Look at the seal all the way round with the door open
Run a finger along it. It should be soft, continuous and evenly seated, with no hard patches, splits or sections standing proud. Lint deposited on the door frame or escaping at one point tells you where the leak is, and the position of that leak usually explains both the poor drying and the catching.
What you find
- Lint collecting on the door frame or the floor in front — Air escaping at the door and carrying fibre with it.
- Clothes catching or snagging as the drum turns — A seal standing proud or a gap that has opened at the opening.
- Drying has become slower over months — Air taking a short cut instead of passing through the load.
- A hard, shiny or cracked section of seal — Age and heat, and it is the usual reason a seal stops sealing.
- The door does not sit evenly against the frame — Hinge or alignment rather than the seal itself.
- NEAR MISS: a small amount of lint on the filter housing — Normal and not a leak at all.
Ranked for a door problem
- A hardened or torn seal — First. It spends its life hot and it eventually loses the softness it needs to seal, usually starting at one point.
- A seal that has worked out of its channel — Second. It stands proud, catches laundry, and leaves a gap at the same time.
- Door alignment or hinge wear — Third. It puts uneven pressure on the seal and produces a leak at one side only.
- A worn latch — Last for this page, and it produces a door that will not stay closed rather than one that leaks.
Inspect, seat, then decide
- Look and feel along the whole seal — It finds the top two causes in a minute.
- Note where lint is collecting — The position of the deposit points at the leak.
- Press any proud section back into its channel — It resolves a displaced seal without a part.
- Check the door sits evenly against the frame — It identifies alignment, which no new seal will fix.
Owner steps
- Open the door and run a finger around the whole seal — You are feeling for hard patches, splits and sections standing proud.
Tools: flashlightAbout 10 min
- Note where lint is accumulating on the frame or the floor — The deposit marks the escape point, which is the leak.
Tools: notepadAbout 5 min
- Press any displaced section back into its channel — A seal that has worked loose often seats again with gentle pressure.
About 10 min
- Close the door and check it sits evenly against the frame all round — Uneven contact means alignment, and a new seal will not correct that.
About 10 min
- STOP before the door is removed or the seal is prised out — The door carries wiring on many machines, and that is the boundary.
Before working on the door
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel or the door, and never run the machine with a panel off. Leave the door switch wired exactly as the factory fitted it: it is what stops the drum when the door opens. Do not run the machine with a torn seal, as escaping hot air carries lint into the cabinet.
When to call
Call for a seal that is torn, hardened along its length, or will not stay in its channel, since replacing one properly is fiddly and the door usually has to come off. Call for uneven door contact, which is alignment rather than the seal. Say where the lint collects: it identifies the leak before the visit begins.
Nearest pages of this class
Scope
Written for the LG dryer class rather than one model line. Seal designs, door constructions and hinge arrangements differ by family, and those details belong on the page for your specific machine.
Related reading
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
