What causes a clothes dryer to overheat? - Dryers

Easiest thing to check is the dryer vent. Maybe you've already done this, but make sure the 4" vent is not kinked or stopped up with lint. This causes the dryer to overheat. Hope this helps.

If you have already cleaned the lint screen, have you checked the venting system? It is the 4" flexible hose that usually connects in the back of the dryer and leads all the way outdoors. Many times the vent is stopped up causing the dryer to overheat and run longer, maybe not even drying the clothes.

Check motor for lint build up around motor. Will cause motor to overheat and shutdown on motor
overheat switch and will restart after cooling down.

You may need to an appliance service to come out and really clean your dryer vent and the flexible coil that runs from your dryer to the outside vent. Do not run your dryer until this is cleaned. Your dryer could overheat and cause a fire. Sears did ours last December and it was the best $100 we could have spent.

If your dryer is STILL heating, but you are experiencing longer dry times and/or poor drying efficiency, the following link can give you some things to check before you assume there is a malfunction with your dryer:

http://www.fixya.com/support/r3578821-dryer_takes_too_long_to_dry

The number one cause of dryer heat related problems is poor exhaust ventilation. If not vented properly, a dryer will not dry efficiently, will actually take longer than required to dry, and will cause the heating circuits to overheat to the point of failure. The dryer will actually seem hotter than usual in many cases as the heating circuits begin to overheat. This is also the source of many fire hazards if not resolved. Read through the link provided and review some of the potential causes.

If you have any questions, please post back and let me know. I hope you find this information is helpful.

NOTE: If you thoroughly check everything and still have problems let me know. The problem could be related to a thermostat failure.

It should never take beyond the normal prescribed time on the dryer timer to dry a load of clothes. Unless, you are overloading the dryer or not sorting your clothes correctly.

If your dryer is heating, but you are experiencing longer dry times and poor drying efficiency, the following link can give you some items to check before you assume there is a malfunction with your dryer:

http://www.fixya.com/support/r3578821-dryer_takes_too_long_to_dry

The number one cause of dryer heat related problems is poor exhaust ventilation. If not vented properly, a dryer will not dry efficiently, will take longer than required to dry, and will cause the heating circuits to overheat to the point of failure. The dryer will actually seem hotter as the heating circuits begin to overheat. This is also the source of many fire hazards if not resolved. Read through the link provided and review some of the potential causes.

If you have any questions, please post back and let me know. Please include your MODEL NUMBER (if it is different from the one you listed this question under), so I can determine how your dryer is configured. I hope you find this information is helpful.

NOTE: If you thoroughly check everything and still have problems let me know. The problem could be related to a thermostat beginning to fail.

If you are experiencing longer dry times and poor drying efficiency, the following link can give you some advice on things to check before assuming you have a malfunction with the dryer:

http://www.fixya.com/support/r3578821-dryer_takes_too_long_to_dry

The number one cause of dryer heat related problems is poor exhaust ventilation. If the dryer can't exhaust properly, the moisture is retained in the dryer drum and your clothes stay wet, longer. A dryer in a clogged or poorply ventilated state can also cause the heating circuits to overheat to the point of failure. The dryer will actually seem hotter as the heating circuits begin to overheat. This can also become a fire hazard if not resolved. Read through the link provided and review some of the potential causes. Hopefully, this may save you a service call.

If you still have problems, please post back and let me know. I hope this helps you.

If you are experiencing longer dry times and poor drying efficiency, the following link can give you some things to check before assuming you have a malfunction with the dryer:

http://www.fixya.com/support/r3578821-dryer_takes_too_long_to_dry

The number one cause of dryer heat related problems is poor exhaust ventilation. If the dryer can't breathe it will not dry efficiently and will cause the heating circuits to overheat to the point of failure. The dryer will actually seem hotter as the heating circuits begin to overheat. This can also become a fire hazard if not resolved. Read through the link provided and review some of the potential causes. Hopefully, this may save you a service call.

If you still have problems, please post back and let me know. I hope this helps you.

It should never take 5 hours to dry a load of clothes. If you are experiencing longer dry times and poor drying efficiency, the following link can give you some things to check before assuming you have a malfunction with the dryer:

http://www.fixya.com/support/r3578821-dryer_takes_too_long_to_dry

The number one cause of dryer heat related problems is caused by poor exhaust ventilation. If the dryer can't breathe it will not dry efficiently and will cause the heating circuits to overheat to the point of failure. The dryer will actually seem hotter as the heating circuits overheat. This can also become a fire hazard if not resolved. Read through the link provided and review some of the potential causes. Hopefully, this may save you a service call.

If you still have problems, please let me know. I hope this helps you.

If you're getting heat and tumbling, then you should check the dryer vent from the back of the dryer to where it exits the house. If there is lint in there, it will cause the dryer to hold moisture and it could overheat and cause other problems.