What Happens With a Bad Thermostat in a Clothes Dryer?

What Happens with a Bad Thermostat in a Clothes Dryer?

Not Heating Enough

A malfunctioning limit thermostat may be the culprit if your dryer doesn't get hot enough. Sometimes the thermostat gets stuck in the open position, telling the dryer that the inside of the dryer is already warm enough. Until the limit thermostat is replaced, the dryer will not heat properly. If a dryer not heating is your problem, there may be easier solutions for help with dryer temperature fixes.

Overheating

Overheating is essentially the opposite problem of a dryer that doesn't heat enough. In many cases, the thermostat is stuck in a closed position, telling the dryer that it is not yet hot enough inside. Again, this is usually a problem of the limit thermostat.

Not Starting

A dryer that does not start can be suffering from a variety of problems. Before a dryer will start, it generally has several different safety items that must be in the correct position. A dryer cannot start if the door switch is open, fuses are not functional or thermostats are bad.

Running Nonstop

Dryers with automatic cycles may run nonstop if one or both of the thermostats have gone bad. During an automatic cycle, the dryer checks its internal temperature and advances the timer if it is high enough. When a thermostat is malfunctioning, it cannot read the internal temperature of the dryer correctly, keeping the timer from moving forward.

Clothes dryers contain two thermostats. One is the operating thermostat, which determines the temperature of the air that dries clothing while the dryer is operating. The other thermostat is called the high limit or safety thermostat; this thermostat prevents the dryer from overheating. When a dryer thermostat goes bad, a variety of symptoms can emerge. These heating elements are essential to the clothes drying processes in the machines, so when using or owning an electric dryer, check to make sure your machine has a cycling thermostat that will not overheat your clothes.

These dryers allow air to be heated to degrees above room temperature air to dry clothes in a timely and efficient manner. The thermal fuse used in the machine, with the thermostat, is what may cause overheating or breakage in the machine itself. If you notice your machine starts to have dryer problems with the heat source, you may need to call about your warranty, replacement parts or other helpful tips with the manufacturer for the best step-by-step needs in your situation. Like a washing machine, the dryer has specific functions in the control panel that allow for the dryer to work properly, and sometimes these machines can show blown thermal fuses within the connectors of the machines' mechanics.

The access panel will be the best place to look for these errors or blockages in the thermostat, as well as the blower housing and thermistor. Troubleshooting tips can help in most cases, but in others, you should look for warning signs of your machine’s malfunction. Dryer appliance repair may be costly, but things to consider in these cases are airflow, dryer drums, exhaust vents, high-limit thermostats, blower wheels, control boards, dryer vents, the igniter, and a dryer’s cycling thermostat proper use. Dryer repair may not always be needed, so make sure to get help in your thermostat situation. Cleaning the lint from the lint trap is also essential in these machines as lint buildup can be a fire hazard if not properly disposed of over time. Examples of brands of clothes dryers that can offer help are: Samsung, Whirlpool and Kenmore.