Dryer not working? Here's what may be wrong.

Picture this: You've got the first load of laundry out of the washer. You throw it in the dryer, get your next load in the washer, go to start the dryer and... nothing. If you have a dryer long enough, chances are it will go out at some point. A dryer not working can be a frustrating experience. Here are some common issues we see with dryers and how to address them.

Start simple. If your dryer is not getting power at all the first thing to check is the circuit breaker. Dryers are normally on a dedicated 30 amp, 2 pole circuit breaker. If you're not sure what that is, it's the larger breakers in your electrical panel. In an ideal situation, the breakers will be labeled clearly and you can simply look for the one labeled "dryer" and reset it if it has tripped, but on older homes it may be harder to find. Most homes have several double pull breakers for things like the water heater, oven, and dryer so you'll need to figure out which one is correct and reset that one.

If your dryer has power but is not starting, you may have a blown fuse inside the dryer itself. The fuses are safety mechanisms that are designed to fail if the unit gets hotter than it's normal operating temperature. Several things can cause the unit to get too hot and blow the fuse. Common causes are the vents being clogged, the element grounding, or the unit not cycling the temperature correctly. The important thing to remember with a blown fuse is that by replacing the fuse, you probably haven't solved the problem. You have to find out why the fuse failed or it will happen again, usually the next time you run the dryer.

So what if your dryer is turning on and spinning but not heating? You're thinking heating element for sure right? Possibly, but there are other things that can cause this as well. Some things that can cause the unit to not heat include the cycling thermostat, which regulates the temperature. The centrifugal switch on the motor, which lets the unit know the drum is turning and supplies voltage to the heater could also be a culprit. The breaker, which I mentioned before, could have tripped, but not fully, allowing only half the voltage and allowing the unit to turn on and tumble, but not heat.

If your dryer is heating and tumbling but still not getting things dry, it's probably time to have your vents cleaned. Some people choose to do this themselves, but I like to recommend a professional dryer vent cleaning service when possible. It really depends on your specific needs, but as a general rule, if the vent is vertical at any point, has a lot of curves, is difficult to access, or has a long run to the outside of your home it's best to call a pro.

While you can DIY dryer repair, I recommend if you're having an issue to call an appliance repair service. it's the safest option, and a qualified technician can test components and get to the root of your specific issue while taking out the guesswork and preventing unnecessary parts installs. Ken's Appliance Service fixes dryer problems daily and we're happy to do it! If you need service, give us a call at 615-896-2933. We service Nashville, Chattanooga, Memphis, and the surrounding cities for each of these locations. We're located in Murfreesboro, TN at 511B Middle Tennessee Blvd and we sell parts as well!

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