On Mon, 11 Nov 2019 21:40:07 +0000, Steve Walker
wrote:

snip

If our experience is at all common, it is poor design, but perhaps not
an obvious problem. They presumably did not consider that a failure of
one part would cause a build-up of fluff that could then be pulled in by
the fan and onto the heater elements.

Our old Zanussi appears to *suck* air in from the outside world *via*
the heater elements, draw it though the drum and front filter before
*blowing* it out the exhaust plumbing (up some rigid plastic trunking
and out though the wall).

I do have to clear the exit grill and flexi-hose between machine hand
rigid exit duct once-in-a-while and generally clean the internals of
the machine when I'm in there replacing a belt, pulley, spigot or
motor bearings etc.

The coiled wire heater elements (like a fan heater) has generally been
pretty clear every time.

Cheers, T i m