Your tumble dryer dries the washing by turning it over and over and blowing warm air onto it – removing moisture without shrinking or hardening garments. The resulting hot, humid air is vented outside to make room for more air to continue the drying process. If you find your dryer isn’t producing any heat at all there are things you can do. Why is my tumble dryer not getting hot? This frequently asked question may be answered with the following information…
The reasons why the tumble dryer not heating up!
Switch off
Before you start any repairs it’s essential that you disconnect the appliance from the mains. Thermostats and elements are located behind the back panel so you’ll need to remove that – and you may need to take off the top panel on order to get to the side panel.
You may find that your tumble dryer not heating up is actually related to an issue with the electrics. This could be the power supply, a faulty socket, or a fuse problem. All of these concerns would need to be safely addressed by a qualified appliance repair engineer. See a range of condenser tumble dryer not heating up and other common problems here…
The Heater
You may find that the heater fuse has simply tripped or the thermal overload has cut out – tumble dryers have mechanisms to prevent them from overheating. You can reset them by pressing a button which may be located on the back panel, or inside the casing underneath – you’ll have to unscrew and remove the panel to locate the reset button – if it clicks when pressed your problem may be resolved.
The Element
If the thermostat hasn’t tripped you can use a multimeter placed on a low resistance setting onto the terminals inside the plug. For a working element you’ll be looking for a reading between 20m and 50 ohms – anything outside that indicates the element needs replacing. Once you’ve removed the back panel you’ll see the element – take great care when removing it so that you can rewire the new one exactly as you found it – otherwise, you could damage the dryer.
The Thermostats
There are important things to remember when replacing thermostats – including the correct wiring – you may need to consult your manual to get this just right. You can easily damage the thermostat by touching the gold circular central discs – and if the dryer has two thermostats they must both be replaced at the same time as they do different jobs. If you think you may have a problem with the rewiring you can take photos.
The Condenser
A condenser tumble dryer, such as the Hotpoint Aquarius tumble dryer, removes humidity by using two separate airflows, resulting in air being re-circulated inside the appliance. This causes the moisture in the air to condense into water which is then pumped into a water tank or container. When full this tank needs to be emptied, and not doing so can cause condenser tumble dryer problems.
A condenser tumble dryer not heating up may also be caused by the appliance being installed in a room that’s not large enough. Condenser tumble dryer condensation problems can then occur as a small room becomes hot very quickly as the tumble dryer works and the air humidity rises. This will cause as the moisture in the air condenses on any cold surfaces such as tiles.
To prevent Indesit tumble dryer condensation problems, you should try to keep the inside temperature constant and ensure the water tank is emptied regularly. Diagnosing and solving these issues if you’ve tried re-positioning the tumble dryer or cleaning the condenser as detailed below, may need the expertise of an experienced appliance repairer.
A heating problem on condenser dryers may be due to lint falling down into the condenser itself, getting wet, and sticking. Over time this build-up can stop the air from flowing through freely. You can remove the condenser from the dryer to inspect it – then you can soak it in some water for a few minutes to flush out any blockages. Check behind the condenser assembly and clean if necessary.
The Drainage Reservoir
Condenser dryers may have problems with drainage into the reservoir – as water is extracted from the clothes it builds up in the reservoir at the base of the dryer. The water is then pumped into the container tray where it is taken out and emptied. If the tray isn’t fully emptied the water will soon overflow causing the float switch to activate and turn off the heater to prevent any more water from being collected.
Make sure the container is always empty before you start your drying cycle. You can check that the pump is working properly by removing the container, turning the dryer on, and pouring a glass of water into the tray – it should drain into the reservoir – reinstalling the container at this point should see water pumping into the back of the container establishing that the pump is working well.
The Capacitor
Tumble dryer capacitator problems are identified by the drum not changing direction or not turning at all. The capacitor works by kick-starting the motor, and as the appliance ages, this component can fail progressively, causing issues with starting up, or resulting in the tumble dryer not being able to start at all.
You may be able to take the capacitor out of its housing by removing the paired spade connectors and then sliding the part out. However, if you don’t have the tools to carry out this task, then you should call in a technician who will be able to test and replace the defective capacitor as necessary.
The Motor
Tumble dryer noise problems are often directly related to tumble dryer motor problems. This will obviously affect the tumble dryer not heating if this issue is left unattended. The majority of motors are brushless and work using induction, requiring a capacitor. When the motor bearings begin to whine when the fan is in operation then the motor may need to be replaced.
The Noise
There are different reasons if your Hotpoint tumble dryer becomes noisy, and the noise will vary for each one. A metallic scraping noise indicates that the metal drum is catching on something as it rotates, issues with the bearings, or worn front pads. Other noises such as squeaking, squealing, or grinding can be caused by motor fans or pulley wheels.
Bearing wear can actually cause the belt to detach and screech as the drum cuts through the bearing shaft. Movement within a condenser fan will produce a heavy droning sound. A loose drum support wheel will initiate a knocking noise. Often these more complex issues require a knowledgeable repair engineer to source and resolve any noise-related problems.
Why is my tumble dryer not heating up? Now you’ve got all the facts!
Maintenance
Caring for your tumble dryer can expand its lifespan – your tumble dryer, not heating may be due to these circumstances:
- Opening the tumble dryer door whilst it’s working – even opening the door during the final cool down cycle can cause the fan to stop circulating whilst the mechanism is still hot – increasing the risk of a failing thermostat
- The door filter isn’t regularly cleaned – this can cause difficulties with the air flow – clean the lint filter after every other wash
- Letting the water box in a condenser dryer become full – it needs to be empty before drying starts
- Allowing the condensate box at the base of the boiler to become blocked – run the box under a tap to remove lint, fluff, and debris
The Experts
When you’re experiencing any problems with your tumble dryer not heating up North London appliance repairs specialists are available to help. You won’t have to pay a call-out charge or a deposit. And you’ll get assistance from friendly, fully-trained technicians with years of industry experience. As soon as faults have been diagnosed they’ll be quickly fixed, and every repair will come with a six months parts and labour guarantee.
Tumble Dryer Repairs
Fully qualified engineers from Mix Repairs will quickly diagnose a heating problem – and repair your appliance on the same day. Your locally based technician will come with all the tools and equipment needed to get the job done – and every repair comes with a six months parts and labor guarantee.
When you need a fully insured service and unbeatable prices with a company that has more than 15 years’ experience dealing with tumble dryers – look no further-than Mix Repairs.
