Most parents will know that when an appliance breaks down it’s bad news. This is particularly true when your dryer breaks down in the winter. You can wash everybody’s clothes, but how on Earth are they all going to get dry enough to wear comfortably?
Most dryer problems can be solved by yourself without the need to find a technician or to pay a vast amount of money to get it repaired.
Here’s what you should do if you should find yourself in a broken dryer situation.
What Do I Need If My Dryer Breaks Down?
Buying a new dryer seems like a costly and wasteful task when you could simply get hold of some DIY repair parts for your dryer and go ahead and do it yourself with the right teaching.
Most parts you will need to buy are pretty inexpensive compared to the cost of purchasing a new machine. Apart from the basic tools such as a socket set and screwdrivers, you might need a tester to diagnose the issue with your machine. These are known as continuity testers or multimeters.
Test The Fuse
The first thing should always be to check that the plug is switched on. Although it’s common in most households to have the dryer always plugged in and switched on, it is also common for the plugs to get knocked during a spin cycle, leaving your dryer with no power and unable to switch on.
Try unplugging and plugging back in again, and even changing which socket you use if you have a choice of multiple plugs nearby. If it still doesn’t work, try plugging in another small appliance into the socket and seeing if that works. That should give you an indication as to whether the issue lies in the plug, the power source or the machine itself.
Check the Lint Compartment
Clothes get dusty. That dust, pet hair, hair, etc will often become trapped in the lint trap in your dryer. If cleaning this each time you finish a drying cycle isn’t part of your usual routine, then a full lint trap will likely cause issues such as burnt out dryers and the risk for fires later on.
How to Open Up Your Dryer For Repairs
The best way to see what’s wrong with an appliance is to open it up and take a look inside to see if all the parts are intact. To open your dryer you should remove the screws from each corner of the control panel to reveal the screws to the top panel. Pull the top and lift it off. To open up your bottom panel, you should release the spring catches by using an object such as a blunt putty knife. Open the bottom panel and remove the screws.
When Should I Call a Professional About my Broken Dryer?
If none of the quick fixes listed here have worked, then it may well be worth taking the time to find a reputable repair person to fix the problem for you. While many issues can be fixed alone, there are others that are not worth risking your own safety for.
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