What to do if your tumble dryer isn't heating up properly
If your tumble dryer isn't heating up properly, there could be several reasons why. Our guide walks you through troubleshooting and repair steps to get it working again.
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The one thing you expect from your tumble dryer is for it to dry your clothes. It works by warming air and blowing it into the machine’s drum while your wet clothes circulate inside. So, when it’s not heating up the way it should, or even at all, you know you have a problem.
There are a few reasons why this might be happening. But before you think about calling an engineer for a tumble dryer repair, have a read through this post and see if any of these quick fixes do the trick.
Always remember to turn your tumble dryer off at the wall and give it enough time to cool down after use before trying any of the suggestions below.
1. Clean the filter
It’s important to keep your tumble dryer’s lint filter clean if you want to keep it running properly. As your tumble dryer throws your clothes around inside the drum, things like fluff and fibres come away. If the lint filter that collects these bits isn’t cleaned, air can’t circulate inside your dryer. To find it, look in the bottom front rim of the drum or in the inner face of the door.
By not cleaning your filter, your machine will be less efficient and means your clothes will take longer to dry. It also means your dryer could heat up rapidly — and there’s a risk the heating element could ignite. These accidents are rare, but it’s always best to make sure the filter’s clear anyway.
You can learn all about this by reading our guide on how to clean a tumble dryer filter.
2. Clean the condenser box
When a tumble dryer gets rid of moisture through a vent leading outside the home, it’s known as a vented dryer. If it has an internal condenser (otherwise known as a heat exchanger), it’s called a condenser dryer.
Condenser dryers cool the hot moist air (carrying fibres from your clothing) in a condenser box. They’re more effective than vented dryers at reducing condensation in the tumble dryer's drum. They also help to keep condensation from forming on the walls and windows of the room it’s in.
But you need to keep the condenser box clean if you want your dryer to work properly. A condenser box full of soggy lint build-up means air can’t circulate and reduces the heating performance.
You’ll usually find the condenser box on the front of your dryer at the bottom. Check your user manual if you need to.
Make sure the tumble dryer’s turned off before following these steps:
- Open the flap, unclip and slide out the condenser box
- Take it to a sink and run water all over it and through it
- Flush out all the lint and fluff that you can see
- Dry the box with a towel and place it back in the tumble dryer
- Shut the condenser box door
You’re now free to switch the tumble dryer on again and use it as normal.
3. Unclog the dryer vent
If you have a vented dryer, you’ll need to keep the dryer vent clean to let the moist air escape. If the vent gets clogged with a build-up of lint, the dryer could overheat, risking a fire. So, you should remember to take some time to clean it. About every six months should be fine.
You’ll know you have a clogged tumble dryer vent if your clothes take longer to dry and feel very hot when they come out. The vent itself may feel hotter than normal too.
Once you’ve turned off the dryer and let it cool, pull it away from the wall (get someone to help if it’s a little heavy!). Detach or unscrew the flexible dryer pipe so you can see the vent on the back. Reach in and clean out any lint debris with an extendable cleaning brush or something similar. Then clean out the pipe leading outside with a vacuum cleaner or even a leaf blower. Then you’re free to reassemble and reconnect your dryer.
4. Check the condenser reservoir
Any water thrown from your clothing as the drum spins filters through to the condenser reservoir (or tank). It should be emptied about once a month, as a full water tank can cause your machine to stop heating up altogether. Most modern models now alert you when it’s full, so you don’t have to keep checking.
You’ll usually find the condenser reservoir at the bottom or the top of your machine. Again, check your user manual if you’re not sure.
Turn off the dryer and slide out the condenser reservoir. Be careful as it can be heavy. Most reservoirs store up to 5kgs of water. Then empty it into the sink. Check that the valve on the end of the reservoir hasn’t become blocked with any lint too. Then slide it back into the dryer and feel free to dry another load.
5. Clean the moisture sensor
The moisture sensor detects when your clothing is dry enough and when to end the cycle. If your tumble dryer has a moisture sensor, you should make sure it’s kept clean
You’ll usually find the sensor next to the lint filter, just inside the rim of the drum. It looks like two metal strips, about four inches long, side by side.
Let the machine cool down, then take a damp cloth and wipe the metal surfaces of the sensor. Aim to do this every three months to make sure it’s always working as it should.
6. Reset the thermostat
We should start by saying that you should never open the tumble dryer door during a cycle. Checking to see if the laundry’s dry by opening the door can damage your appliance and trip the thermostat. This could then cause the dryer to overheat.
The thermostat is there to check and regulate the temperature inside your dryer when it’s in use. If it can’t do this, it will trip as a safety precaution.
A thermostat failing or tripping is one of the most common faults with tumble dryers — and it’s usually down to user error or poor maintenance.
If your thermostat trips, you might be able to reset it by pressing a reset button somewhere around the back of the dryer. Depending on the make and model, it should be on the back panel or just behind it.
If you do need to remove the panel, you’ll probably need a screwdriver. Give the button a push when you find it. If the thermostat has tripped, you should hear a click. If you don’t hear a click, and the dryer still isn’t heating, it might be time to call in the experts.
7. Book a repair
It’s important to look after your tumble dryer but sometimes it’s too difficult to fix something without professional help. If you’ve tried all the suggestions above and there’s still an issue with your dryer heating up, it could be something like a faulty heating element. And if you think an electrical component might have failed, the best thing you can do is arrange a repair by an expert engineer.