You just did a load of laundry yesterday, but today you find that your dryer won’t turn on. But before you start shopping around for new dryers, you can save yourself a lot of money by calling Chesterfield Service instead. Chesterfield Service is your hometown HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and gas fireplace experts, but we’re also highly skilled in appliance repair. Keep reading this blog to see if you can find the cause of why your dryer isn’t turning on, and then call Chesterfield Service for help.
Reasons Why Your Dryer Stopped Working
There are many reasons why your dryer could have stopped working, and we’ll go through the checks you can do to find the cause. Doing some of these checks may involve messing with electricity or using tools you don’t have. If any of these steps make you uncomfortable, call Chesterfield Service right away and we can do a thorough inspection ourselves and find the correct cause of your dryer malfunction quickly.
Always practice good dryer maintenance: clean the lint trap after every load, have your exhaust vent cleaning done regularly, and clean the dryer drum.
Dryer Not Receiving Power
An unbalanced dryer can shake and rattle and pull its power cord. Although it might seem silly, make sure that your dryer is plugged in when it’s not working suddenly. Also, check the circuit breaker to make sure it isn’t tripped. You may need electrical panel services if your dryer frequently trips your circuit breaker. Check your dryer’s power cord to make sure it isn’t damaged or frayed. It’s fairly common for a damaged power cord to be the reason that your dryer won’t start.
Defective Door Switch
Dryers have a safety mechanism that they will only run when the dryer door is locked. If your dryer doesn’t make a clicking noise when the door is closed, you might have a defective door switch. If your electric dryer has a window, close the door and see if there is a light still on inside the machine. That is another indication that you have a defective door switch.
An issue with the Thermal Fuse
A thermal fuse is a safety device that prevents the dryer from overheating. A dryer vent that has not been cleaned for some time can cause the thermal fuse to burn out. You can test the thermal fuse by unplugging the dryer and using a multimeter to test the fuse for continuity, then call on a qualified technician to replace it.
Malfunctioning Start Switch
Listen to your dryer when you hit the start button. If you hit the button and can hear a buzzing or humming noise when you hit the start button, it could be an indication that your dryer is trying to start and there’s a different component that’s not working. This could indicate that the problem lies with your dryer’s motor delay or drive belt.
If you don’t hear buzzing, then it’s a sign that your start switch is malfunctioning. Luckily a malfunctioning start switch is a much more affordable replacement than a whole new dryer.
Motor Delay or Drive Belt Issues
When your motor delay keeps shorting out, it will stop supplying electricity to your dryer, so it won’t turn. Drive belts are what make the barrel of your dryer spin. If you remove the power supply to the dryer and take out the drum, you can see the condition of the drive belt for yourself.
Blown Circuit Board
Every electronic dryer has a circuit board, like a motherboard in a computer. If everything else seems fine and in good condition, there’s a chance that the circuit board has burnt out. Switching out the circuit board is a simple fix for an experienced appliance repair technician.