Dryer belt replacement costs $120 on average, or between $60 and $190, depending on the type of dryer and the materials and labor required.
When your dryer stops spinning, it’s bad news for your laundry. A faulty dryer belt can cause your drying machine to stop working, so you'll need to replace it as soon as possible. While the part itself costs between $8 and $25, professional dryer belt replacement costs $120 on average, or between $60 and $190, depending on your type of dryer.
All dryer manufacturers and models will have different repair requirements, so let’s focus on the type of repair required. While a belt repair can be a ten-minute, $10 DIY, more often than not the issue is larger and therefore requires the repair or replacement of supporting parts, like a motor or pulley.
| Type of Belt Repair | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Entire belt assembly | $130–$210 |
| Belt pulley assembly | $70–$150 |
| Belt motor only | $50–$150 |
| Belt only | $8–$25 (materials only) |
When replacing or repairing a dryer belt, the only two pieces you need are the belt and the belt lubricant. If you are repairing a belt, you may simply need to tighten it via the tension pulley and add lubricant. New belts can come pre-lubricated but if not, you’ll need to perform the same steps you would if you were repairing an existing belt.
| Materials Required | Average Materials Cost |
|---|---|
| Belt | $8–$25 |
| Belt lubricant | $3–$15 |
By far the largest single cost when replacing a dryer belt is if you hire a local dryer repair professional. It’s not uncommon to see hourly rates between $50 and $110 per hour for this repair, and since the job itself is usually simple, dryer repair technicians will often charge a site fee simply to come to the property. These are often between $40 and $80. This cost can often rise, especially if you misdiagnose the problem, and the pro will need to dig further—and charge accordingly—to discover the real issue.
Since dryers have enclosed mechanical parts, you can’t easily inspect a belt like you could in a car. Knowing the signs a belt is either failing or has already failed can help save both repair costs and can also help prevent damage leading to more expensive repairs. While there are a few telltale symptoms—like the drum not turning—others may be less obvious.
Most common signs of a dryer not working are:
Squeaking when running the dryer
Drum not turning when on
Drum turning slowly
Clothes not drying fully
Drum is wobbling when running
Burning smell when drying clothes
Replacing a dryer belt yourself is a good DIY option if you have prior experience with appliance repair. The supplies are readily available at a hardware store and require basic tools like a screwdriver.
If you're less experienced or unsure, it's always better to hire a professional dryer repair technician. You'll avoid any costly damages to your dryer and rest easy knowing the job is done well.
There aren’t many ways to reduce costs while replacing a dryer belt. As we mentioned above, the number one way to save money is to do it yourself, but if you can’t for some reason—or just don’t want to—consider these money-saving tips:
If a professional is coming for another job, see if they can fix it while already there.
Shop around for the best price.
Consider generic parts instead of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts.
Perform routine maintenance to avoid repairs and increase life span.
Check your warranty—the part and labor may be covered.
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Depending on the age of your dryer and the ease with which you can replace a belt, the answer is yes, if your belt is broken it’s always worth it to repair. The only time you may not want to is if your dryer is past its average life span—six to nine years—and multiple parts are failing on a regular basis. However, if your dryer is relatively new, replacing the belt is an inexpensive way to revive your malfunctioning appliance.
Dryers work by pumping hot air into a drum which spins, tumbling the clothes and ensuring the hot air can reach all the fabric. When a dryer belt malfunctions, the drum will either squeak loudly or the drum simply won’t spin. Sometimes this just requires adding some tension to the belt but because the belt itself is only around $10, it makes more sense to just swap the part for a new one.
Dryer belts squeak for two reasons—they’re not tight against the drum, and they have worn through their lubrication. The good news is that both of these issues are relatively easy to fix. On many dryers, there is a tension screw or bolt that you tighten to bring the belt snugly against the drum, and lubricating the belt simply involves adding lubricant to the side touching the drum.
If your dryer is spinning and hot air is entering the drum it will work, but it isn’t a great idea to keep using it without a repair plan in place. A squeaking belt isn’t a big deal on its own, but over time it can wear down or even damage the motor, leading to a more costly repair. Most dryer parts—except for electronics—are simple and inexpensive to repair if you feel like a DIY project.
