The Operating Temperatures for Electric Clothes Dryers

Gas vs. Electric

• Gas and electric clothes dryers have very few differences other than the energy sources they use to produce heat. While a gas dryer uses a gas flame to warm the air, an electric model uses electricity to heat metal coils, much like an electric toaster or cooktop. Electric dryers use thermostats to regulate the temperature of the coils and the air that enters the dryer drum, where wet clothes are tumbling.

Safe Temperatures

• The biggest safety concern with clothes dryers is a fire that starts when lint and debris blocking the hot air exhaust overheats. To keep this from occurring, electric dryers feature temperature sensors that will reduce the heat or shut the dryer off entirely if temperatures get much above 250 degrees F. According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, 250 degrees F is a safe standard for maximum operating temperature.

Temperature Settings

• To protect your clothing and give you more control over how the dryer works, most clothes dryers feature variable temperature controls. This usually takes the form of a knob or digital display that allows you to select a lower temperature for clothes that would otherwise shrink or melt when exposed to temperatures around 250 degrees F. Cooler electric dryer operating temperatures will still dry clothes completely, though the process will take longer.

Air Flow

• Proper air flow is just as important as operating temperature in a clothes dryer. If the air is too moist, clothes will never dry regardless of how hot the dryer gets. Likewise, a cooler operating mode will dry clothes as long as the air inside the dryer can cycle efficiently, allowing moisture to escape through a ventilation duct while warm, dry air reenters the drum after being exposed to the heating coils. Filter clogs or a faulty blower will result in wet clothes, even if the dryer is able to reach its operating temperature.