8 Reasons Why Frigidaire Dryer Not Heating [Quick Fix]

Frigidaire dryers are such a staple of American households that many don’t give them a second thought. However, if the Frigidaire dryer won’t heat, then it can be a real headache. If you’re experiencing issues with your Frigidaire dryer, here are a few things to check in order to determine the cause and see if you need to take it in for a repair.

When a dryer can’t work, chaos usually ensues. Who will take out the clothes? What are we gonna wear tomorrow? How are we supposed to face our friends and family today if we don’t have clean clothes?

We all love fresh out of the dryer clothes on a hot summer day. But when our laundry appliances don’t work properly, we turn our lives upside down and face hours of chaos in trying to fix them.

If your Frigidaire Dryer is not heating, there are several things you can do to troubleshoot the issue. Most often, this is due to clothes being too wet or you have put too many clothes in the drum. If those aren’t the reasons, then check to see if there are any areas where the vents might be blocked or squeezed.

Frigidaire dryer may also be most likely not heating up because of a problem with one of its internal components such as a burnt heating element, defective thermistor sensor, and failed heater relay.

It might seem like your troubleshooting job will become only more daunting as the dryer clinks and whines in your kitchen. However, doing some quick research and a few simple troubleshooting steps on their own can help you get back to baking in no time. If a repair is required, it’s obviously best to call an expert to have them look at your dryer.

Dryers can be complicated, but it doesn’t mean that you have to put all the blame on yourself. This article is helpful at explaining questions you might have regarding your dryer and what should be done.

The article also mentions a few troubleshooting tips that can help, like checking for ventilation and opening the dryer’s door at a certain point during the drying cycle, so if you’re not getting any heat out of your dryer, it could be to do with some of these things.

Frigidaire Dryer Not Heating – Troubleshoot And Diagnosis

A dryer is not an appliance that runs by itself. The most common reason why a dryer stops working is because the airflow system has failed, but it could also be due to any of the other problems mentioned in this article from repairing to buying a new machine.

If you notice your Frigidaire dryer not producing very much heat, there are a few things to check before you call in the repairman:

1. Clothes Are Too Wet

You should always avoid oversoaking your fabrics and sheets, which might eventually cause damage to your dryer.

If your clothes are not getting dried quickly enough, it may be because the washer is not draining properly. Check which cycle your clothes are being washed in and make sure it’s spinning and draining properly.

Make sure that the wash cycle you are using is working correctly, as it might be your washer’s issue instead of your dryer.

Giving objects a shake before putting them in the dryer will make certain items easier to tumble. According to the American Institute of Home Economics, this can increase drying time significantly, and also makes your clothes dry faster.

Using a dryer sheet or fabric softener are great ways to reduce static cling in your laundry. But if you want the best results, try shaking all of your laundries before putting it into the dryer. This will help distribute heat more evenly across the tumbling drum and cut down on drying time as well.

Alternatively, ironing over new items before putting them in the dryer can also prevent static from forming by smoothing out loose fibers.

2. Dryer Is Overloaded

Although it is tempting to use your washer or dryer to solve a problem, overloading them will cause them to heat up and shut down suddenly. Some space should be left in both the drum and the cabinet. It’s good practice to avoid pressing clothes against each other.

If your clothes are still wet after the cycle is complete, and you feel as though they aren’t being properly dried, try decreasing the number of items you load in the dryer.

It’s a common thought, but you can never have too many clothes in the dryer. Drying across multiple loads gets a clothes to come out of the dryer clean and completely wrinkle-free — less time wasted.

Overloading the drum with too many wet articles will cause your dryer to overheat. This can cause uncomfortable heat in your home and it is a fire hazard as well.

Reduce the number of clothes you put in the machine and see how they perform.

3. Clogged Dryer Vent

Dryer vent blockage is a common problem that can affect the dryer’s airflow. Having a clogged dryer vent can cause your dryer not to heat properly.

The machine is designed with sensors that allows it to turn off when hot air cannot escape. These sensors send signals which shut the dryer down to prevent it from overheating or catching fire.

One major way lint can enter a dryer vent is when clothes are stacked wet or damp. As these commonly accumulate, they can eventually make their way into the dryer and cause blockages. Regular maintenance of your washer and dryer will keep your vents clear for proper ventilation, making sure your home stays clean and comfortable.

It’s very important to clean your dryer vent at least once a month. This is the best way to ensure that lint isn’t building up inside the duct creating that blockage. Once a month, schedule a service professional to check out your filter and/or change out your lint trap.

Here is how to clean the dryer’s air vent:

1. First, unplug the dryer and pull it away from the wall.
2. Disconnect the dryer vent.
3. Clean the lint build-up inside the hose with a vacuum cleaner attachment.
4. Reconnect the vent hose and turn on the dryer.

If your dryer is not working properly and lint is throwing everything around randomly, the first thing you should do is unplug it. Use an appliance brush and a vacuum to get the accumulated dirt in the ventilation system as well as any jammed lint that may be clogging up your ventilation duct.

It’s an obvious problem that can be solved by looking outside and checking the vent. It’s important to also check the vent on your dryer for obstruction, as this is a common cause of many heating problems. Often checks like this will show what needs fixing without a costly repair bill.

4. Pinched Dryer Vent Hose

A pinched dryer vent can create a lot of uncomfortable heat. Just like a pinched garden hose, this can stop the hot air from circulating and cause your clothes to overheat.

Dryer vents can easily become pinched if you are cleaning the dryer vent or using your dryer.

Dryer vents can become easily blocked when the dryer is moving or when it needs to be cleaned. Blocked vents cause poor airflow and may overheat the appliance.

If you’re unable to get your dryer to work, there could be something obstructing the vent. To check, move the dryer away from the wall and see if the issue persists.

If it appears that there is nothing blocking the vent, then you may just need to reposition the dryer.

5. Blown Thermal Fuse

A blown fuse can cause some serious fires. Fuses, along with circuit breakers, are a common place to catch an electric fire. When a fuse blows in the presence of any power source (including electrical wires), it acts as a switch and interrupts current running through the circuit.

This fuse is an overheating protection feature on the dryer. When the dryer gets too hot, this fuse will blow, preventing the dryer from overheating and potentially starting a fire. It’s a safety feature that keeps the unit safe and running at optimum temperatures.

It is essential to clean the dryer vent before replacing the thermal fuse. Neglecting this step will only result in another blown fuse, it is also still possible to completely avoid all of these issues by checking and cleaning your dryer’s vents at least once a month.

For best results, inspection and maintenance is key when dealing with a clogged dryer vent.

The Frigidaire dryer’s thermal fuse is located in the back right corner of the dryer. To check if it’s defective, use a multimeter to check for continuity. If it’s not working, replace it.

To ensure the proper safety of your dryer, it is important to inspect and/or replace your thermal fuse if it begins to malfunction.

6. Defective Heating Element

The heating element in a dryer is basically a small furnace that uses heat to dry clothes. When the dryer is on, the coils inside the element generate heat. The blower will then move the hot air around in the drum and out the exhaust vent.

Your dryer is only as good as its coils. Over time, they will start to break or fail– this is just a common part of appliance wear and tear. If the coils are damaged or no longer work throughout the entire drying cycle, then your dryer won’t be able to generate enough heat and your clothes will not dry efficiently.

If you notice that your dryer is taking a long time to dry your clothes, or if the clothes come out wrinkled or with fabric defects, it might be time to replace your heating element.

If a dryer heating element overheats, it can cause a dryer not to function correctly or at all. Overheating range is the point where too much heat (heat above which an object cools down) could be generated in an electrical component, such as a wiring or circuit board. The higher the temperature, the faster it can melt.

You may notice that if you open up your appliance’s case, you will find areas of melting and scorching on the boards and parts of your machine.

There are several reasons why a dryer heating element could have given up the ghost: one quick and easy step to isolate the issue would be to turn off the dryer, remove the rear panel, and check for visible issues such as loose cables or wires and exposed electronic parts; non-working heating element; broken connections between components.

Although the heating element of the dryer heats up rather quickly, overheating may actually be caused by blocked vents.

The reason why the unit overheats is because there is not enough airflow. A blocked vent will cause hot air to accumulate in the machine.

Examine the heating element coils to find out if they are broken. If any coils are damaged or otherwise not functioning, they should be replaced. If all the coils on a system are working properly, use a multimeter to test for the incoming power source of the dryer and check for electricity flowing through the coils.

7. Bad Heating Relay

An electrical relay is an electromechanical device that uses the mechanical output of one circuit to open and close a second circuit. It is a crucial component in many heaters, dryers and other heating devices — its purpose is to allow the heating element to operate by separating the two circuits. If it has gone bad, you may notice one or both of your heating elements aren’t turning on.

If the temperature of the heating element exceeds the set temperature, or if the drying cycle ends, current will not flow to the heating element.

It can be thought of as a switch that can turn on and off.

If your dryer is not working, it may be because of a problem with the electrical contacts in the relay. If your dryer has been in use for a long time, this may be the most likely reason.

The heater relay could be the reason for a dryer that is not functioning properly. Because the relay has lost its ability to complete the circuit, it’s effectively out of commission and unable to handle power flow.

You can try testing if this is your problem by playing around with particular combinations in front of your dryer and make sure you’re getting power as expected.

If your dryer is not heating, there is a good chance that the heating relay is defective. A relay is a small device that controls the flow of electricity. When it breaks, the dryer will not heat up.

Testing the dryer for hot coils and thermostat is a good way to determine if the relay is the problem. If testing does not reveal the problem, replacing the relay may be the best solution.

The dryer heating relay is a component of the dryer that controls the flow of electricity to the heater element. If the dryer heating relay is not working properly, the dryer may not heat or may heat slowly. This can cause clothes to dry out or even catch on fire. To replace the dryer heating relay, follow these steps:

1. Turn off the dryer and unplug the dryer cord.
2. Remove the front cover of the dryer.
3. There are four screws that hold the relay in place. Remove the screws and the relay.
4. Replace the relay with a new one and tighten the screws.
5. Reinstall the front cover and plug the dryer cord back in.
6. Turn on the dryer and check to see if the problem has been resolved.

8. Motor Centrifugal Switch Failed

There could be a few reasons why your centrifugal switch is not working. The most common reason is that the switch is not getting enough power. Another possibility is that the switch is not properly connected. Finally, the switch could be faulty.

The centrifugal switch keeps your laundry safe. As a safety feature, it turns the dryer heating element on only when the drum is spinning. The safety switch will keep your clothes from burning and smoking up your house by turning off the dryer if heat buildup is detected.

As the drum of your dryer begins to spin, it creates centrifugal force, which then closes the switch. Electricity flows to the heating element as a result.

Once the drum begins to slow down and stops spinning, this centrifugal switch will open up, cutting power to the heating element and allowing it to cool down. If you don’t feel heat but see that your dryer is still working during its cycle, this may be your culprit.

If your dryer is refusing to heat, you should begin at the circuit breaker. A faulty centrifugal switch could prevent electricity from reaching two vital components — the drum and heating element. Without electrical power, these parts won’t function at all.

The dryer centrifugal switch has two main common issues – it can get stuck from regular wear and tear, or lint and dirt can build up over time. Even though lint is a common problem with many appliances that feature centrifugal switches, dryers in particular have had reports of the switches becoming stuck due to clogged vents.

Many appliances use a centrifugal switch in their electrical systems, but some dryers are particularly prone to lint build-up around them — so much so that they can affect the switches’ function.

When the centrifugal switch breaks on your dryer, it can be very difficult to troubleshoot this issue because it’s so close to the motor. If you don’t have experience with a centrifugal switch, you should find a professional to fix it since they’re hard to work with.

Here are the steps to test and replace the centrifugal switch:

1. Disconnect the dryer from the power source.
2. Remove the back panel of the dryer.
3.  Locate the centrifugal switch. It will be mounted on the blower assembly.
4. Use a multimeter to test the switch for continuity. If the switch is damaged, it will need to be replaced.
5.  Install the new switch and reassemble the dryer.

It is always best to replace the entire dryer motor instead of just repairing it. Even though it may be more expensive to do so, it will be more reliable in the coming days.

9. Faulty Thermistor

The Frigidaire dryer is one of the most common appliances that require a thermistor. The thermistor prevents the dryer from overheating by controlling the amount of power supplied to the heating element.

If the sensor is faulty, it will incorrectly sense that your laundry is too hot, causing your dryer to shut off prematurely.

If your thermistor isn’t working, it won’t be able to correctly regulate how much power your dryer uses. Eventually, it will fizzle out and send an error code to your screen so you can call for service from us.

The thermistor works closely with the dryer’s control board, monitoring the temperature and deciding whether to turn on/off the element.

The control board makes this decision based on the reading of a sensor that travels around with the heated air; this traveling sensor is called a thermistor.

It can work in conjunction with other sensors such as moisture sensors that have been placed inside your laundry load to help regulate drying time and monitor your energy consumption.

If a thermistor is faulty, it can mistakenly sense that the air temperature inside the dryer is high, though it’s not. As a result, the control board may refuse to supply power to the heating element.

You’ll notice that there is no hot air generated inside the dryer. The lights will come on and spin, but you’ll find that they don’t heat up any clothes.

If your thermistor malfunctions, then it could read that your dryer’s ambient air temperature is high even though it isn’t.

If you think your dryer’s thermistor is faulty, unplug the dryer and remove the back panel. Locate the thermistor and test it with a multimeter. If the thermistor is not working, replace it with a new one.

To replace it, first locate the thermistor on the back of the dryer. Unscrew the two screws that hold it in place and pull it out. Then, insert the new thermistor into the slot and screw it in place.

10. Defective Timer

Most dryers in the United States are controlled by a single part called the timer. This device sends a signal to components of the dryer including the motor and heating element, telling them when to start or stop working. If it malfunctions, it can give off an inaccurate signal, leaving your clothes wet while seeming to complete the cycle.

If the dryer timer control is defective, it may not advance the drum through the drying cycle in the appropriate amount of time. As a result, the clothes may not dry completely.

one possible cause for a dryer timer not working is that the power supply to the dryer is not working. Another possible cause is that the dryer timer itself is defective and needs to be replaced.

The dryer timer knob could be broken, or the dryer timer itself could be faulty. The first step is to check the electric plug then look at the timer knob, and see if any part of it has been damaged.

Final Thoughts

If your dryer is newer, has only minor issues and you would like to keep it for a few more years, hiring someone to repair it may be worthwhile.

When your dryer stops working properly, it can be tempting to call out a repair technician straight away. However, before you make that decision, you should always check the troubleshooting section of your dryer’s user manual for common repairs and solutions.

Although the solution may not seem like a big deal — such as clearing lint from the vent or checking screws — it could very well save you some time and money if you do it yourself instead of calling in a professional.