Electric Clothes Dryer Won't Heat Up? Two Possible Fixes
If your clothes are not drying in your electric clothes dryer, this can be due to many things. In some cases, this will require an experienced technician, but in others, you may be able to repair it yourself. Follow the two tips below to get your electric dryer to heat up again.
Inspect the Circuits
When your dryer is running, it pulls a lot of current from the circuit breaker in your circuit panel. Because of this, your dryer may have two circuit breaker switches. One switch supplies electricity to the heating element, and the other to the motor. If a load is more than a breaker can handle, it will automatically switch off, so this may be your problem. Find your circuit breaker box in your house. This is a metal box that is generally flush with the wall. It may be in your garage, a storage room, or a hallway. When you find it, open the door to access the circuit breakers. Each breaker should be labeled for what it supplies power to. Find the one or two that say dryer. If the breaker is in the opposite direction of the others, flip it back on. Check your dryer to see if it is heating.
If you cannot find the circuit breaker box, contact an electrician. They can also check the breakers to make sure they are working properly. If not, they can replace the breakers for you.
Inspect the Heating Element
The heat in your electric dryer is supplied by a heating element. In most cases, the heating element is a coiled wire with two terminals. Electricity flows through the heating element when you turn your dryer on. You need to inspect it in order to repair your dryer. On some dryers, you can remove the back panel to access it, but in others, you will have to remove the drum. Refer to the user's manual for your dryer if you are not able to find the heating element. Make sure you unplug the dryer before you do anything or you will get an electrical shock.
It is easy to determine if a heating element is bad. The coil itself will look broken, which prevents the electric current from flowing through it. If this is the case, you can replace the heating element yourself. The owner's manual will give you the exact part number so you know what to order.
If you are not able to find the problem with your dryer, contact a repair technician like one from Doctor Cool to come to your home and repair it for you.
