My gas dryer recently started to smell like partially brunt fuel. I can smell it a litte inside and stronger outside. I can sometimes smell it on our clothes, but not usually. It was a natural gas dryer when new, but it was converted to propane about 15 years ago.

I checked the vent and it appeared clear. I did clean it out and shorten the flex hose. That seemed to help, but the smell came back.

I read a post here that a kerosene smell can be due to painting fumes. To me it smells more like incomplete combustion, but I could see it described as smelling like kerosene. I did start noticing this smell after I started refinishing the cabinets in the house. I've been spraying a catalized varnish and brushing a polyurathane. Could this really be the source? I would not think there were enough volitized hydrocarbons to make a smell like that in the close dryer. I suppose the real test will be seeing if the smell remains when I'm done refinishing. I just want to make sure there is not a more serious problem.

Any thoughts?

Thanks, Mike

Mike,

I'm not a repair tech, but last year I refinished by bathroom cabinets with stain. Later in the day, I started the gas dryer and smelled the same kerosene smell. I thought I had a gas leak. Called the gas company. When they arrived, they instantly knew what the problem was. The stain fumes were being burned in the dryer, hence the smell. I was told to wait a day or two till the staining smell depleted before using the dryer again. I rewashed the load of clothes to get the kerosene smell out, used the dryer and all is well.

Hope this helps.

-Moe