Atlas Appliance Repair fixes Dryers, Washers, Dishwashers, Refrigerators

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How to Fix a Broken Dryer

Most people never stop to think about how much time modern washers and dryers save us. However, when you look at the statistics, you can see that people spend more than $5.6 billion on the washer and dryer manufacturing industry every single year in the United States alone! On top of that, this market continues to grow bigger year by year.

This number is one indicator of how much value people get out of a functioning washer and dryer. However, some people end up buying a new dryer when they could search for "dryer repair near me" instead. In some cases, you might even be able to fix your dryer problems all on your own.

So what can you do when your dryer isn't working? Read on to learn all about the most important things to try when your dryer stops functioning!

Check for Simple Solutions

Some repairs for the dryer are more complicated and difficult than others. Although you can learn to perform many of them yourself, it is best to start by checking for simple solutions first. If they happen to work, then you can put in a lot less time and effort to repair your dryer.

When your dryer stops working, first make sure that everything is in order with the power source. Make sure that the dryer is plugged in and that the outlet is working. You can try plugging another device into the same outlet to confirm that it is providing power to your dryer.

Assuming your dryer has access to power, you can make sure that the settings are what they should be. For example, if the dryer setting is accidentally set to fluff, then it may not dry your clothes even if it is working the way it is supposed to.

One great way to check if a dryer is working at all is to put some clothes that are already dry in it for a few minutes. If you wait 5 or 10 minutes and the dry clothes in your dryer do not get warm, then you can confirm that the dryer is not providing heat. As long as your dryer settings are what they should be, this can indicate that you have a more significant problem.

What to Do When Your Dryer won't Heat

If you have an electric dryer that is not heating, then the problem may be with the heating element. Even if the rest of the dryer is working fine, a faulty heating element will mean that your clothes do not heat up and get dry.

To assess your heating element, you can use a simple tool called a multimeter. Your multimeter will measure the electrical current of what you use it on. A typical electric dryer should read about 15 ohms when you use the multimeter on the heating element.

If it doesn't detect an electric current, then that is a strong indicator that the heating element is broken and will need replacing. Although you may be able to learn how to replace a heating element for yourself, it is a somewhat technical job that most people call the professionals to help them with.

If you think it would be better to have someone else replace your heating element for you, call now for fast dryer repair service at 772-238-0207!

But what if you don't have an electric dryer? Gas dryers do not depend on heating elements. If your gas dryer is running fine but it does not provide heat, then the problem may be the thermal fuse instead.

However, you can use the multimeter to get a reading on the thermal fuse as well. If your multimeter doesn't detect any electrical activity, then replacing the thermal fuse has a good chance of solving your problem.

Roper Dryer Repair When It Won't Start

But what if your dryer won't start at all? Once you have already checked the outlet, check the circuit breaker as well for any problems.

If you have an electric dryer, then your dryer will correspond to two breakers in your circuit breaker. In many cases, you will find these two breakers are connected to each other.On the other hand, if you have a gas dryer, then it will have only a single breaker. Whether your dryer has one or two breakers, check if they have flipped off. If they have, then you will know that the problem is with the circuit breaker.

If not, try flipping your breakers off yourself and then flipping them back on. As you do so, be careful not to flip any other breakers off.

Check the Door Switch Lever and Circuit Board

If this does not solve your problem, then you may have other issues with your dryer, like a problem with the door switch lever. The door switch lever detects if the door is open or closed.

If it is detecting that the door is open, then your dryer will not start even if everything else is fine. If your door switch is not working the way it should, then it might think that the door is open even if it is not.

You can test your door switch by opening the dryer door and then pressing the door switch lever yourself. Depending on your dryer, this should turn on or off a light, make a sound, or allow you to turn on your dryer. If none of this is working, then you may need to install a new door switch.

On the other hand, the problem might be with the circuit board of your dryer. Try unplugging your dryer and then finding the control panel for your dryer. If you find any scorch marks or other signs that the circuit board has shorted out, then you will need electrical repairs to get your dryer up and running.

When it comes to electrical repairs, it is often best to call fast and professional dryer repair services to help you at 772-238-0207.

LG Dryer Repair for a Still Drum

But what if your dryer turns on fine, but the drum won't turn? In this case, the problem may be with the dryer belt.

The belt is what transforms electrical power into the physical movement that turns your drum. If the belt has broken or come out of place, the dryer won't be able to turn.

One way to tell that your problem is with the dryer belt is to listen to your dryer when you turn it on. If you can tell that the motor is running while the drum refuses to turn, there is a decent chance that the problem will be the drive belt.

In such cases, you can unplug your dryer and open it up. Then, you can locate the drive belt, which will look like a long looping band. If it is old or broken, you will want to replace it or have someone else replace it.

If it is out of place, you can consult your dryer's user manual and put the dryer belt back where it belongs so that it can provide rotational power to your drum.

On the other hand, the problem may be that your drum bearing has worn out. In such cases, the dryer belt will provide rotational force, but there will be too much friction for the drum to turn.

If you have noticed that your drum has started to start and stop more and more, that is a good sign that the problem may be a worn drum bearing. You can either open your dryer and replace the drum bearing yourself or call for fast dryer repair at 772-238-0207.

Tips for Dryer Troubleshooting

If your dryer is functioning, but not working as well as it used to, you can try cleaning out the lint filter housing. After you pull out the lint filter, you can use a flashlight and a tool like a wire coat hanger to reach deeper down and clear out any lint blockages.

Lint can be a good insulator that traps heat out, so the more lint there is stuck in your dryer, the harder it will be for it to dry things.

One more quick solution to try is to clean the moisture sensor. If it does not detect moisture, then it will incorrectly tell your dryer that the clothes are already dry and that the dryer can stop working.

The moisture sensor will look like a pair of metal strips a few inches long each. You can clean these metal strips with a simple combination of a paper towel and rubbing alcohol.

This may solve your problem, but if these simple solutions aren't fixing your dryer, call Atlas Appliance Repair to get your dryer up and running again as fast as possible! You can also check out ratings and reviews on a variety of platforms to learn more about the quality repairs Atlas Appliance Repair can provide.

Dryer Repair Near Me: Know How to Fix a Broken Dryer

We hope that learning about how to resolve your problems with a broken dryer has been helpful to you. Many people search for "dryer repair near me" before attempting to solve the problem on their own. Of course, with many more complicated dryer issues, it is important to find the right dryer repair service to help you.

To learn more about how to keep your dryer working and in top condition, call Atlas Appliance Repair for fast service!