How to fix an electric dryer that won't start

Electric Dryer Will Not Start

If your electric dryer is not starting, you can troubleshoot it yourself and save on repair bills. We will give you some tips so you can learn how your dryer works, and what might be wrong with it.

Your electric dryer works by the combination of air flow, heating element and drum rotation working together. The air is drawn in through a blower wheel, it’s heated by the heating element and it’s circulated through the clothes through the rotating drum. Your electric dryer needs 240 Volts of current to start and operate properly. The timer, the start switch and the heat selector move the first 120 Volts to the motor passing through the thermal fuse, the cycling thermostat, the high limit thermostat, the thermal cut-off fuse and finally to the heating element. The second 120 Volts close the motor switch as they carry the current through it, and then send it to the heating element. When both the legs of Volts reach the heating element, the circuit is closed and the heating element begins to heat the air. What you need to know is that the dryer’s door should be closed, the receptacle should give 240 Volts, and the dryer should operate properly for your dryer to start.

If your dryer is not starting check the power supply. Is the dryer plugged in, and what are the conditions of the power cord and power plug? If the cord has melted or burned, that’s the reason the dryer is not starting, so it will need to be replaced. You should in this case check if there is a defective circuit in the dryer, or in the receptacle, so that the problem does not reoccur, and to avoid and dangerous fires. As we said the power voltage must be 240 Volts, so you will need a multi-meter to check whether enough voltage is coming through.

Next step is to check the start switch, and the door switches. If the door dryer is open and the dryer starts, the switch might have short it, so you need to test it. Similarly if the door dryer is closed but it isn’t starting, you will need to test the switch. The switch might have shorted, or there may be no continuity in its terminals, or the actuator that presses the door switch might be damaged, or the wires and the connectors corroded. Remove the wires by pulling their connectors off of the terminals, and check whether the connectors are corroded. Tag the wires so that you know which is which when you connect them later. Test the terminals for continuity. Press the button and check continuity between terminals C and NO, and don’t press the button to check continuity between terminals C and NC. Do the same for the start switch.

Take your dryer apart as a last resort by removing the main top panel, the front panel and the drum in this order. To remove the main top panel you need to first remove the screws. To remove the front panel you need to remove the screws, and the door switch. To remove the drum, you need to first release the tension of the belt from the pulleys and unthread it. Once you have a good view, check the thermal fuse, which may also cause the dryer not to start if it has been damaged. Again, use a multi-meter to check it for continuity.

Appliance Repair Grand Rapids

Our appliances make up the central system of our homes, and we could not live without them, but most appliances have a life span of about ten years, and they may start breaking down even earlier than that. Many problems, you can fix yourself, if you follow tips and how to guides, but sometimes the problem requires a professional. If your appliance is still under warranty, call the manufacturer and they will send you a technician to do the job either for free or cost of parts. If the warranty has expired, and you need to hire an appliance technician, follow some of our guidelines below, to avoid high costs and to hire professionals that will really take care of your problem.

Catch the problem in time. Check how your appliances are working. It will cost you more if you hire an appliance repair technician at the last minute. If you have noticed small malfunctions in your appliance, check why the malfunctions are occurring, try to fix it yourself, and if you cannot, hire a technician, before it is too late. It will cost you more to replace parts that have been broken beyond repair because you postponed dealing with the problem.

Do your research. Grab a phone book or go online. If you live in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area, google "appliance repair Grand Rapids MI" to find the best appliance technician in your area. If you live in any other city google appliance repair + your city. Research the companies online further in websites that provide company reviews. Ask your neighbors or relatives who live in the area if they have hired an appliance repair technician recently, and they remained satisfied with their work. See if you can find a good company from someone you know that can give you a discount.

Ask all the right questions before hiring. Call or e-mail a few contractors with the best reviews you found online and ask how much a basic service would cost. Explain to them in as many clear details as you can think of, the history of your appliance and its malfunctions. Always have your model number handy. This will help repair techs diagnose your machine plus have parts ready to fix your appliance. Great contractors can figure out simple problems before they come to see the appliance up close, if you give them the right details. Most companies charge a minimum fee just for the visit, and if they will have to come more than once because they don’t have the parts to fix it, it will cost you more. Ask the companies for referrals as well.

Ask the company how they charge. Ask how the total bill is calculated before hiring them. You don’t want any surprises.  Ask if they charge flat rate or hourly. It will cost you less to hire a local contractor, but hire an insured and experienced one.

Lastly decide whether you should repair or replace the appliance. If your appliance is too old and has been giving you troubles too many times, calculate whether it is costing you more for maintenance, than it will be costing you for buying a new one. Make the same calculation regarding parts. Will it cost you more to repair the broken parts, or can you actually find replacement parts online that cost you less.

Remember to catch the problem early and do all the appropriate research before hiring. By following these guidelines you will spend less and you will get your appliance fixed in no time.