It is unfortunate that the incredible engineering on 95% of this machine can be ruined by the poor engineering of the lint filter!
As it is, the lint filter on this machine is inadequate. It allows unfiltered air to bypass the lint filter. This, in turn , allows the buildup of debris/hair on the fins/heat pump assembly. If I hadn't had the additional warranty, I would've been left with a machine that NEVER got the laundry dry and always left a musty smell on everything. I feel that GE should issue a recall for the original lint filter assembly and that they need to add an improvement pack for the current lint filter assembly, (to block and filter the air that is able to get around the current air filter assembly.)
I live on a farm, have an indoor cat and two dogs, one of which is a husky mix (and sheds accordingly!)
I clean out the vent and Lynne filter after just about every single load. The repair technicians said “the fins look great“ and that my machine was one of the cleanest of its type that they had seen. It took several trips to finally get my machine repaired and functioning properly. They changed out the entire heat pump assembly. If I am able, I will leave pictures of what I pulled out of the hole that was supposed to drain from the condenser. It was full of dog hair that had gotten past the lint filter.
I am not happy that I have to pay for the new lint filter assembly that, according to other people with this same model, say is a definite improvement over the foam filter assembly, but still does not address the “blow by“ issue.