Developed in 19th-century England, the first mechanized clothes dryers were perforated barrels that rotated over flames. Today’s appliances are not so very different, at least in principle, with ...

Q: I need your advice. My clothes dryer stopped getting my clothes dry. The problem was traced to the vent line being squished behind the dryer. I was also told the flexible plastic pipe was inferior.

Q: I need your advice. My clothes dryer stopped getting my clothes dry. The problem was traced to the vent line being squished behind the dryer. I was also told the flexible plastic pipe was inferior.

Dear Jim: Our dryer runs longer than it used to and the utility room seems chilly. The dryer is pushed back in a corner with a bend in the duct. What can I do and should I install a vent cover or vent ...