How to Troubleshoot a Kenmore Clothes Dryer that Has No Heat
If your Kenmore dryer stops heating, there are several things you can do before resorting to calling the appliance repairman. You can perform a few relatively simple checks with the aid of a few tools and your owner's manual. If you find that your dryer has a faulty part, you can usually purchase them at an appliance store or through Sears, the retailer of Kenmore appliances. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Check to see if the circuit breaker in your home has been tripped. If it has, reset it. If it blows a second time, your dryer may have a faulty heating element. Most dryer heating elements are held in place with just a few screws that you can remove easily. You can then install a new heating element in place of the old one.
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Test the dryer's thermostat to ensure that it is working properly. The thermostat is about 1 1/2 inches in size, with two wires attached to it. It is usually under the lint trap, inside the vent line or sometimes attached to the blower housing. Check your dryer's thermostat with a tool called a multitester. Unplug the dryer and set the multitester so that it will read ohms. With your dryer at room temperature, the multitester should read zero. If it reads "infinity," you need to replace the thermostat.
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Unplug the dryer, open the cabinet and check the heating element. Once you have located the heating element, set your multitester to the R x 1 resistance scale. Touch the end of the multimeter probe to one end of the element. If you receive an infinite reading, your heating element is not working and you need to replace it.
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Replace the thermal fuse on the blower housing cover if the fuse is open. If your dryer has overheated, the thermal fuse will have blown open. It cannot be re-set, and so you must replace it.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure to consult your owner's manual while performing any troubleshooting.
If you still can't figure out why your dryer won't heat, you may need to call a Kenmore repairman.
To avoid electric shock, make sure that your dryer is unplugged before you open up the cabinet or do any testing with the multitester.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit dirty laundry image by jedphoto from Fotolia.com
