How Does a Heating Element Work in a Dryer?
Dryer Basics A dryer removes the moisture from clothes by mixing the fabrics with hot air. The air enters and exits the dryer from an opening in the front of the dryer through which air in the house is drawn inside. This air passes by the heating element, which adds heat to the air before it enters the dryer’s tumbler, where the clothes are cycled. Air is also being constantly drawn out of the tumbler, sucked through a filter that catches the lint and then sent to another fan, that blows the air through a vent outside of the house. Heating Elements The heating element section contains both the element itself and several thermostats. The heating element is usually located in the back of the dryer, behind the back panel. The coil-shaped element greatly resembles the heating elements used in both ovens and hot water heaters. Typically, dryer heating elements are powered in two different ways: gas and electric (with electric being the most common). Gas-powered elements depend on the pilot
