Electric Dryer Smells

[dnewma04]

Hello all,

I am really stuck here and I can't figure out what to do next. About 2 months ago, my whirlpool dryer started to smell. The odor is very pungent and smells like dead fish possibly. It's particularly nasty. I changed the vent from flexible plastic to metal and replaced the actual vent to the outside. Both were extremely dirty. This appeared to have corrected the problem very temporarily and then it came back as strong as ever. I also checked the 220 outlet, and it is in perfect condition. The last thing we attempted was purchasing a new dryer, which promptly resulted in the same odor.

Doing some research online, I have found that recently varnished or painted items can cause some odors, but that wouldn't be the case here. I have plenty of home projects but no recent painting.

After some thinking, this seems to have started right around the same time that the cold weather came, and perhaps closing up all the windows is forcing the house to draw in air from a place it wouldn't have with open ventilation.

So, first, any potential odor sources would be wonderful, so I can check for them. Second, any thoughts on if a "equaliz-air" type system in the basement would help?

[nomind]

Hi Dnewma,
- I know this sounds stupid, but I've heard of it happening before. -Is it possible that some small animal or bird has crawled up the vent tube from outside and died in the heating tunnel ? :eek:

[dnewma04]

Hi Dnewma,
- I know this sounds stupid, but I've heard of it happening before. -Is it possible that some small animal or bird has crawled up the vent tube from outside and died in the heating tunnel ? :eek:

Not stupid at all. At first, i thought that was the problem, but I had the order of events wrong above. A new dryer with the old vent was the first thing we tried. Then i replace the stack and the vent going to the outside. Unless the dead animal moved to the new dryer, I don't see that as a possibility.

I do think I found the issue, however. I removed the cover from the electrical box and the odor was tremendous bot only occurs with the 220v outlet being used. I am having someone come in to take a look at it, as it appears there may be some damage.

Thanks.