Clothes Dryer Repair and Troubleshooting Tips:
Avoid an Expensive Service Call with DIY Diagnosis
© 2008 by Kelly Smith all rights reserved
Diagnose and repair your broken electric clothes dryer to avoid a costly service call by an appliance
repairman.
Is is the culprit a faulty dryer heater element, door switch, or idler pulley?
There are electrical appliances all over the home today; probably more than are needed. If it’s a
kitchen appliance, chances are that it has a digital clock integrated into it. Who needs that many
clocks? They’re power vampires.
The Clothes Dryer as a Labor Saver
But make no mistake, appliances make life easier. One of the most useful is the clothes dryer. The days
of clothes lines and clothes pins have been over for years now because of this useful device.
But like anything else, things can and will go wrong with it. Repairs are expensive when a
professional appliance repairman pays a diagnostic visit. But any homeowner can repair a clothes
dryer and save money. All it takes is a little laundry appliance troubleshooting.
Find the Problem, Then Locate the Dryer Replacement Part
There are many manufacturers and models available. Use the look-up box below to find the right
dryer repair part for yours.
Problem — My Clothes Dryer is not Heating?
If the dryer will tumble but it does not get hot, the problem is most likely the heating element.
The modern clothes dryer is a remarkably simple contraption. All models will vary in their construction
and layout; most drawings can be found with an Internet search.
Once the interior location of the heating element is found, it’s a simple matter to get to it and
do a visual inspection. Be sure to unplug the dryer or flip the circuit breaker before going in!
If the break in the element can be seen, the diagnosis is complete. If it can’t be seen the
problem might still be there.
Troubleshooting with a Digital Multi-Meter
There are two electrical leads on the element, one at each end of the heating element. A
digital multi-meter can be used to test for continuity, or, uninterrupted electrical flow.
If this is the problem, it’s a simple matter to replace the clothes dryer’s heating element.
Get a replacement heating element, remove the old one (the electrical connections and a couple of screws),
and install the new one.
The problem I had when replacing mine was that none of the local shops would sell me any dryer parts;
they wanted to send one of their appliance service techs out to replace it. But isn’t this what
I was trying to avoid in the first place?
Solution: I ordered one on-line from
A-1 Appliance Parts.
They had the replacement heating element to me lickety-split and fifteen minutes later I was back
in business!
Problem — My Dryer Drum Doesn’t Tumble?
If the clothes dryer drum doesn’t tumble, the first thing to check should be the motor. Is it
running? If not, a meter should be used to determine whether it’s getting power. If it is, but
doesn’t run or make noise, the motor should be replaced.
The motor runs but the drum still doesn't tumble? Check the belt. If the drum belt is broken then it's
time to replace it. If the belt is still in good condition, the idler pulley and spring should be
looked at. They might not be doing their job of keeping the proper tension on the belt.
Other Dryer Operation Problems
If a dryer just won’t tumble or heat, the door switch may be the culprit. This
switch’s job is
to keep the dryer from operating when the door is open.
If it is suspect, it should be removed and the two leads should be checked for continuity.
Clothes Take Too Long to Dry?
If the clothes take too long to dry, make sure that the lint trap is clear and the exhaust is clear
all the way from the dryer to the place it exits, usually to the exterior of the building.
If the lint trap is cleared between each load, the clothes dryer will operate more efficiently
and last for years to come.
When you replace the exhuast tube, do yourself a favor and install a metal one rather than a plastic
one. Why? The combiation of plastic and hot moving air causes static electricity build-up. This
results in bits of lint to cling to the tube and it will clog up prematurely.
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