NO HEAT First problem was wouldn't dry which turned out to be clogged vent pipe. While we pulled the stuff out we also vacuumed the inside of the dryer to get lint out from inside. We put it back together and now it does not heat. I runs but only with cold air. Breaker box was checked, wires appear to be all secure. Is this the thermal fuse on the heat coil housing and is that something we could do with average homeowner's tools?

Hello egines. Generally the first thing to check is the vent pipe. If the pipe has lint in it, you will get a very long drying time. Pull the machine out from the wall, disconnect the vent pipe and inspect the inside of the pipe, the inside of the rear of the dryer where the pipe entered and the outdoor component. Remove all lint. Also make sure that the vent pipe is not kinked.

Joe
Thanks for choosing Fixya!

can be 2 different issues, a clog in your vent pipe or your heat coil is failing, on some models you have a low and high heat coil, sounds like you high coil burned out and just the low coil is working, or your temp switch has failed

pull out dryer from wall and clean out the flex line that goes from the back of the dryer to the wall also the line in the wall will also clog up as well take a shop vac. and put the hose inside of the vent line and cover the gap so the vacuume can **** from inside the pipe and not right back at ya that should work alot bettr

The most common cause of slow drying is poor venting. Make sure the lint screen is cleaned after each load and that the vent pipe from the back is clear. (If you're using the white plastic vent tubing, get rid of it and replace it with rigid duct or corrugated flexible duct. It's less likely to clog with lint, and the the plastic stuff is a fire hazard.)

Check the airflow out of the dryer with the vent pipe disconnected - there should be a good, strong flow. If it's weak, the fan blade inside may be slipping on the motor shaft. If you've noticed any odd rumbling noise while drying clothes, that might be the cause. This will increase drying time, and may cause the machine to shut down the heat as well.

If this is an electric dryer, there may be trouble with the heating element. The temperature selector switch may have problems so that the dryer doesn't reach the heat you think it's set for (both gas and electric dryers).

Check the venting first, though. Hope this gets you going again, and thanks for using Fixya!

Your vent is clogged. Remove hose from back of dryer and wall. vacuum out back of dryer, dryer hose an vent pipe in wall, if it goes out at roof you will need to clean out. Moisture from dryer is getting caught in excess lint trapped in vent causing dryer not to dry.

when this happens, generally your vent is partially blocked. pull out the dryer, disconnect the vent pipe and visually inspect the back of the dryer and the vent all the way to outdoors, including the vent flap on the outside.

Hello. I will briefly state all of the possible reasons why your dryer is slow but I will first say that the common reason under the circumstances you state is that the vent pipe is either partially clogged with lint, or partially blocked, or it has more bends and turns in it than you had in your previous residence. I would begin by pulling the dryer out, removing the vent pipe and checking inside the back of the dryer and in the vent pipe all the way to outdoors.

It normally takes about 45 minutes for a dryer to dry a full load. If your dryer is taking more than an hour, check these.

Vent
Heating element
Internal ductwork
Cycling thermostat
Vent Frequently there's an obstruction in the vent duct from the dryer to the outside of the house. For the dryer to heat properly, the duct must be clean and clear of lint or any other substance.

Heating element Your dryer's heating element may be partially burned out. If it is, your dryer still heats, but at such a low temperature that it takes three or four times as long to dry the clothes. If the element is partially burned out, replace it.

Internal ductwork Your dryer has some internal ductwork. If it gets clogged, your dryer can't dry properly. In most dryers, to get to the internal ductwork to clear the clog, you have to substantially disassemble the dryer. A quick way to check for internal clogs is to remove the lint filter and use a flashlight to inspect the inside of the duct. If it looks clogged and you can't clear it using your vacuum, contact a qualified appliance repair technician.

Cycling thermostat Although this isn't a common problem, one of the thermostats that controls the temperature in your dryer may break and cause the dryer to heat poorly. If so, you need to replace it. The thermostat is usually a small, round, black device mounted to an oblong steel plate. The plate is mounted to the internal ductwork with two screws.

Remove the exhaust vent from the rear of the dryer. Run a timed load at 45 minutes. If it dries correctly clean your connecting vent your wall vent and the lint from inside the machine.

thermo sensor inside is bad (are you sure ALL vents and pipes are clear?)

Before ripping into the dryer, with the dryer running, check the vent outside. There should be a rather strong air flow. I'll bet you have little or maybe no air flow. Check behind the dryer to make sure you don't have squished flex duct. If you have flex pipe, try running the dryer for a few minutes with the dryer pulled out into the room to stretch the vent out, and check outside airflow again. Try to eliminate all or as much of the flex stuff as you can, replacing it with aluminum dryer vent pipe. (tape joints with foil duct tape) Clean out remaining dryer vent. (there are special brushes you can buy to clean out vents, but they really only work on ridgid pipe.)