Wouldn’t it be nice if every time an appliance malfunctioned, you could just press a button and it would work again? Some devices kind of work like that, like holding the on/off switch on your phone or clicking restart on your computer.
Household appliances sometimes come with a trick like this, too. Many dryers, in fact, have a reset button on the high-limit thermostat that you can press when the appliance doesn’t heat up enough or heats up too much.
Unfortunately, though, Magic dryers don’t come with a reset button on the high-limit thermostat. So you’ll have to try out other fixes, like cleaning the vents, changing the heating element, or adjusting your loads of laundry.
This article will detail what you can do when your Magic dryer stops performing as it should.
Magic Dryer Reset Button Location
First, it’s good to know what a high-limit thermostat actually does. In essence, it has a preset maximum temperature and cuts off power to the dryer if the drum exceeds that temperature.
The small button or switch on many dryer thermostats is there to reset the thermostat to default heat settings. It’s useful for when it starts letting the dryer get too hot without tripping or won’t let the dryer heat up enough to work well.
Many renowned brands come with a reset button on their thermostat that’s usually accessible with just a few steps. However, Magic dryers don’t come with a reset button or switch for the high-limit thermostat.
So if you’ve found that your dryer won’t heat well, what should you do instead?
What Else Can You Do to Fix a Dryer Not Heating Properly?
While it’s disheartening to find out that there’s no button you can press to fix your dryer, there are still other reasonably simple—and inexpensive—fixes you can try before forking out the money for a technician.
What Are You Putting Into the Dryer?
First things first: What are you putting into your dryer drum? If your problem is that clothes keep coming out damp, consider whether you’re putting too much in at once. Try splitting up large loads of laundry and separating out big, bulky items like blankets.
This is probably the easiest fix there is. But if you’ve been putting an appropriate amount of clothing into your dryer and it still won’t heat up enough—or heats up too much—try out the next solution.
How Clean Are the Vents and Lint Trap?
The brand Whirlpool—and we’d imagine pretty much every other brand, too—recommends that you clean out your lint filter after each drying cycle. Every six months or so, take some soap and a nylon brush to it, too.
You’ve probably been cleaning out your filter. But how about your exhaust vent?
Sometimes, lint and other debris can travel into the exhaust vent as it’s carrying hot air out of the dryer drum. Unplug your appliance, grab a flashlight, and take a look inside the duct. Your dryer may simply not be getting enough air in or out to correctly manage the heat in the drum.
Have You Tested the Heating Element and Thermostat?
Rather than a screwdriver—like you would need to remove panels on most dryers—grab a putty knife or other flat object instead. Then, unplug the power cord and head to the front.
To access the heating element:
Take your putty knife or other flat object and insert it underneath the seam at the top front of the dryer a few inches from each corner. There will be spring clips that you can depress.
Once you’ve depressed the spring clips, open up the top.
The heating element and high-limit thermostat will be behind the dryer drum toward the back left of the dryer. The thermostat is on the end of the heating element, closer to the middle.
Once inside, take your multimeter and check both components for continuity. If either part has insufficient continuity, replace it. Note that you’ll need to know your thermostat’s rated temperature in order to know which continuity is appropriate.
Thermal fuses are a one-use-only safety feature. These fuses trip when the dryer gets too hot, and you need to replace them after they trip.
While you’re checking in on the heating element and thermostat, consider taking your multimeter to the fuse as well.
Conclusion
It’s disappointing to learn that your dryer doesn’t come with a convenient feature as many others do. However, there’s hope for getting your dryer to work again—and it doesn’t require hours of labor or hundreds of dollars.
Before calling it quits, try:
Cleaning the vents and lint filter
Testing the heating element, thermal fuse, and high-limit thermostat
Changing up how much and what type of clothing you put in the drum
And, while not listed above, you can also try checking the blower wheel, dryer motor, and cycling thermostat. Of course, don’t hesitate to call in a clothes dryer repair technician if you just can’t get your appliance to work again.
