GE Dryer GFD14ESSNOWW - Low air message

[Newbie288]

Model Number

GFD14ESSNOWW

Brand

GE

Age

Less than 1 year

Since installation, the dryer runs fine for about 3 loads and then on the 4th load the dryer displays a low air warning. When I reset the breaker switch, the message disappears and the dryer works fine for another 3 or 4 loads. This has happened repeatedly in the 8 months I've owned it. I'm in a high rise condo and the building's air vent has been checked and is clear. New hoses were installed with the dryer. What is causing this issue?

 

[jeff1]

Hi,

A copy from the use and care manual:

"Low Air Indicates decrease in performance of the dryer and increase risk of lint accumulation in the ducts and dryer."

Maybe let the dryer vent into the room ( with a window open if possible ) to see what happens.
Maybe wash the lint filter out to make sure no dryer sheet gookus is clogging it.

jeff sr.

 

[Newbie288]

Jeff, thank you for your suggestion. The perplexing issue is that the problem did not occur with my previous dryer and all new hoses were installed with the new GE. The other odd fact is that the low air message only comes on after about 3 loads and disappears after the breaker is reset. If the hose was plugged I would expect the problem to be constant and not affected by the breaker reset. Could it be a faulty computer chip or some other internal problem? I only dry 1 or 2 loads per week so this dryer hasn't had much use.

 

[jeff1]

The perplexing issue is that the problem did not occur with my previous dryer and all new hoses were installed with the new GE.

Agreed.....but your old dryer also probably didn't have some screwy feature added to an electronic board
Some electronic engineer somewhere had to justify their existence and made up this feature.

Could it be a faulty computer chip or some other internal problem?

I doubt it, but possible. I don't think they would even come out on a warranty call to check the dryer out since the issue points to a venting/air flow issue of some sort.
Lets try the test and see what happens.

jeff sr.

 

[lowairpain]

We have the same "low air" problem on the GE Dryer as Newbie288. It was installed about a year ago and has had the problem since the beginning. I had the local appliance repairman look at it and he called in to some appliance repair place to get help. He claims that the dryer vent is facing west and getting too much wind causing the vent to cool down, especially in the winter (we live in Montana), and the stupid low air monitor says the exhaust is not hot enough and we stand the chance of the moisture condensing from the cold air and slowing the exhaust of the dryer. Well, it's been 98 degrees here the last few days, and the dryer still exhibits the "low air" warning on every full load of towels on high heat. I had the exhaust pipe blown out and nothing changed. But, it almost always fails (low air) on heavy towels and the towel cycle. I've never had it happen on delicate or other cycles. I agree that "some screwy feature was added to an electronic board and Some electronic engineer somewhere had to justify their existence and made up this feature." If someone has solved this problem, I'd be forever thankful for your advice.

PS We have essentially a built in dryer, hard to access the electric plug in the back, and have to go down 22 stairs to the basement to switch the circuit breaker to reset the dryer. It doesn't go to high heat when the low air light is on.

 

[jeff1]

Hi,

But, it almost always fails (low air) on heavy towels and the towel cycle.

Have you tried cleaning out the lint filter 1/2 way through the cycle? Towels could give off more lint blocking air flow. Just a thought.

jeff sr.

 

[JPJUAR]

The "Low air" light comes on and won't dry my clothes. I have had it for 3 weeks with no problems. Then the Low air light came on and it will not dry my clothes. I had professional vent cleaners clean it out 3 days ago and it went off. It ran around 6 primes then the light came on again. I did as someone suggested, which is do the breaker. The light went out. I think this should be a recall due to faulty sensor.

 

[Newbie288]

Since installation, the dryer runs fine for about 3 loads and then on the 4th load the dryer displays a low air warning. When I reset the breaker switch, the message disappears and the dryer works fine for another 3 or 4 loads. This has happened repeatedly in the 8 months I've owned it. I'm in a high rise condo and the building's air vent has been checked and is clear. New hoses were installed with the dryer. What is causing this issue?

This is an update to my original post. I paid to have the building vent professionally cleaned and it did not resolve the problem. GE sent a repairman out who informed me that there is nothing they can do to fix the situation. He explained that this dryer requires its venting to be less than 15 feet long and the hose can have no more than 4 bends (including any elbows or turns needed for the exhaust duct to reach the exhaust hole in the wall). If either of these conditions are not met, the air flow will be degraded which triggers the low air message, increases dryer time and reduces dryer life. This information appears in the Exhaust section of the user manual. Since this dryer model is designed to be stackable, it should have been designed to accommodate tight spaces that increase the number of bends, and also designed for lengthy exhaust requirements which are common in the architectural designs of high rise condos. This dryer was simply designed to be unsuitable for its intended purpose. Bottom line: BUYER BEWARE.

 

[Coryg]

I have the same problem. My dryer is three weeks old. The light came on after 3 loads. I had a GE service man come out. He said nothing was wrong. But he did say probably my vent was dirty. He checked all sensors, shut breaker off etc. my vents had been cleaned so I knew it wasn’t the vent. After he finished the light went out. Now I have done 3 loads of wash and the light has come back on !! I can’t possibly move my machine. It’s a stacked set. This is a 3 week old set and I’m at a loss as to what to do. The service man said it was still safe to use it. But if it’s going to take longer to dry my things and have this light on for the next 10 years. .. Something is wrong with this picture. Please assist 🙏🙏