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Clothes Dryer Repair and Troubleshooting Tips:


Avoid an Expensive Appliance Service Call

© 2008 by All rights reserved; content may not be copied, rewritten, or republished without author’s written permission. Author’s Google profile

Whirlpool Clothes Dryer



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 summon the inner handyman and 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.

Appliance Model Number

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.

Maytag Dryer Heating Element 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 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.

Maytag Dryer Door Switch 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 exhaust tube, do yourself a favor and install a metal one rather than a plastic one. Why? The combination 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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