The Maytag DE412 Will Not Dry

Safety Precautions

• The heating element in the DE412 requires a 220-volt connection, which is double the voltage found in a standard electrical outlet. Before beginning any repair or inspection, disconnect the dryer's power source by turning off the breaker in your home's service panel or unplugging the dryer from the wall outlet.

Heating Element

• The heating element is behind the rear panel of the dryer, on the right side at the bottom of the dryer duct. The element consists of a metal coil that, when energized, heats the air as it passes over it before entering the dryer drum. The heating element may burn out over time, or the coil could break, disrupting the electric current and preventing it from being energized. To determine whether the element is properly functioning, test it using a multimeter. A properly functioning heating element has a resistance between 0 and 50 Ohms.

High Limit Thermostat

• The high limit thermostat is on the side of the heating element and monitors the temperature inside the element. The thermostat is heat sensitive and trips when the heating element reaches dangerous temperatures. When the high limit thermostat trips, it cuts the heating element's power supply. A tripped high limit thermostat must be replaced, as you cannot reset it. Before replacing the thermostat, test it with a multimeter to ensure that it has tripped. If the thermostat has a resistance of 0 Ohms, it is properly functioning. Any other resistance is indicative of a bad fuse.

Dryer Vent

• After each load of laundry it is important that you clean the lint trap of the dryer. If the lint trap is not emptied, not only will you clothes take longer to dry but the risk of a fire also increases greatly. Further, the dryer vent, which is the metal tube running from the dryer to the wall, should be cleaned periodically to remove the lint contained within. If the vent becomes clogged, the dryer will not dry your clothes and it increases the risk of a fire. If the vent is is heavily clogged, and the outlet in the wall is clogged, contact a professional duct cleaner to remove the lint from your dryer duct.