Steven Lock AT HOME™

Minneapolis/St Paul, MN

at home

Replacing the Dryer Thermostat

Every time you use the dryer, lint adheres to the inside of the exhaust duct. If you don’t clean out the exhaust duct, it will eventually clog. This restricts the flow of air that is blowing over the heating coils in the dryer causing them to over heat. At some point, the dryer temperature will be so hot that the dryer thermostat will blow, like a fuse, and the dryer unit will stop and not run. This happened to us before. Luckily, replacing the dryer thermostat is an easy fix.

First, I unplug the dryer and pull it a couple feet away from the wall. You may need to detach the dryer from the exhaust duct but ours just slides right out when it’s moved. Like the hood of your car, lift the top cover of the dryer high enough so that you can reach the back of the unit where the heating coils are.

Situated directly above the heating coils is the safety thermostat or fuse. It is round and about the size of a quarter. The thermostat will be hot so I just wait for it to cool. If you’re in a hurry, wear gloves and/or use pliers so you don’t burn yourself.

Removing the part is pretty straightforward. Just disconnect the two wires, loosen two screws then remove the thermostat. Make note of the position of the wires so you can correctly reconnect them later. I usually bring the defective part with me to the local appliance store to make sure I get the right replacement part.

Back at home, just slip the thermostat in, hook up the wires nice and tight so they make a good mechanical connection, close the dryer cover and it should be good to go. If you haven’t already, be sure the dryer exhaust ductwork and the vent hood on the outside of the house is free of any lint since that is what caused the problem in the first place. That’s all it takes to replace the dryer thermostat.

stevenlock.com and the articles, comments and other features therein are for informational and entertainment purposes only and provided "as is" without warranties, representations, or guarantees of any kind. Content on stevenlock.com should never be used as a substitute for advice from a qualified professional. Steven Lock and its Sponsors shall not be liable for the accuracy, usefulness or availability of any stevenlock.com content, and you agree to hold Steven Lock and its Sponsors harmless from any loss, harm, injury or damage resulting from or arising out of your use of or reliance on any stevenlock.com content. The views and opinions expressed in an article or column are the author's own and not necessarily those of its Sponsors.

Web design by me| Est. 2011 | Web Hosting by Yahoo!

Minneapolis/St Paul, MN

Steven Lock AT HOME™

at home

Maintenance

Projects

Repairs

Steven Lock AT HOME™﻿

at home

Maintenance

Projects

Repairs

Steven Lock AT HOME™