How to Fix a Heating Element for a Dryer That Is Too Hot

The heating element is responsible for heating the air circulating inside of the drum. It is a coiled wire that heats up and transfers the heat to the surrounding air when electricity is passed to it. If your dryer is too hot to touch, its heating element may be overworking. As it overproduces heat, the internal temperature of the air circulating inside the drum would be, as a result, too high as well. You may need to test your dryer's heating element with a multimeter to see if it is functioning properly.

What is the Heating Element?

The heating element is a device with coils that converts electrical energy into heat. It is responsible for heating up the air that flows into the dryer’s drum during its cycle. If your dryer is overheating, your heating element may be broken.

Where is the Heating Element Located?

The heating element is typically found in the back panel encased in a housing. However, some dryer models may have it located in the front of the bulkhead, just behind the drum itself. Be sure to consult your user’s manual before proceeding.

General Location of the Heating Element

How to Access, Remove, and Inspect the Heating Element

As with all repairs, begin by unplugging your dryer. If you have a gas dryer, shut off the gas supply and disconnect the gas lines.

1. Remove the back panel and locate the heating element in its housing assembly.
2. If the housing is connected to the dryer’s high-limit thermostat, disconnect the wiring running to the thermostat and remove the thermostat from its slot.
3. Disconnect the wires running to the heating element using a needle-nose pliers.
4. Remove the heating element and inspect it for breaks in the coils.

1. Remove the top cover. You may need to use a putty knife.
2. Disconnect the door switch and moisture-sensor wiring assemblies.
3. Remove the dryer’s front panel.
4. If necessary, reach back into the idler pulley underneath the drum and remove the dryer’s belt from the pulley and the motor shaft. Slide the drum out of the front panel with one hand, lifting the belt to support the drum with another hand.
5. Locate the heating element in its housing assembly.
6. If the housing is connected to the dryer’s high-limit thermostat, disconnect the wiring running to the thermostat and remove the thermostat from its slot.
7. Disconnect the wires running to the heating element using a needle-nose pliers.
8. Remove the heating element and inspect it for breaks in the coils.

How to Test the Heating Element

1. Set your multimeter to read in ohms (some devices call this mode ‘RX1’ or ‘X1’). If your multimeter has a setting that tests for continuity by making an audible sound, you may set it to that as well.
2. Touch the probes onto the wire terminals and check the reading – the ideal reading is between ‘20’ to ‘50’ ohms. Alternatively, listen for a sound.
3. Replace the heating element if it reads outside the ideal range or if it does not make a sound.

How to Install a New Heating Element

1. Reinstall the high-limit thermostat into the housing if it was previously removed.
2. Secure the new heating element into place.
3. Reconnect any wiring.
4. Reattach the back panel.

Next: Troubleshooting the Blower Wheel

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