There are a few different reasons why your dryer might not be heating. The most common cause is a buildup of lint that has overheated the dryer and caused an internal part to stop working. However, in some cases, there may be a more simple solution. Follow this guide to diagnose and fix the problem.
One common cause that is easy to check is a tripped circuit breaker. An electric dryer has two 120-volt breakers, one for heating and one for power. A tripped heating circuit breaker would explain why the dryer is running but not heating.
One of the easiest-to-check reasons that a gas dryer is not heating is a lack of gas.
The lint screen should be cleaned after every cycle. But even with a lint screen, lint can still get through and cause a blockage, so make sure to clean out this area.
If your dryer uses a mechanical timer, a faulty timer may be responsible for the dryer not heating. If the timer is not moving to the next cycle, in some models, the heat may keep running until it becomes too hot, tripping the thermal fuse. In other models, a faulty timer may stop heat from being released.
To check and replace the timer, follow these steps:
Is a ventilation blockage responsible for your dryer not heating? Check the ventilation hose, and on some models, lint screens attached to the ventilation hose can also become blocked. If you can access the outside vent, you can test that the ventilation is working by checking for a warm, consistent airflow. Disconnecting the dryer hose and cleaning out this area can solve the problem. If you have a gas dryer, be careful when moving the dryer to gain access.
Unscrewing and/or unclipping dryer panels to access the drum and motor will likely reveal more lint, and depending on the model, more lint traps and/or ventilation areas to clean.
One of the most common causes of a dryer not heating is the thermal fuse. The thermal fuse is a safety device designed to prevent your dryer from catching fire. On newer models, if the dryer temperature exceeds a certain level, the thermal fuse is tripped, and the dryer stops working. On older models, the dryer may continue to work but without producing heat.
Make sure to identify what caused the thermal fuse to blow to prevent the fuse from blowing again. A buildup of lint is often the cause.
Another of the most common causes for a dryer not heating is a fault with the heating element. The coils in the heating element are often damaged due to natural wear and tear or lint blockages.
On most models, these are located close to the heating element.
If you have a gas dryer, the dryer may not be heating due to a faulty flame sensor. A gas dryer requires a flame to heat the air to dry your clothes. A faulty flame sensor will not allow the flame to ignite.
To check and replace your flame sensor:
Having checked all the most common causes of a dryer not heating, you should now have identified and fixed the problem.
Reassemble the dryer, remembering to reconnect the power, and turn on the gas (if applicable) when finished.
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