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Can you safely run a dryer without the foam gasket around the blower wheel? We're waiting for the part to come in, and the repairman said it would be okay to use it. We have a GE Spacemaker that is about 24 years old. While repairing soemthing else that caused a loud squeak, the foam gasket was found to be useless.

isherwood
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Diana Kodner
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2 Answers2

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If the old gasket was "found to be useless" then it's probably been blowing lint past that for a long time, so you probably won't be adding much more to what will need to be cleaned up when your have the gasket replaced or replace the gasket.

So, the repair person's advice seems reasonable. Just do clean up well when replacing it.

Ecnerwal
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Obviously a foam gasket in a dryer doesn't prevent, say, combustion gases from escaping. It's not the Space Shuttle. :)

Yes, it's safe. You'll have some leakage into the cabinet, but in the short term that won't be a problem.

isherwood
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  • No, not combustion gasses. But 60°c gasses repeatedly hitting electronics which were not meant for it, and potential build ups of lint... There's a reason dryer fires cause relatively many deaths, so you don't need combustion gasses. https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/home-fires/prevent-fires/appliance-and-electrical/index.html – Daniël van den Berg May 05 '23 at 05:52