools that you won't have feasible access to, that can help verify the leak and the fix. The closest tool you have is your nose and a spray bottle of soapy water.

[Spork]

Anything that involves gas, I don't DIY.  Especially with an infant, who might be more susceptible.  I vote for getting the professional to fix it.

I am not the least bit afraid to (carefully) DIY gas.   Our main cooking appliance is a gas stove I tore down and rebuilt from the ground up.

However, I am scared shitless of gas dryers.  I saw some interview with a fire chief standing in front of a warehouse full of burned out gas dryers.  He said they were the single most dangerous appliance ever.  He said the combination of flame and dryer lint (and especially with poorly maintained/cleaned out vent systems) was deadly.

Maybe he's over stating it for effect.  Maybe he's full of crap.  But it made an impression on me and I've never owned one because of it.

[jeromedawg]

Thanks guys. All this talk of gas dryers and the fire chief is freaking me out. Maybe it's time to go electric...! Side note: my mother in-law, who has poor eyesight and awareness, left a burner in the 'on' position on our gas stove just enough to let the gas out but not click the igniter. She was in town to help out since we just had our newborn, but my wife was just stressed out even more - it's like caring for another kid and she has to keep a close eye on her all the time...*facepalm* - that in mind, considering how much more serious gas dryers sound, it really sounds like something I don't want to screw around with. Glad we've been running for this long without anything catching fire or blowing up!

An appliance repair guy called me back earlier to discuss a couple issues - also the ones the tech reported: 1) clogged vent and 2) potentially defective or going-defective gas valve. He'll call back with a quote...

In your experience(s), what do you guys estimate these two things costing, in general?

[Arktinkerer]

Even if you aren't real handy you can clean your own vent.  They make brushes on snakes (flexible but somewhat stiff poles that can push/pull the brush around bends).  Take one to your outside vent (might have to remove the cover) and run the brush in and out a time or two.  Easy.

[jeromedawg]

Even if you aren't real handy you can clean your own vent.  They make brushes on snakes (flexible but somewhat stiff poles that can push/pull the brush around bends).  Take one to your outside vent (might have to remove the cover) and run the brush in and out a time or two.  Easy.

I thought I recall hearing or reading somewhere that most methods of cleaning vents is actually not so great as you can damage the vents (poke holes?)... As far as our vent is concerned, and judging by the layout of our place, I think they really have it snaked around corners and stuff... not quite sure what the placement and run of the vent is since it's a condo and I can easily see behind the walls. The outside vent exit is on the opposing side of the condo (like one room in between) on the outside - I'm wondering if they passed it overhead. We're on the bottom floor so I don't think it would be underneath.

[Greg]

Any dryer duct that isn't accessible should be rigid galvanized steel or aluminum, assembled without screws (which can catch lint) and so should be cleanable using a duct brush.  If you have ribbed plastic or aluminum ducting, it's a fire hazard and you should replace it with rigid.

Also clean the vent termination on the outside of the building, they can clog up with lint also, especially the kind with many horizontal flaps.

[jeromedawg]

Any dryer duct that isn't accessible should be rigid galvanized steel or aluminum, assembled without screws (which can catch lint) and so should be cleanable using a duct brush.  If you have ribbed plastic or aluminum ducting, it's a fire hazard and you should replace it with rigid.

Also clean the vent termination on the outside of the building, they can clog up with lint also, especially the kind with many horizontal flaps.

Thanks for the info. I'm not sure what kind of duct I have. I may just call a duct cleaning service to come out anyway since it's been *years* - I'd be more inclined to DIY this if we were in a single-family home with relatively easy vent/duct access. But considering that everything is literally hidden behind the wall, I don't want to risk doing more harm than good (especially if it's ribbed plastic/aluminum ducting). The condo was built in '89 or '90, so not sure what standards or regulations there were back then regarding dryer ducts.

Oh the thing I heard about cleaning doing more damage was regarding AC air ducts and one of the AC repair technicians who came out to tune-up and clean my HVAC unit and compressor is the one who told me about it. Is it pretty common for there to be AC repair companies who won't clean ducts, where there has to be companies that specifically focus on cleaning ducts?

[CowboyAndIndian]

I do not DIY gas.

Get this fixed ASAP!!!!

[Gone Fishing]

Good time to check your smoke and CO detectors!

Are you fairly confident you can get the dryer to emit the gas when the repair man comes out?  It'd suck to have him out then not be able to get it to happen but still owe the fee. 

Find an online calculator and see what the difference between the gas and electric would be in your area.  I assume you probably have natural gas which is usually a good bit less than electric, but if you have propane, it might not be any better at all.  If the dyer is your only gas appliance, you might be able to get a discount from the electric company for being 100% electric, but you probably have gas hot water as well.

If there is not already a 220 volt outlet, you would need to install one.  Not out of the realm for DIY, but condo rules and/or code could prohibit it.

[Gone Fishing]

Using the average prices from:

www.consumerenergycenter.org/residential/appliances/dryers.html

An electric dryer would run around $.125 more a load than gas, or about $30/yr more assuming you do 4-5 loads of laundry a week.

[Spork]

Using the average prices from:

www.consumerenergycenter.org/residential/appliances/dryers.html

An electric dryer would run around $.125 more a load than gas, or about $30 yr more assuming you do 4-5 loads of laundry a week.

This probably depends on what gas we're talking about.  I am going to suspect propane costs more to run than electric.

[jeromedawg]

Good time to check your smoke and CO detectors!

Are you fairly confident you can get the dryer to emit the gas when the repair man comes out?  It'd suck to have him out then not be able to get it to happen but still owe the fee. 

Find an online calculator and see what the difference between the gas and electric would be in your area.  I assume you probably have natural gas which is usually a good bit less than electric, but if you have propane, it might not be any better at all.  If the dyer is your only gas appliance, you might be able to get a discount from the electric company for being 100% electric, but you probably have gas hot water as well.

If there is not already a 220 volt outlet, you would need to install one.  Not out of the realm for DIY, but condo rules and/or code could prohibit it.

I definitely need to replace at least one battery in one of my smoke detectors. We don't have CO detectors but outta consider it now.

We've been running the dryer for some time now where the gas odor is emitted, so I don't think it'll be a problem. It just takes some time for it to come out though - the gas company technician that came out kept tinkering with and running it on empty load until the smell came up. I think my wife would notice it between drying loads.

I believe we have natural gas - we're not in a secluded area detached from pipelines that would justify needing propane. And yea there's only a 220v outlet in the garage for the blower/heater I believe. I think the HOA would be fine with us putting a 220v outlet in there, as they basically are hands-off almost everything except for painting and maintaining the exterior, any broken water mains going into the house, and yard work... :T

[Greg]

Thanks for the info. I'm not sure what kind of duct I have. I may just call a duct cleaning service to come out anyway since it's been *years* - I'd be more inclined to DIY this if we were in a single-family home with relatively easy vent/duct access.

You should be fine, there shouldn't be any ribbed or corrugated duct in the walls.  The ribbed I've usually seen is between the dryer and wall, and yet still often neglected. 

The fire safety comes from the lint build up; it's exponential.  Once there's a build-up the vent velocity slows and more build up occurs more quickly.

[jeromedawg]

Thanks for the info. I'm not sure what kind of duct I have. I may just call a duct cleaning service to come out anyway since it's been *years* - I'd be more inclined to DIY this if we were in a single-family home with relatively easy vent/duct access.

You should be fine, there shouldn't be any ribbed or corrugated duct in the walls.  The ribbed I've usually seen is between the dryer and wall, and yet still often neglected. 

The fire safety comes from the lint build up; it's exponential.  Once there's a build-up the vent velocity slows and more build up occurs more quickly.

Would this also cause the issue with the gas valve/burner not properly igniting or turning off too soon? The appliance repair guy I spoke with today seemed to be implying that it *could* be one issue. But then he also said it sounds like there might be something wrong with the gas valve on the dryer...

[Spork]

Thanks for the info. I'm not sure what kind of duct I have. I may just call a duct cleaning service to come out anyway since it's been *years* - I'd be more inclined to DIY this if we were in a single-family home with relatively easy vent/duct access.

You should be fine, there shouldn't be any ribbed or corrugated duct in the walls.  The ribbed I've usually seen is between the dryer and wall, and yet still often neglected. 

The fire safety comes from the lint build up; it's exponential.  Once there's a build-up the vent velocity slows and more build up occurs more quickly.

What I've always done was:  Pull dryer out.  Put large shop vac on connection.  Turn it on.  Afterwards, reach in as far as my little hands can feel and make sure nothing is there.

Now: I've never had the equipment to do any visual inspection afterwards, but my assumption has always been that the most gunk would build up where the 90 degree bend was (headed up the stack) and that stirring stuff up with the vac was likely to make it fall to the bottom anyway.

[jeromedawg]

Thanks for the info. I'm not sure what kind of duct I have. I may just call a duct cleaning service to come out anyway since it's been *years* - I'd be more inclined to DIY this if we were in a single-family home with relatively easy vent/duct access.

You should be fine, there shouldn't be any ribbed or corrugated duct in the walls.  The ribbed I've usually seen is between the dryer and wall, and yet still often neglected. 

The fire safety comes from the lint build up; it's exponential.  Once there's a build-up the vent velocity slows and more build up occurs more quickly.

What I've always done was:  Pull dryer out.  Put large shop vac on connection.  Turn it on.  Afterwards, reach in as far as my little hands can feel and make sure nothing is there.

Now: I've never had the equipment to do any visual inspection afterwards, but my assumption has always been that the most gunk would build up where the 90 degree bend was (headed up the stack) and that stirring stuff up with the vac was likely to make it fall to the bottom anyway.

Thanks. I am a bit wary of disconnecting the gas line (and not rupturing anything in the process). I'm assuming it's enough just to turn the shut-off valve closed and then disconnect everything? Maybe I'll give it a shot later tonight... I do have a shop vacuum but it's on the smaller side. It may be enough to initially get any gunk out though. Guess I should take a look at things back there.

[Spork]

Thanks. I am a bit wary of disconnecting the gas line (and not rupturing anything in the process). I'm assuming it's enough just to turn the shut-off valve closed and then disconnect everything? Maybe I'll give it a shot later tonight... I do have a shop vacuum but it's on the smaller side. It may be enough to initially get any gunk out though. Guess I should take a look at things back there.

If you disconnect and reconnect, just be slow and careful.  You'll want to use something on the connection -- pipe dope or yellow teflon tape.  (Yellow is for gas, white is for water.)  After reconnection, mix dish soap and water in 50/50 mix and dab it on with a brush.  Anything leaking will make obvious bubbles.

Yes, gas is somewhat dangerous.  But it is plumbed at seriously low psi's.  Propane runs around 11 inches water -- not sure what NG runs at, but I suspect it is similar.  Note that is inches of water... If you convert to PSI, it's almost not measurable.  Somewhere around 2. 

Water isn't explosive, but it's considerably higher pressure.  And it's just as likely to cause massive damage if done wrong.  (This is just for perspective.  Seeing as it doesn't explode or put off carbon monoxide, there is a difference.)

[Greg]

Would this also cause the issue with the gas valve/burner not properly igniting or turning off too soon? The appliance repair guy I spoke with today seemed to be implying that it *could* be one issue. But then he also said it sounds like there might be something wrong with the gas valve on the dryer...

Well yes.  The burner won't work right (overheating the temp sensor and poor performance) if there's not enough air flow.  Clogged vent pipe would do it, it's essentially the exhaust pipe for the burner.  You would have noticed that clothes take longer to dry.  If the air can't get out, it also can't suck it in and the burner may not ignite or work well.

I found this article helpful:
http://www.ashireporter.org/HomeInspection/Articles/The-Facts-About-Clothes-Dryer-Exhaust-Systems/161

[jeromedawg]

Would this also cause the issue with the gas valve/burner not properly igniting or turning off too soon? The appliance repair guy I spoke with today seemed to be implying that it *could* be one issue. But then he also said it sounds like there might be something wrong with the gas valve on the dryer...

Well yes.  The burner won't work right (overheating the temp sensor and poor performance) if there's not enough air flow.  Clogged vent pipe would do it, it's essentially the exhaust pipe for the burner.  You would have noticed that clothes take longer to dry.  If the air can't get out, it also can't suck it in and the burner may not ignite or work well.

I found this article helpful:
http://www.ashireporter.org/HomeInspection/Articles/The-Facts-About-Clothes-Dryer-Exhaust-Systems/161

Thanks! One thing the appliance repair guy asked was if the clothes don't dry well... the dryer actually does heat up and dry clothes decently though. At least, we haven't really noticed it *not* working well - it gets pretty decently warm. Also, the exhaust outside seems to be blowing OK - you can definitely feel/see it blowing. So his conclusion was that there may be something up with the gas valve. I think it would still be a good idea to maybe try vacuuming out the vent though. Maybe as a first-step... I'm still a bit weary of detaching/reattaching everything though :T

[Greg]

One thing that could affect the valve opening is the glow ignitor.  Just like an oven, the ignitor gets hot and ignites the gas, but it has to get hot enough in a certain way; the ignitor is what opens the gas valve.  The ignitor passes more electricity the hotter it gets, the electricity is what opens the valve.  So if it stops cycling correctly it may just be old.  Depending on your dryer it might be an easy, take-off-the-front-lower-cover kind of fix.

[jeromedawg]

One thing that could affect the valve opening is the glow ignitor.  Just like an oven, the ignitor gets hot and ignites the gas, but it has to get hot enough in a certain way; the ignitor is what opens the gas valve.  The ignitor passes more electricity the hotter it gets, the electricity is what opens the valve.  So if it stops cycling correctly it may just be old.  Depending on your dryer it might be an easy, take-off-the-front-lower-cover kind of fix.

Hmm, I'll have to see. The dryer access seems like it might be complicated (i also hear this about LG dryers in general).

Last night, I did actually clean out the front part (maybe the first 3 feet) of the duct where the dryer is connected by snaking a shop vacuum hose in there. I did get a few clumps from around the very part of the duct where I could reach, and I was able to pull out a few clumps of lint with my hands but nothing that was really 'blocking' the airflow. I also cleaned out the lint trap and trap holder pretty well...

I got in touch with one more appliance repair guy and he said he really thinks the duct might be clogged somewhere still - I told him there's a pretty solid flow of air from the exhaust but he was still saying I should get my ducts cleaned at a minimum... especially if I haven't done it in a long time. I contacted the company he referred and it looks like they charge $75 for the dryer duct cleaning. If I were to do AC and dryer ducts, both of which I haven't had cleaned ever since I moved in :O, it would cost around $360... we're probably gonna call around to a few places, but does this sound about right? As far as this appliance repair guy's service fee, it's $40 for him to come out.

The other appliance repair guy who I was in touch with beforehand also got back to me about a quote on fixing the 'gas valve' - $250 incl parts/labor plus tax and shipping... that seems a bit high to me, considering LG was gonna charge a flat fee of $185 + tax (of course, who knows if there are other 'hooks')

[HipGnosis]

We've been running the dryer for some time now where the gas odor is emitted, so I don't think it'll be a problem. It just takes some time for it to come out though - the gas company technician that came out kept tinkering with and running it on empty load until the smell came up. I think my wife would notice it between drying loads.

No, NO, OMG NOO!!  I might be misreading you, but to be clean and sure; Do NOT use that dryer until it is deemed safe by a professional (in writing, with a signature)!
Your posts are a bit hard to follow.  You first said it WAS properly igniting...  which confused me.
The gas Co. should have turned off the gas to the dryer when they tagged it.
As I understand your situation;  The dryer gas valve to the burner IS opening - that's what is releasing the gas that you smell.  The issue is that the gas/burner is not being ignited, which is why the gas (valve) is turning off (it's a safety feature), which is why it takes many tries before you smell it.   To be clear; it sounds like the gas valve IS working, the igniter is NOT.  Your quote(s) for fixing the gas valve are irrelevant.
I wouldn't have LG come out.  $40 almost sounds too good...  What is that guy/places rating or reputation?  And is he a 'certified' professional?
Be safe, for your family and your home.  Good luck.   And those are in order.

[jeromedawg]

We've been running the dryer for some time now where the gas odor is emitted, so I don't think it'll be a problem. It just takes some time for it to come out though - the gas company technician that came out kept tinkering with and running it on empty load until the smell came up. I think my wife would notice it between drying loads.

No, NO, OMG NOO!!  I might be misreading you, but to be clean and sure; Do NOT use that dryer until it is deemed safe by a professional (in writing, with a signature)!
Your posts are a bit hard to follow.  You first said it WAS properly igniting...  which confused me.
The gas Co. should have turned off the gas to the dryer when they tagged it.
As I understand your situation;  The dryer gas valve to the burner IS opening - that's what is releasing the gas that you smell.  The issue is that the gas/burner is not being ignited, which is why the gas (valve) is turning off (it's a safety feature), which is why it takes many tries before you smell it.   To be clear; it sounds like the gas valve IS working, the igniter is NOT.  Your quote(s) for fixing the gas valve are irrelevant.
I wouldn't have LG come out.  $40 almost sounds too good...  What is that guy/places rating or reputation?  And is he a 'certified' professional?
Be safe, for your family and your home.  Good luck.   And those are in order.

Thanks.. sorry for the confusion. I'm probably using the wrong terminology all over the place. As far as "gas valve" (the one costing $250 + tax & shipping), I got that information from the first appliance repair guy I called.

As far as the description of the issue: The gas/burner *is* being ignited: you can hear it on the second "click" and then you can hear what sounds like the flame. But the concern is that goes out after 20-30 seconds (it sounds like this is supposed to be staying lit and burning for a bit longer than that) and the dryer keeps running (but it's still pretty hot). Then, when I open the door of the dryer I can smell the gas odor.

The second repair guy I spoke with on the phone said that he really thinks the issue is that my dryer duct is clogged (hence the recommendation to have someone come out to clean that out first). As far as the $40 fee, I don't recall if he said $40 or $49, but that was just for diagnosing the issue. Any repair would obviously cost more but the diagnose fee would count towards that. The other places I've contacted all want to charge a $60-65 diagnose fee (which also counts towards repairs).

[Spork]

I'm going to ask a dumb question because I have mostly worked on much older gas appliances.   Does it have a thermocouple?  (That may also be part of the "$250 gas valve.")

The thermocouple on my stove (the sensor end) needs adjustment about once a year.  The long exposure to heat will cause it to move ever so slightly over time.  I just (VERY GENTLY) push it closer to the pilot light with a pair of pliers. 

I know you probably don't have a pilot on a modern appliance... but you may still have a thermocouple to sense the gas burn.  On my stove the thermocouple and the safety valve are 2 distinct parts... and the thermocouple is an order of magnitude cheaper than the safety valve.  If it's $10, it might be worthwhile to try to replace it first...

Just food for thought....

[jeromedawg]

I'm going to ask a dumb question because I have mostly worked on much older gas appliances.   Does it have a thermocouple?  (That may also be part of the "$250 gas valve.")

The thermocouple on my stove (the sensor end) needs adjustment about once a year.  The long exposure to heat will cause it to move ever so slightly over time.  I just (VERY GENTLY) push it closer to the pilot light with a pair of pliers. 

I know you probably don't have a pilot on a modern appliance... but you may still have a thermocouple to sense the gas burn.  On my stove the thermocouple and the safety valve are 2 distinct parts... and the thermocouple is an order of magnitude cheaper than the safety valve.  If it's $10, it might be worthwhile to try to replace it first...

Just food for thought....

Hmm, I have no idea if there's a thermocouple or anything. No idea where I would even look for this, let alone open the dryer up haha.

[Spork]

I might also mention: A lot of modern day appliances have a brief repair manual inside them.  It is targeted towards the repair man... so it isn't terribly verbose.  My washer and dryer have it in a plastic sleeve stuck underneath the top bit of sheet metal.  They're front loaders... and if you take the top off, the manual is visible.

[jeromedawg]

I might also mention: A lot of modern day appliances have a brief repair manual inside them.  It is targeted towards the repair man... so it isn't terribly verbose.  My washer and dryer have it in a plastic sleeve stuck underneath the top bit of sheet metal.  They're front loaders... and if you take the top off, the manual is visible.

Thanks! I scheduled for duct cleaning (including the AC ducts) on Friday. I figure it's probably a good thing to do since I've never done it lol... originally I was gonna have my wife just keep an eye since she's at home anyway. But maybe I'll go home and watch what they do and try to pick up on it to potentially DIY it in the future :)

Once that's done, I'm tempted to 'test' out the dryer again... we do have an exhaust fan in the laundry room, which is why I'm not *as* concerned. But it still is a scary thought. Then depending on how things go I'll get in touch with the last guy I spoke with to see what it might cost to fix the dryer if there's definitely an issue with it.

[jeromedawg]

The duct cleaning guy is here today. Yea it doesn't look all *that* difficult you do need to have a pretty big shop vac and a lot of tubes to extend far - he has at least 2-3 heavy-duty vacs (two of which are doubled up for twice the suction) and several 10ft lengths of vacuum tubing. He also has that long snake-brush drill attachment. If I had the space to keep all that stuff, I might consider it, but it's a lot of crap. He's doing a pretty thorough job it seems. There wasn't a *ton* of lint that came out from the dryer duct but a good amount. We'll see if it helped any. This is all gonna cost a good amount up-front but I guess it's worth doing since I haven't done it in the past 8-9 years of living here hahaha. Anyway, I have a feeling I'm still gonna need to call the appliance repair guy as I have a suspicion the gas odor will still be present.

EDIT: he finished up - gas odor still emitting from dryer unit so I'm having the appliance repair guy check it out Monday. I feel good that we at least got our ducts all cleaned out though - it seemed pretty dirty from what he was telling us. Lots of loose paint and dust in all the air vents. Glad we're not breathing [as much of it] in anymore haha

[jeromedawg]

The initial appliance repair guy came out, opened up the dryer, took one look and was like "no way, I'm not messing with this" in more or less words. He was nice enough not to charge me anything but was suggesting I call LG and tell them there's a fire hazard/safety issue and that he thinks it's a bad control board or something. He said he's never seen the issue that I'm having on any LG dryers he has worked on so wouldn't know where to start and doesn't want to start replacing bits and pieces one-by-one because it'll be wasting both his time and mine.

I called LG and they kept saying, over and over, that I'm outside the 1yr warranty period (it's 5 years old). Even though I blatantly pointed out that this is a safety issue/fire hazard and potential recall, they kept clinging onto the warranty thing and wouldn't budge. The supervisor even said "if it were a recall issue, there would have to be many more calls coming up like yours" - problem with that is that other people may or may not notice a gas smell AND do something about it if their dryer is still drying. That's what makes this issue so dangerous... obviously LG doesn't care about that though. I spent probably 1-2 hours trying to get escalated to a supervisor before getting to one and having an unfruitful conversation. They gave me a list of vendors, and only one of which has super-high marks on Yelp, so I'm having them come out to diagnose and repair the dryer. I hate having to deal with support from any company of a large appliance - it's just such a PITA.

[Gone Fishing]

I say hop on craigslist and find yourself a gently used basic unit with no bells or whistles.   

[jeromedawg]

I say hop on craigslist and find yourself a gently used basic unit with no bells or whistles.

Yea, that sounds like a good idea if the current one is too much trouble. Though, I don't quite know what to do with something that has these sorts of issues - would someone likely buy it given the fact that it has these issues?

[jeromedawg]

LOL so now the guy from the authorized LG repair partner company is here and thinks it's a bad gas valve. We'll see... I mean, if the other appliance repair guy wasn't even willing to try, who knows. He has the part on hand and said it's going to cost around $300 to fix. I also have a 20% off labor coupon for leaving a Yelp review or whatever and he said "yea so it'll be $20 off" so I suppose labor is $100? This is relatively consistent with what the very first guy I contacted quoted me, but slightly less. Second guy who came out and said he wouldn't fix it was quoting me $200~ without having diagnosed the issue. Over the phone LG customer support said it would cost $185+taxes to have them send a tech out and fix *whatever* the problem is... I find that one really hard to believe and figure there probably would have been some bait n switch where they tack on another $100+ because of some other issue they found.

This guy seems somewhat more up-front about things, but they are on the pricier side. I might as well have just ditched this and gotten a brand new no-frills electric dryer or something :T

He was also confirming, just like the other repair guy who came last, that these LGs all use proprietary components so they're just a big pain to fix.


EDIT: he just swapped the gas valve on the unit and tested it and it made no difference, so the only conclusion is that it is the control board apparently. I think he just wanted extra assurance to definitely eliminate the possibility of it being the gas valve. That said, the price just got bumped to $350 for the control board replacement (including taxes, labor, parts, etc)... ugh

[jeromedawg]

So we went ahead and just decided to go through with the control board replacement. Hopefully that resolves it.

I had stumbled across this thread too and posted to it - http://forum.appliancepartspros.com/dryer-repair/29971-lg-gas-dryer-heats-but-smell-gas-after-heat-cycle.html

Basically, a bad control board that's leaking gas (assuming that replacing the control board actually does fix our issue) is not a warranty issue. It's a SAFETY RECALL issue and all dryer models with this particular control board should be recalled immediately. Of course, WTH do we know?

"Smelling GAS from your LG dryer? Ehhh, it's not our problem anymore since your dryer is out of warranty. And you're the only one who has called in to report this - we need at least a thousand more reports of this to issue any sort of recall" - yea, a thousand more reports or one report of our house burning down, exploding, and or people dying.

In light of this, I went ahead and filed a report at SaferProducts.gov. I also filed a complaint on Consumeraffairs.com and plan to file one with BBB as well. I'm also going to inform my gas company and the fire dept of my experience with LG. At the very least, I hope the replacement control board actually fixes in the issue.

[Spork]

minirant:  This is why I just DO NOT LIKE the way current appliances are made.  They have basically become computers and are super sensitive to power fluctuations.  It is really damn common to lose control boards on them.  And a lot of them are 240v appliances, possibly hard wired.  Good luck finding a surge suppressor for them.

If you're going to build appliances that are super sensitive to power issues, you damn well ought to build power filters into the power supply.

[jeromedawg]

minirant:  This is why I just DO NOT LIKE the way current appliances are made.  They have basically become computers and are super sensitive to power fluctuations.  It is really damn common to lose control boards on them.  And a lot of them are 240v appliances, possibly hard wired.  Good luck finding a surge suppressor for them.

If you're going to build appliances that are super sensitive to power issues, you damn well ought to build power filters into the power supply.

Is it a good idea to connect both my washer and dryer to a surge protector/power strip then? Would it even matter or make a difference? I'm sticking with cheap sets from now on... I got these fancier ones on sale ($500-600 for each so not *too* bad of a deal) but we're not even 5-6 years in and there are already issues. Another issue we had with the washer was that it flooded our place. It was part-in-due to an idiot move where I left the drain plug unscrewed or lose but you'd think they'd have a sensor or trap door mechanism (or something) to prevent this from happening. Poor QC and cheap manufacturing by LG... that's for sure.

[Spork]

minirant:  This is why I just DO NOT LIKE the way current appliances are made.  They have basically become computers and are super sensitive to power fluctuations.  It is really damn common to lose control boards on them.  And a lot of them are 240v appliances, possibly hard wired.  Good luck finding a surge suppressor for them.

If you're going to build appliances that are super sensitive to power issues, you damn well ought to build power filters into the power supply.

Is it a good idea to connect both my washer and dryer to a surge protector/power strip then? Would it even matter or make a difference? I'm sticking with cheap sets from now on... I got these fancier ones on sale ($500-600 for each so not *too* bad of a deal) but we're not even 5-6 years in and there are already issues. Another issue we had with the washer was that it flooded our place. It was part-in-due to an idiot move where I left the drain plug unscrewed or lose but you'd think they'd have a sensor or trap door mechanism (or something) to prevent this from happening. Poor QC and cheap manufacturing by LG... that's for sure.

I've got a surge on washer and garage door openers plus a whole house surge at the panel.  My oven/stove is old school -- plumbing only.   My dryer is 240v, so... hard to protect that. But: I have crappy power.  I might be going above and beyond.  I have heard lots of people complain about appliance control board issues, but it is theoretically possible that is selection bias.

[jeromedawg]

minirant:  This is why I just DO NOT LIKE the way current appliances are made.  They have basically become computers and are super sensitive to power fluctuations.  It is really damn common to lose control boards on them.  And a lot of them are 240v appliances, possibly hard wired.  Good luck finding a surge suppressor for them.

If you're going to build appliances that are super sensitive to power issues, you damn well ought to build power filters into the power supply.

Is it a good idea to connect both my washer and dryer to a surge protector/power strip then? Would it even matter or make a difference? I'm sticking with cheap sets from now on... I got these fancier ones on sale ($500-600 for each so not *too* bad of a deal) but we're not even 5-6 years in and there are already issues. Another issue we had with the washer was that it flooded our place. It was part-in-due to an idiot move where I left the drain plug unscrewed or lose but you'd think they'd have a sensor or trap door mechanism (or something) to prevent this from happening. Poor QC and cheap manufacturing by LG... that's for sure.

I've got a surge on washer and garage door openers plus a whole house surge at the panel.  My oven/stove is old school -- plumbing only.   My dryer is 240v, so... hard to protect that. But: I have crappy power.  I might be going above and beyond.  I have heard lots of people complain about appliance control board issues, but it is theoretically possible that is selection bias.

I see... it might be worth switching over to an electric dryer. Gas is so problematic and dangerous it seems... oh I got a call from the appliance repair company too and they said the control board part I need replacing is backordered everywhere and will now take 2-3 weeks to arrive. She was gonna try calling LG directly to get the part but no guarantees. This is ridiculous... also, if the control board is backordered it seems to me that there are likely a significant amount of people who are replacing them. So are they hitting the same or similar issues? In most cases, the control board just goes bad completely. Whatever the issue, being backordered on a part like this isn't a good sign and I hope it leads to LG issuing a recall at the very least. Of course, we all know that will only happen when someone is injured or dies, or if there's a lawsuit threatened or filed perhaps.

[jeromedawg]

Another quick update for anyone who's interested.

After my initial call with LG where they kept denying service and wanting to do anything, I filed a report with the CPSC (this was before contacting their authorized repair people). Just this morning, I got an email from the CPSC saying my report was sent to LG... lo and behold, several hours later i got a call directly from LG's "executive support" division stating that they want to send out a technician right away to diagnose the issue. I think this is where I made the mistake - I should have just let them. Instead, I told them I already had their authorized repair person come out and he thinks the issue is with the control board (even though he's not 100% sure) and they've ordered the part but it's on backorder. After that it's been all smoke & mirrors and avoidance - the guy called back and left a VM just to tell me he followed up and the part should be arriving sooner. Now they're saying I'm still responsible to cover the cost and that this is not something covered under warranty.... the whole thing is a cluster**** - all they've basically done is called back so they can probably amend the report and say they addressed the issue when I'm the one who has been addressing the issue this whole time. LG really goes out of their way to suck.

This isn't over yet - I'm gonna try to call back and get in touch with the guy I spoke with and try to get them to cover the costs or at least some of the costs. The appliance repair company gave me some BS about how their billing system with LG is down and any reimbursement will be between me and LG. So far, the onus is still on me to pay for everything. The whole reason I filed the report was to make a point that this isn't a warranty issue but a safety issue. If it were a warranty issue, I don't think CPSC would have forwarded them the friggin report!

[jeromedawg]

Semi-happy (but mostly happy) ending to the story:

LG ended up agreeing to fix the dryer under 'extended warranty' after the CPSC report was filed. They came out and fixed the issue - it was the control board haha.

As far as the other authorized repair company, they basically deposited the $100 check I wrote them for a deposit on the part they had to order (which was backordered) and also included the service call charge ($60). Since I canceled with them, and because they apparently didn't cancel the backordered part in time (which I find hard to believe), they're still taking the full $100 to factor in the cost of 'return shipping' and restocking fees on the control board part. Initially they said they were going to refund me $40 since the service call charge was still $60. But they didn't tell me directly about the how they'd charge me for the restocking fee + return-shipping since I canceled with them because their warranty billing system was down. Super unprofessional and I will call them out on it - company is "New Life Appliance and Repair" in Lake Forest, CA. I do not recommend them. Wrote a negative review about them on Yelp too and the owner tried contacting me literally the minute after I posted it... he didn't sound apologetic in his VM and I didn't call back - I figured he was just going to b*tch and moan about how that's their policy and that I initiated the repair call blah blah blah. So I figure I'm just wiping my hands of it and considering it done; basically, I paid $100 to get the dryer fixed. Free would have been better (and warranted) but I'll take $100 cost over $300+ cost any day.

[jeromedawg]

Semi-happy (but mostly happy) ending to the story:

LG ended up agreeing to fix the dryer under 'extended warranty' after the CPSC report was filed. They came out and fixed the issue - it was the control board haha.

As far as the other authorized repair company, they basically deposited the $100 check I wrote them for a deposit on the part they had to order (which was backordered) and also included the service call charge ($60). Since I canceled with them, and because they apparently didn't cancel the backordered part in time (which I find hard to believe), they're still taking the full $100 to factor in the cost of 'return shipping' and restocking fees on the control board part. Initially they said they were going to refund me $40 since the service call charge was still $60. But they didn't tell me directly about the how they'd charge me for the restocking fee + return-shipping since I canceled with them because their warranty billing system was down. Super unprofessional and I will call them out on it - company is "New Life Appliance and Repair" in Lake Forest, CA. I do not recommend them. Wrote a negative review about them on Yelp too and the owner tried contacting me literally the minute after I posted it... he didn't sound apologetic in his VM and I didn't call back - I figured he was just going to b*tch and moan about how that's their policy and that I initiated the repair call blah blah blah. So I figure I'm just wiping my hands of it and considering it done; basically, I paid $100 to get the dryer fixed. Free would have been better (and warranted) but I'll take $100 cost over $300+ cost any day.

LOL, funny story: I got home today and checked the mail. Inside was an apology letter and $50 Amex gift card for my troubles from New Life. OK, fair enough. Very good gesture and the owner obviously is trying to make it right, so I'll give em that.

[Gone Fishing]

Glad it worked out alright!  Amazing how difficult some things end up becoming.  No wonder most people just kick things to the curb and buy another...