How to Tell If the Heating Element on Your Dryer Is Going Bad

An ineffective dryer can drain energy and prevent clothing from drying properly. If your dryer is running longer than usual and your laundry is not completely dry when the cycle ends, it may be the heating element. There are several ways to determine whether the heating element on your dryer is going bad.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Ohmmeter

Instructions

1. Clean out the lint trap completely. Run the dryer and determine whether a problem still exists with the heat level.

2. Check the vent on the back of the dryer and leading out of the house to make sure it is correctly attached and not blocked with lint or other debris. Run the dryer again to check the heat level.

3. Unplug the dryer from the electrical outlet. Remove the back panel of the dryer according to the owner's manual for your particular model of dryer.

4. Clean out built-up lint that may be limiting heat dispersal. Lint buildup also can be a fire hazard.

5. Locate the heating element within the dryer cabinet. The shape and size of a heating element can vary greatly according to the dryer model, but all of them consist of coiled nickel and chrome alloy wire.

6. Set your ohmmeter to the Rx1 resistance scale setting. Touch the probe on your multimeter to one end of the heating element wire. A reading of infinite resistance is interpreted as a damaged heating element.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure the dryer is completely disconnected from any power source before opening the cabinet.

References

• Part Select

Resources

• Buy an ohmmeter