Your dryer not heating up is one of the most common problems almost all types of dryers are faced with. If you are faced with this issue we are here to help you solve this problem.
If you are faced with a “dryer not heating” up then this could be due to a clogged vent, tripped circuit, faulty heating element (faulty thermostat and coil), blown thermal fuse, and a faulty power cord.
In this article, we would discuss why your dryer is not heating up and how to fix dryer not heating up.
Why is my Dryer not Heating up
There are several reasons why your dryer is not heating up, and we would discuss some of these reasons below. The major cause of your “why the dryer is not heating up” includes: Electrical fault, blocked or clogged vent airflow, faulty thermal fuse, and damaged or broken heating elements.
Also if your dryer is not connected to a power source and your dryer’s door is not properly closed, then all these can lead to issues related to your dryer not heating up.
Causes of Dryer Not Heating Up
Your gas dryer runs on gas unlike the electric dryer, one of the most common problems of your gas dryer not heating up issues is faulty or loose wiring in Gas dryers and insufficient gas supply.
If there is not enough gas in your gas dryer then gas won’t circulate to heat up your dryer. Also if there is a loose or faulty wire connection in your gas dryer this could also lead to issues of your gas dryer not heating up.
However ensure there is enough gas, there are no gas leakages, and the pipes connecting your dryer and gas supply are properly connected together.
In conclusion, make sure the power cord is not faulty and ensure it is firmly connected to a wall outlet. If after trying these steps and your dryer not heating up issues still persists you can call a service repairman.
If you want to save yourself a couple of bucks then you should request service with your dryer manufacturer or check if the warranty still covers the dryer.
How to Fix Dryer Not Heating Up
If your dryer is not heating up, it is due to several reasons, and below are some of the reasons why your dryer isn’t heating up.
Clogged Vent
The moisture of your wet cloth is evaporated by the heated air, which is then pushed out of the dryer through the vent by the fan to the exterior of our homes. The vent can be found on every dryer and it is located at the back. The vent is a 4-inch diameter metal vent, and its main function is to carry moist air out of the dryer to the exterior of our homes through the flexible rigid tube. For most home designs, an end of the rigid tube attaches to the dryer, and the other end attaches to a hole cut in the side of the house.
A clogged vent is one of the most common problems faced with most dryers. We would show you steps on how clean the clogged vent of your dryer if it was connected to ductwork and if it is not connected to ductwork click here:
- Remove the lint trap filter and clean with a vacuum brush attachment.
- Use your Vacuum cleaner to clean the inner part of the lint trap housing. You can use the long flexible brush attachment of your vacuum cleaner. Make sure the brush reaches the bottom of the cavity to properly clean the cavity.
- Unplug the power cord of your dryer and disconnect the duct from the dryer.
- Pull your dryer away from the wall and disconnect the remainder of the dryer duct. In case it is taped, remove and dispose of the tape.
- Now clean the ductwork in a rotating motion by using a round duct brush. Also, clean the remaining section of the dryer duct using the same brush until there is no more lint coming out of the duct. Make sure you don’t forget to check the end of your dryer vent.
- Finally, reattach or replace the ductwork and other items removed from the dryer.
However in case, you cannot reach all the areas, kindly buy a new tube to replace the old vent tube.
Tripped Circuit Breaker
Most households often use electrical safety devices to prevent damage to household equipment. The circuit breaker will disrupt the flow of electric current (high current or low currents) which can cause damage to your equipment or cause a fire outbreak.
The circuit breaker can trip due to an overload and when this happens it’s best to reduce the number of appliances that are switched ON. Most times if your dryer is not properly heating, then the circuit breaker must have tripped Off.
Your dryer not heating up issues, could be from a tripped circuit breaker. You can either manually or automatically reset the circuit breaker to resume its normal working operation.
- Turn off all devices on the electrical circuit.
- Locate the electrical service panel or circuit breaker board.
- Find the tripped circuit breaker. The tripped circuit breaker position will differ from the positions of others. You will find it in the middle position and not in the right or left position
- To turn OFF the circuit breaker: shift the handle of the circuit breaker away from the centerline of the panel.
- To turn the circuit breaker handle ON: Shift the handle toward the centerline of the service panel. If the handle is firmly seated, it would make an audible click.
- Now turn your dryer back on and check if it’s now working.
Blown thermal fuse
A blown thermal fuse needs to be replaced with a new one, unlike the circuit breaker that can be reset. A blown thermal fuse is one of the most common reasons why your dryer won’ heat. The thermal fuse for an electric dryer can be found near the heating element or on the blower housing.
You can use a multimeter to test for continuity of the thermal fuse, if the multimeter doesn’t read, it should be replaced.
Faulty Heating Element
The heating element consists of the heating coils and thermostat. If you have a faulty heating coil and thermostat then you will be faced with issues of your dryer not heating up
Faulty Heating Coil
- Unplug the electric dryer from the power cord that is connected to a wall outlet.
- To test The heating element of your dryer:
- Use a screwdriver to remove the coil panel by using a screwdriver at the lining at the side. The coil panel resembles a metal box.
- The heating element is located at the back of your dryer. Remove the 2 screws that are attached to the heating element of your dryer then slide the panel out.
- Now you will see 3 red wires which are also known as the lead attached to the bottom left area of the panel.
- Connect the multimeter to the wires on the heating coils to check for connectivity. Well, if the multimeter doesn’t read then the leads are no longer functioning and require to be replaced.
Faulty Thermostat
A Thermostat is needed to regulate or control the flow of heat or temperature. The electric Dryer uses a thermostat and a faulty thermostat might not make your dryer heat the way you want. Therefore you need to test the reading of the thermostat.
- Remove the back panel of your dryer with a Philips or flat head screwdriver as suitable.
- Locate the thermostat, it looks like a prolonged and circular piece of metal.
- Remove the wires and leads connecting to the thermostat.
- Use your multimeter to find if its reads, if the multimeter doesn’t read then the thermostat needs to be replaced.
Once you have fixed the heating coil or replaced the thermostat, then plug back your dryer. Reassemble the parts, and make sure you use to fix the right screws and bolts in the right place. Then plug in the electrical cord as this should help fix your dryer not heating up issues.
Faulty Power Cord
Most times we fail to check the power cord that transfers electric current to our electric dryer. A faulty power cord would cause your dryer not heating up problems. It should also be tested with a multimeter for continuity. If you found out that the power cord is faulty you should replace the power cord.