Laundry itself is a hassle, and it is an extra hassle when your dryer fails to function properly.
We expect a hot and crisp basket of laundry when we remove the clothes from the dryer. However, when your dryer fails to blow hold air inside the chamber, you are ended up with saggy, wet clothes.
So, you must be curious to know why your dryer is not blowing hot air. Let’s investigate, shall we?
Why is my dryer not blowing hot air?
The most common reason for a dryer to not blow hot air is overheating. Other reasons might be a circuit breaker has been tripped, gas flow is not sufficient, or jammed vents. A faulty timer or thermal fuse can also be the reason behind it. To solve the problem, you must identify the reason first.
It is crucial that the dryer blow hot air to dry up the clothes. So, every dryer has a thermostat to control the temperature.
When the thermostat malfunctions, the dryer’s settings also trip. So, if your dryer model has a reset button, first use that to restart the configuration. If the issue doesn’t resolve, let’s dissect the main culprit behind this mess.
Tumble dryer:
The tumble dryer operates with an electric motor to rotate the drum and a driving fan blows the hot water simultaneously. The fan has a ventilation tunnel from where hot air flows in. the reasons why sometimes the fan fails to enter hot air are listed below_
Overheating:
Every dryer has a built-in thermostat. When the dryer overheats, the airflow becomes cold to avoid a fire risk.
There are several reasons why the dryer overheats. Since tumble dryer is electric-based, electricity power has a big role to play.
Clogged vents:
A dryer is connected via filter vents to give access to hot air. But when the vents are clogged, the blockage signals the filters for cold air.
This is more crucial when the machine is overheating. The thermostat signals the overheating and welcomes the cool air to keep the temperature down.
Not closing the door properly:
If you keep opening the door in the mid-way of a cycle or open the door instantly after a load is finished, the tumble dryer doesn’t get enough time to cool down after such heavy toil.
The hot air entry process gets disturbed if you disturb the usual business.
Gas Dryer:
A gas dryer is a more efficient, power-friendly machine that heats fast, and can load more clothes one at a time. Despite the name, the gas dryer needs an electric connection and it also can have an issue of not blowing hot air. Let’s find out why_
Blown thermal fuse:
The thermal fuse is placed to ensure the temperature doesn’t rise high to avoid a fire risk. Modern devices trip the thermal fuse if the temperature raises too high.
Older models, in such case, keep working but fails to produce heat. When your dryer stops blowing hot air, first thing first, check the thermal fuse.
Dryer igniter damaged:
The dryer igniter glows red hot so that the dryer can heat via gas ignition. The heating element on the igniter is very fragile and placed on burner assembly on top of the burner tube.
If the dryer igniter is broken or burnt due to excess heat or technical issues, the gas dryer will not blow hot air.
What to check when your dryer spins but produces no heat?
Both tumble and gas dryers have separate settings for spinning the drum and keeping the blown air hot. Sometimes even if the other functions are working properly, the dryer may not procure hot air.
When the dryer spins properly but the air is not hot, you must check some functions of the dryer_
Thermal fuse:
The thermal fuse is a safety kit to ensure the dryer doesn’t overheat. If due to overheating and power disturbance the thermal fuse is tripped, the dryer will function properly but the air will no longer be hot.
So, you must check the thermal fuse which normally is located in the blower housing.
Thermostat:
This kit is to keep the temperature inside the dryer evenly. If the thermal fuse is tripped, you must check this next.
This may cause no heat inside the dryer, or it may create excessive heat while cycling the clothes. If the thermal fuse is rigged, check the thermostat and temperature switch instantly.
Heating coil or igniter:
In the case of a tumble dryer, you must check whether the heating coil is fine or burnt. You can locate the heating coil inside the back panel. If the thermal fuse turns out to be fine, it might be the reason the dryer not blowing hot air.
In case of a gas dryer, an electric current run into the dryer’s igniter. It then procures heat to light up the flame inside the burner assembly.
That flame eventually sends out the heat inside the drum. When the igniter is damaged, or burnt off, no heat will be produced.
Clogged vent:
If the filters are clogged, the dryer will send off cool air to avoid a fire risk. So, must check that vents are clean and filtered.
How much does it cost to replace the heating element in the dryer?
A dryer needs hot air to dry off the clothes. So, the heating elements have an intense task to perform. Meanwhile, the heating elements also ensure that the dryer doesn’t overheat and cause a fire. So, the question is whether you need to replace a faulty heating element answers itself.
Now, coming to cost, prices to replace the heating elements ranges from $40-$400 for a tumble or electric dryer and $100-$450 for a gas dryer, irrespective of model and brand.
Before replacement, an expert diagnosis can cost you an extra $50-$100. A thermostat can cost you $50-$60 bucks.
Meanwhile, if the thermal fuse is tripped, a replacement will be $10 bucks. If the dryer igniter is damaged, it will cost $100-$150 to get it replaced. If the motor is damaged, the cost will be an additional $100-$250. And filters can cost $50-$75 to be replaced.
How to fix a dryer not blowing hot air?
It is pretty costly to diagnose and fix the dryer if you seek professional help. However, if you are handy with electronics, you can save up bucks just by following these easy steps_
Unplug the dryer:
Dryers are powered by 220v of electricity. You probably don’t want to get shocked by such a heavy current. Switch off the power and put on a rubber glove for extra caution.
Detach hose:
Carefully remove the heater vent hose from the dryer. The host is thin and fragile. So be careful with it. Try not to rip it.
Take off the back part:
There are 8-10 sheet metal screws. Carefully unscrew them to take the metal part off the dryer. You can do it manually or with some tools.
Open the heating element:
If the dryer is not blowing hot air, the reason is certainly hiding inside the heating element. First, check the sensors attached to it. Sometimes, the sensor wire might trip. If the issue is with sensors, you are saved from lots of havoc.
Check the thermal fuse:
You can find the thermal fuse on the blower housing or near the heating element. The fuses are usually rated between 190 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
To make sure the thermal fuse is carrying an electric current you need to test it with a multimeter.
Set the multimeter and make the probes touch to ensure those are working. Now remove the wire from the thermal fuse and test it using the probes of the multimeter.
It will show some steady numbers to show that it has continuity. However, if the multimeter reads zero, the fuse will be deemed tripped.
Clean the vent:
After resolving the thermal fuse issue, you must ensure a clean filtered vent to ensure the dryer doesn’t overheat. To clean out the clogs from the vent, you should seek professional help. Since the filters are delicate and fragile.
Put them back together:
After fixing the issue reverse the procedure. Don’t put the laundry on immediately after powering up. Seek professionals if the issues aren’t solved yet.
Final Thoughts
What’s the purpose of the dryer if it can’t dry your clothes? the need for hot air can’t be stressed enough. So, whenever you feel no hot air, firstly check the thermal fuse and thermostat. To prevent this from happening, ensure that the vents aren’t clogged up and the appliance doesn’t overheat.