How to Replace the Heating Element in Your Maytag Electric Dryer

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ARS
January 28, 2020
Dryer Repair

Your Maytag electric dryer model MEDC465HW is equipped with a heating element. The element is a coil of heating wire that uses electric current to warm up. The air blowing over the element is then heated by the hot coils before entering the dryer drum. If your dryer is taking longer than usual to dry your clothes or the air entering the dryer drum never gets hot, there is a good chance your appliance’s heating element is faulty.

You can often determine whether a heating element is the cause of your non-heating dryer by simply inspecting the element’s coils. Burns or breaks in the coils indicate a faulty heating element. However, if you inspect the coils and see no sign of damage, you can use a multimeter to perform a continuity test. The test will indicate whether the element’s electrical path travels around the entirety of the coils without any interruptions. A broken electrical path means your heating element is definitely behind your dryer’s malfunction and will need to be replaced.

Dryer Repair Safety Steps

  • Either unplug your dryer or switch it off at the circuit breaker before starting your repair.
  • Always protect your eyes and hands by wearing safety goggles and work gloves during an appliance repair.
  • If at any time you feel as though you cannot safely finish repairing your dryer, stop what you are doing and contact an appliance repair technician.

How to Replace the Heating Element in Your Maytag Dryer

  1. Pull your dryer forward and away from your laundry room wall. Move to the rear of your appliance and unthread the screws securing the back panel to the dryer.
  2. Locate the high limit thermostat on the side of the heating element assembly. Disconnect the wire running to the high limit thermostat, and then remove the thermostat from the side of the heating element terminal.
  3. Next, disconnect the heating element wire from the heating element assembly. Once the wire is no longer attached, unthread the screws securing the assembly to the back of your dryer. Slide the faulty heating element out of its housing and get rid of it.
  4. Grab your new heating element, and carefully slide it into place on the back of your appliance. Then, secure it with the screws you removed earlier, and reconnect the heating element wire to the heating element.
  5. Reinstall the high limit thermostat, and reattach its wire. Finally, place the dryer’s rear panel back on the appliance.
  6. To finish up your repair, plug-in your appliance, and throw a load of wet clothes in the dryer drum to test out your newly installed heating element.

If you inspected your dryer’s heating element and it is not the cause of your dryer’s heating problems, please contact us today, and we’ll be happy to help you diagnose and repair your malfunctioning appliance.

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