2 Potential Solutions For A Clothes Dryer That's Stopped Heating
Clothes dryers perform a simple yet indispensable role in many homes today. Thus when something goes wrong, and a dryer stops working the way it should, panic often ensues. The good news is that many common problems are simple enough for even a relative amateur to fix. Read on to learn more about two possible solutions for a dryer that spins but doesn't give off heat.
The circuit breaker has blown.
Although clothes dryers represent a fairly simple system, they nevertheless draw a significant amount of power from the electrical system in your home. Thus, to help prevent overtaxing the system, they are commonly allotted two circuit breaker switches all to themselves. One switch is responsible for supplying the motor with juice, while the second one acts to power the heating element.
Despite this failsafe, dryers still manage to blow their breakers on a fairly regular basis. Therefore, the simplest explanation for a dryer that won't heat is that the circuit breaker controlling the heating element has blown. Be sure to rule out this possibility before moving on to more complex fixes.
The heating element has broken.
Within a clothes dryer, heat is supplied by means of a component known as the heating element. This is a coiled metal wire with a terminal at each end. When these terminals are correctly plugged in, electricity is able to flow through the wire, which will turn orange and begin to give off heat.
Heating elements, by and large, are pretty tough. All the same, because they are subject to frequent changes in temperature, eventually this will cause them to break. By interrupting the flow of electricity through the heating element, this essentially cripples your dryer's ability to generate heat.
To visually inspect your heating element for breaks, begin by unplugging the machine. This will protect against the risk of electrical shock. In order to gain access to the element, you will now either need to unscrew and remove the back panel, or detach the drive belt and remove the drum. Consult your owner's manual to find out which method you will need to use.
Once you've gained access, it's easy to recognize a bad heating element. The wire will be physically broken at some point along its length. Remove the wire from the ceramic clips that keep it in place. Then order an appropriately sized replacement. Bear in mind that the new heating element should be the same both in terms of its length, and in the width of the terminals at either end.
Contact a service like Collier County Appliance Service, Inc. for further help.
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