NOW the dryer is not working

[momxx5]

First my oven bites the dust. (still praying for a miracle)

NOW my drying is turning but NO heat at all. I have a good 8+ loads of laundry to do and really don't have the budget to got to the laundrymat.

Any ideas of what could be the problem?

Thanks in advance.

 

[sharonmickey]

Have you checked the dryer vent to see if it is clogged? If the vent is blocked it can prevent the dryer from heating. Good luck!

 

[HelenePA]

sounds like the heating element.. mine went out on mine and I was able to fix it for under 30$... much cheaper than a new dryer or the laundromat. Can you hang the clothes to dry outside in the mean time? that's what I did. I survived about 5 months (with 4 kids and semi cloth diapering) that way then it got too cold. The weather is turning nice for most of us now.. all you need is some string (dollar store for 3$).. you dont even need clothes pins you can just put them on hangers (I fit much more on the line this way!) and everything is already prehung You can soften them up by throwing them in the dryer (even with no heat) afterwards if they are too stiff.

 

[okeydokey]

We just lost our washer, so I can understand. Hope you can get a new part and fix it. I think I may need a new machine. Yuck.

 

[okeydokey]

sounds like the heating element.. mine went out on mine and I was able to fix it for under 30$... much cheaper than a new dryer or the laundromat. Can you hang the clothes to dry outside in the mean time? that's what I did. I survived about 5 months (with 4 kids and semi cloth diapering) that way then it got too cold. The weather is turning nice for most of us now.. all you need is some string (dollar store for 3$).. you dont even need clothes pins you can just put them on hangers (I fit much more on the line this way!) and everything is already prehung You can soften them up by throwing them in the dryer (even with no heat) afterwards if they are too stiff.

Frugal and good for the environment.!

 

[englishteacha]

I'm sure a local handyman could get your dryer working again. If it turns and doesn't heat, that's a pretty common problem and if I recall, a pretty easy fix. In the mean time, hang everything you can! Hangers on the shower rod, door frames, and if it's nice out, outdoors. If it's not nice out, or you don't have a yard, string up some ropes in the house. I was dryer-less for a while. I hung a line up on my porch, and I have a folding wooden drying rack that holds almost a load of wash. (they sell them at Walmart for $10) I also have an outdoor clothesline, but it was rainy and I didn't get to use it much!

 

[HelenePA]

I'm sure a local handyman could get your dryer working again. If it turns and doesn't heat, that's a pretty common problem and if I recall, a pretty easy fix. In the mean time, hang everything you can! Hangers on the shower rod, door frames, and if it's nice out, outdoors. If it's not nice out, or you don't have a yard, string up some ropes in the house. I was dryer-less for a while. I hung a line up on my porch, and I have a folding wooden drying rack that holds almost a load of wash. (they sell them at Walmart for $10) I also have an outdoor clothesline, but it was rainy and I didn't get to use it much!

I say this with love.. if my dh can fix it anyone can... he's also fixed the belt on the dryer (if its not turning that's what's wrong) easy and cheap fix under 10$ for this one...

 

[momxx5]

Oh, thank you so much for all the advice.

I have a feeling its the element. I checked the lint/vent and all seems to be okay.

Thankfuly I have a friend (although 700 miles away) who owns an appliance store so she'll be able to help diagnose the problem. She is currently away so I will call her when she gets back.

I have full confidence in DH. He has true Mr. Fix It talent. Thank you God and knock on wood.

Coming on the back of the oven problems its just the weight of it all that is getting me down. That and the cost of everything. Tough times.

Thanks again.

 

[amy-momofthree]

Same thing happened to me but with a brand new dryer so I knew it couldn't be the element. I called someone to clean out my dryer vent and it was clogged. So maybe check that??

 

[torinsmom]

If you google your brand and problem--i.e. "Kenmore dryer not heating"., you will get step by step videos on how to diagnose and fix the problem. BTDT several times. Dryers are pretty easy. If the drum is tumbling, but just not heating, it is likely the heating element or one of the thermostats. You need the little instrument that tells you if there is a current running through or not, and a screwdriver to get to the thermostats/element.

 

[housemouse]

Check to make sure you don't have a tripped circuit breaker or a blown fuse(if you have a fuse box). I had one once that did the same thing and it was a blown fuse in the fuse box.

 

[angelmav]

Had this happen to a dryer, turned out when we took it apart there was an area that things had built up over a couple of years causing it to overheat. It was litteraly a 2 year old machine but had a bad design because there was no way to tell without taking it apart that anything was building up, and I mean really taking it apart. That one was a top load Crosley.

 

[DawnM]

Thankfully a dryer is something you CAN do without for a while if you need to.

When we moved from CA to NC, we decided not to bring our dryer with us. Our dryer was gas and we were told most houses have electric here.

We lived in a townhouse for 3 months while we looked around for a house to purchase. So, for 3 months we had no dyer. We survived just fine. I would do a load per day and hang it up in the laundry room or kitchen. It would dry within 24 hours and then I would do another load.

It was NOT convenient, but we survived.

Dawn

 

[gigi1976]

Check to make sure you don't have a tripped circuit breaker or a blown fuse(if you have a fuse box). I had one once that did the same thing and it was a blown fuse in the fuse box.

yes this happened to me too in our first house all.the.time. it would still spin, but no heat.

 

[Bungle]

Sounds like the heating element. When ours went out we were able to replace it for under $40 I think. Isn't this just the way stuff happens though? Everything seems to go out in threes around here. Last time it was dryer, washer, ceiling fan for us. Hope its something you can easily fix

 

[DisMomme]

Check to make sure you don't have a tripped circuit breaker or a blown fuse(if you have a fuse box). I had one once that did the same thing and it was a blown fuse in the fuse box.

We had the same problem many years ago and it was a blown fuse. A dryer takes more than 1 fuse and may take more than one circuit breaker. Too bad we didn't figure out that it was the 2nd blown fuse before we went out and bought a new dryer. Good news...that dryer is still working more than 15 years later.

 

[PHXscuba]

I swear the appliances talk to each other!

I was waiting to have my old, almost-dead dishwasher replaced when the clothes dryer got moody and wasn't letting me start a load -- just beeped at me.

Thankfully, when the dishwasher installer showed up, I begged him to look at the dryer to at least tell me if it was an easy fix for DH or if I needed a repairman. He gave the door a firm shove to close the door and it has behaved ever since. But I swear the appliances were ganging up on me that week ...

PHXscuba

 

[undertheradar]

Bump

 

[momxx5]

Family of five,
Thanks for the bump.

I am eager to hear if there are any new ideas out there. We will probably be fixing the dryer, or at least working on it by Monday. So crossing our fingers we'll be all caught up by mid next week.

 

[undertheradar]

Just take one step at a time, it is easier that way.