When a dryer is overheating not only could that potentially ruin the quality of your clothes, it can also be a huge danger to your home as it brings the risk of a fire. Drying your clothes shouldn’t come with such worry, so we’ve decided to lay out some ways you can prevent your dryer from overheating any further by being able to diagnose your ailing machine and determining if the fix is something you can handle, or if you’ll need the assistance of a pro.

Restricted flow of air - When your dryer is overheating one of the first things you ought to check is if the air is flowing through your dryer, as this buildup of hot air is what can cause overheating. Make sure to check your lint trap to see if it’s clean, and then check the lint trap duct to make sure it’s also free of debris. Another way to determine the air flow is to run your dryer and check the duct exhaust vents on the outside of your home. If your machine’s properly passing hot air then you should feel the exhaust coming from the duct.

Cycling thermostat - You’ll find that a majority of dryers have this component to control instances of overheating, however when your dryer is overheating that could be an indication that this component is out of commission. This little part is found on the rear of the machine behind the back panel, and testing it simply requires testing it with a multi-meter.
Heating element - Heating elements are the main source of warmth that assist your dryer in drying your clothes, and as time goes on it’s not a surprise that it can warp or change shape. If your dryer is overheating this means that your heating element could be in direct contact with the drum as a result of these changes, and its vital that you replace/reset your element so it’s not touching the drum.