With the GE dryer conked out, doing your laundry at home can be a bummer, especially when you do not have an outdoor terrace for drying them out manually. Your dirty laundry is piling up and come Monday, you wouldn’t have anything appropriate to wear to work. Before you fret and think about dumping your dirty laundry in your roommate’s cupboard, it is better to get your GE dryer fixed as soon as possible.
But before you do, it is essential to identify the cause(s) behind your faulty and power-hungry GE dryer. Mentioned below are 4 reasons why your perfectly working GE dryer decided to surprise you with a no-show!
1) Faulty Heating Element
Are you sure you are not overloading the GE dryer with a burden of wet clothes just so you can do your chores faster? If you are not overloading the dryer and still getting damp clothes as a result of countless completed cycles, then you might have a faulty heating element as the culprit.
A heating element is responsible for warming the air that’s used for drying the clothes during each cycle. For faulty heating, inspect the coils of the heating element by removing the back panel and its connections. Usually, a heating element such as the dryer belt will have to be replaced with another if the coils are broken and there is no continuity when tested on electrical leads.
Good news is that GE dryer parts are easily available in-store or even online where you can ask an expert and inquire before your purchase. You can take the thermostat of the existing faulty heating element and add it to the new part before installation.
Since it is an arduous process, you can hire a technician for replacing the faulty heating element before you miss identifying the actual lead. Also, keep in mind that heating elements are susceptible to damage with time as well as poor maintenance and ventilation.
2) Clogged Dryer Vent
The dryer vent can become clogged due to accumulation of lint within the pipeline which can ultimately block the air from passing through and heating your clothes during each cycle. A blocked or clogged dryer duct is the primary reason why your GE dryer is not working properly. The ultimate solution?
Also, a clogged dryer duct provokes the risk of fire which can become an untimely life hazard. Check and clean your dryer duct vent pipe once or twice a year if you want your GE dryer to keep on working efficiently and safely.
3) Blown thermal Fuse
When your GE dryer fails to produce any kind of heat at all – even when you set your thermostat to produce high heat – then it is possible that you have a blown thermal fuse. Usually, thermal fuse shorts on its own when it detects a higher temperature than usual. A thermal fuse is present inside the fuse box that is usually situated at the back of the dryer.
A thermal fuse is added to the GE dryer’s heating mechanism as a precautionary measure for preventing fire hazards from overheating. A thermal fuse can also blow out if you load your GE dryer with a load too heavy or if the dryer vent is clogged. Not only will you have to clean out the dryer duct, but also replace the thermal fuse by looking for GE dryer parts.
You can also hire a technician who can come over to inspect the type of thermal fuse your GE dryer has if you have poor knowledge regarding electric fixtures. It is essential to get a timely replacement as the dryer would not work at all and your wet clothes will remain soaked as before.
4) Igniter Malfunction
Gas-powered dryers usually consist of an igniter that heats the gas for heating the clothes. If the igniter malfunctions, how is the dryer supposed to produce any heat in the first place? However, if the dryer has been switched on without getting ignited, there is a chance that gas might be leaking into your room and eventually, your home. If the igniter is not working, we would suggest you to get it checked by a professional immediately as you are dealing with flammable gas that can pose a hazard to your life.
Bonus!
Apart from the afore-mentioned reasons, your gas-powered dryer might not produce any heat if there is a problem within the gas valve solenoids. The solenoids are small coils that are responsible for opening and closing the gas valves. Since the gas valves heat the dryer, any problem with the solenoids can actually result in diminished to no heating at all.
Parting thoughts
To ensure that your GE dryer is working smoothly, it is better to hire a professional for a routine inspection once every 6 months. While replacement of GE dryer parts is easy and relatively cheap, prolonged inspection for faulty heating elements can result in expensive fixes. At times, you might consider buying a new GE dryer for the effort, time and money the replacements require.
So be proactive and get it fixed before any major damage is done!