Why Replacing One Part Isn’t Always Enough – Dryer

A dryer’s life expectancy can be anywhere from 10 - 15 years with the proper care. So, when something stops working it’s best to try to fix it than purchasing a brand-new dryer. If you are a do-it-yourselfer then you may already know that the dryer is not impossible to fix. One of the biggest issue consumers deal with is their dryer not heating. A quick assumption when a dryer does not heat is to replace the dryer element. In some cases, replacing the element works and your dryer is as good as new. BUT in other cases, you replace your element and it burns out within a week or month of replacing it. What happened? Simple, your element burned out for one of three reasons, your element was defective, you have clogged dryer vents, or your element wasn’t your only problem!

In many cases consumers jump to the conclusion that their element is the issue their dryer won’t heat. When the real problem could be as simple as a bad thermostat or thermal fuse. A thermostat is attached to your element and this tells the element when to turn on and off. When the thermostat has gone bad it will not shut off causing your new element to overheat and burn out quickly. This isn’t the only issue you could be having. Thermal fuses help control the thermostats! When the thermal fuse goes bad it causes a chain reaction of your thermostat not turning off and overheating your element. No matter how many times you change your dryer element if the thermostat and thermal fuse no longer work your dryer will not heat correctly. Therefore, it is best to replace not only your dryer element but your thermostat and thermal fuse.

Always be sure to clean out your dryer vents. Having clogged dryer vents reduces the amount of air flow into the dryer causing your element to burn out. If you want to read more about the importance of cleaning out your dryer vents, click here.

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