Even if a dryer becomes hot, it does not guarantee that it is working properly. The drum must also rotate. If your dryer is not turning or it stopped turning while in the middle of a cycle, there could be various causes. Often, the solutions are quite straightforward; however, you might prefer to ask for help from an expert to change parts if this is not something you specialize in.
Clothes dryers function by using both heat and the flow of air. As the drum turns, it allows air to touch every piece of clothing which helps reduce the time needed for a batch of laundry to become dry. If your dryer is not spinning, perhaps you will have to dry your clothes by hanging them for now until you find out what the issue is. Hanging clothes to dry is not good for forever though, so we should look at the usual reasons a dryer does not spin and see how you can fix this problem.
Common Reasons for Dryer Malfunctions
Many pieces must cooperate so the dryer can work correctly. If one piece is damaged or not working, then maybe the whole machine cannot spin. The positive thing is you can often change parts of the dryer by yourself or with help from an expert. When you find out what’s wrong, it helps to decide how to fix it. Here are a few common reasons dryer stop working
Lack of Power
Begin with examining the simplest issue to solve: check if your dryer is not plugged in or if the circuit breaker has been switched off. These problems are quite straightforward to identify because when they occur, your dryer will neither spin nor activate at all. Examine if the plug for the dryer remains connected to the power source. Should it be, proceed to inspect the switch of the circuit breaker responsible for supplying electricity to the dryer area. The switch might have turned off because the electric current was too high, so it would be better to not use other machines at the same time as the dryer on that switch.
Tripped Thermal Fuse
Dryers come with thermal fuses for protection against fire. Like a circuit breaker, if the dryer drum gets too hot, the thermal fuse will activate and turn off the dryer. Should your dryer problems stem from this, having an expert check the dryer to see if it overheated is advisable. Thermal fuses typically require replacement after they trip, and a specialist in appliances can assist with that too.
The Switch on the Door is Broken
A simpler part of the dryer is the door switch, but it’s still very important for working. When your dryer door switch gets damaged or not straight anymore, this means that the dryer will choose to not start at all. If the switch on the door is only bent a little, perhaps you can make it straight again. But if not, you have the option to buy a new switch that is simple to put in place for less than $7 at many stores selling home repair items.
Issues with The Drive Belt
Drive belts that are broken often cause dryers to not work properly. You can easily check if this is the problem with your dryer by turning the drum inside with your hand. If you do not feel any resistance, this is an indication that the drive belt might be broken and it should be changed. You can attempt to repair and change the dryer’s drive belt by yourself, although it is not a simple task and requires some extra instruments such as a flat-head screwdriver and a set of nut drivers. If this seems too much, it usually costs around $200 to pay a specialist to change the drive belt.
Problems with The Drum Support Rollers
When your dryer is making a noise like squeaking or thumping and it does not spin well, maybe the problem is with the drum support rollers. These small wheels are important because they help to keep the drum in place when it turns. The drum support rollers can become worn out or damaged as time passes. Like the drive belt, you can replace these rollers by yourself at a low cost, however, it is not a simple task for someone who has never done it before. If you hire a pro, you can expect to spend about $100 to $200.
Broken Motor Issues
When you turn on your dryer and hear a humming or buzzing noise, it could mean that the motor is having difficulty working. While you can try to fix it yourself if you have some mechanical abilities, changing the motor in the dryer is usually costly and complicated. When you get in touch with an expert, it could cost as much as $450. This price changes based on what kind of dryer you have.
When Should You Call a Professional
Even though this information covers the usual reasons your dryer may not spin, there are other potential issues not listed. Should you find it difficult to identify the issue by yourself, consider contacting a specialist in dryer repair for help.
Repairing your dryer by yourself usually requires time and some level of expertise. If you believe that the task is beyond your capabilities or worry about causing further damage then this is an additional reason to seek help from a skilled technician. After everything, the laundry will probably continue to accumulate until we repair the dryer.
To decide if it’s more suitable to repair or get a new dryer, several elements must be considered. The positive aspect is dryers typically last longer than many other home machines. With proper care, your dryer can function for over 12 years.