Dryer not working

replace.

If it's an older gas dryer, did the pilot light go out? That's an easy fix - we had it happen once with the Maytag that came with our house. That thing lasted over 25 years and we only had 2 service calls on it - one for the pilot light and one to replace the filter screen.

Or maybe the igniter area needs to be cleaned. Mine wouldn't blow hot air either. That is what happened to my dryer and it is 25 years old and "knock wood" still running. Also, make sure the dryer vent is cleaned of lint at least once a year. You would be surprised at the build up.

Ditto on checking the pilot light and also the vent.

When we moved in the 20+ year old dryer that came with the house didn't work (I bought the house from my sister so it wasn't a big deal). My husband checked the vent and it was packed solid. After he cleared it out it worked fine.

Can't go wrong for less than $20.

http://shop.flylady.net/pages/FlyShop_dryer.asp

Pull the dryer away from the wall a few feet to be sure the vent pipe isn't compressed, and clean out the vent pipe by detaching if possible.

Do some 18 year old dryers have a pilot light; or do they have an igniter, as do ovens and ranges?

If the dryer has an igniter, decide whether you're comfortable with a DIY fix. The igniter should be in the $100.00, range (give-or-take $50.00). Also, at 18 years, you have to decide whether any repair is cost effective.

Good luck and let us know what you decide. Your information may help somebody else.

TomR

P.s., As suggested above, check the vent.

I wish the op would reply about whether or not it is a gas dryer.

Have a 17 year old gas dryer. Could be a simple fix. Could be the thermal fuse. Have replaced that twice and the belt once over the 17 years. Less than $50 total. No need to replace if you're even the least bit handy.

joy said:
Have a 17 year old gas dryer. Could be a simple fix. Could be the thermal fuse. Have replaced that twice and the belt once over the 17 years. Less than $50 total. No need to replace if you're even the least bit handy.

+1 on this. I replaced the thermal fuse and motor on my own, dryer over 20 years old. I started with the model number for the dryer, and have found partselect.com, appliancepartspros.com and repairclinic.com to be indispensible for diagnosing and ordering the parts. Having a multimeter (like a Klein) to test the suspect parts helps a lot, as the tutorials on these websites suggest.

Thermal fuse would be the first (and cheapest) suspect if not heating.

Not a gas dryer. Pipe and vent were clear. Getting a new dryer on Friday. I figured eighteen years (will be nineteen in January) is long enough and I've gotten value out of it. The new one is very energy efficient.

Good choice.

My drier died too, after 20 years of good service. A new one is hopefully being delivered tomorrow.

with an old dryer, you do need to consider the value of the repair v the cost of a new one....and a repair on a 15-20 year old dryer doesn't offer much value...when it will likely break down again....so the expense of a new dryer ends up being less than the repairs..

But dryers are so simple. They're a box with a motor, a tube, a fan and a heater. a belt went and it cost $13. The fuse went and that was $20. We're going on year 18. It owes us nothing and cost less than $300 when we bought it. If the motor goes, we'll get a need dryer, but the rest of the parts are either easy replacements.

But dryers are so simple. They're a box with a motor, a tube, a fan and a heater. a belt went and it cost $13. The fuse went and that was $20. We're going on year 18. It owes us nothing and cost less than $300 when we bought it. If the motor goes, we'll get a need dryer, but the rest of the parts are either easy replacements.

I have a gas dryer and this has happened to me. I don't screw around with pilot lights and stuff. I'll call in someone for that.

My quick fix was to properly clean out the lint filter. Although there may be nothing visible on the screen, if you have one, use your long, bendable lint dryer brush to clean deep into that space. You'll be shocked at what comes up, blocking your dryer