How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Dryer Belt? [2024 Data]
Normal range: $60 - $190
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.
- Average
- $120
- Low end
- $8
- high end
- $270
Dryer Belt Replacement Cost Factors
Types
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 affair, more often than not the issue is larger and therefore requires the repair or replacement of supporting parts, like a motor or pulley.
While the drum is a part of the system, it almost never breaks. What is much more common is a part of the dryer that either turns or heats the drum starts malfunctioning. While there are drums you can buy to replace it, if you actually manage to damage the drum itself, you’re better off just buying a new dryer.
| 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
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’l need to perform the same steps you would if you were repairing an existing belt.
| Materials Required | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Belt | $8–$25 |
| Belt lubricant | $3–$15 |
Labor
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.
Prep
Preparing to replace a dryer vent won’t cost anything Before doing anything, you should turn off the power to the laundry room. Most dryers will have a series of screws on the top of the appliance on the back. This means you’ll need to pull the dryer away from the wall to access them. Once you remove the screws, pull the top of the dryer back, and it should slide off.
If the dryer is freestanding, you can usually slide it out without much problem. However, if your washer and dryer are stacked, you’ll need some help to remove it. Dryers are much easier to work with if they’re on the ground, so don’t consider accessing a stacked dryer top by standing on a ladder.
Symptoms of a Bad Dryer Belt
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.
Dryer Belt Ongoing Costs
Maintenance
Dryer belts are designed to last as long as the dryer itself, but they are prone to failure if you regularly dry heavy loads or items such as duvets and shoes. Dryer belts tend to experience failure before other parts of a dryer and can be considered a sign that you should thoroughly inspect your dryer once your belt fails. Hopefully, you can spot problems before they cause a domino effect, causing other parts to fail.
DIY Dryer Belt Replacement vs. Hiring a Pro
Of all the DIY projects you could undertake, replacing your dryer belt is one of the best ones. You learn a useful skill, and the price difference between hiring a dryer repair pro and doing it yourself is night and day. If you don’t want to do the work for any reason, then calling a pro is the way to go. However, if you have a screwdriver and a few minutes to spare, we recommend giving this project a try.
Tips to Reduce Cost While Replacing a Dryer Belt
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.