The cord set selected should have only 3 wires (line 1, line 2 and neutral; no ground wire). The center wire of this cable is the neutral wire and the outer wires are the “hot” line 1 and line 2 wires. When moving a newer electric dryer into an older house, it’s not uncommon to find that the cord and plug included with the new dryer doesn’t fit the 240-volt dryer outlet. Connect the ground wire from the dryer outlet’s circuit cable to the panel’s ground bus bar. This involves inserting the bare end of the wire into a slot in the ground bus bar and tightening the set screw to secure the wire.
Install a Receptacle Box and Run the Cable
Avoid scams, deal locally Beware wiring (e.g. Western Union), cashier checks, money orders, shipping. Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice MeetMe unsubscribe for over 13 years. The wire gauges are shown on the side of the tool so you know which slot to use for stripping insulation. Katie Melynn is a product reviewer for The Spruce who specializes in lifestyle and parenting writing.
The main sign of a damaged heating element is clothes not drying after a washing cycle. Sometimes, you might need to buy a new heating element. The average dryer heating element cost is between $40 and $100 but can go as high as $200 or as low as $30, depending on the type of dryer. Now, test the branch circuits inside the panel with a voltage tester to confirm the power is off. This is done by touching one probe of the tester to a screw terminal on the breaker while touching the other probe to the ground bus bar.
Budget-friendly options also come in the same hue of white or champagne. The display is on the top of the dryer, near the back. At 5 feet, 6 inches, I didn’t have any trouble reaching the dial to select the cycle or pressing any of the buttons to turn the dryer on, start the cycle, or adjust the settings.
User reviews are quite good, as are reviews from testing labs. Many other dryers we looked at either felt cheaply built or had too many unnecessary extras, which ultimately can drive up the price and drive down the reliability. This dryer is a sensible choice that we think will work well for a lot of people. As a Maytag dryer, the MEDX655DW has a good reputation for reliability.
In a standard installation with nonmetallic cable, 10-3 NM-B cable is run from the main service panel to a recessed outlet box. If the outlet is surface-mounted , the circuit is usually run with insulated (THHN/THWN) wires inside nonmetallic or EMT conduit. The outlet may be a special surface-mount receptacle or a standard dryer receptacle installed in a surface-mounted box.
How to Wire an Electric Dryer
It’s a good idea to clean your vent every two years. In addition to the safety issues that a blocked vent can cause, drying clothes with a blocked vent can damage your dryer and void your warranty. After cleaning the indoor side of the vent, go outside and remove the vent hood to ensure it is clear of all lint and debris. Unless your house has never been lived in, it is important to make sure your dryer vent is free and clear of all debris, as a blocked vent may be a fire hazard. Before you try to install your washer and dryer, measure the area where you intend to put them to ensure they will fit. Keep in mind that your dryer will need about four inches of additional space in the back for venting.
Spending just under $50 to avoid lugging a heavy new dryer up a flight of stairs and carrying a heavy, old dryer down the same stairs was well worth the cost for me. The install team also hooked up the dryer vent and started the machine to make sure that it was installed correctly. A clean dryer vent increases dryer efficiency and reduces potential fire hazards. Use a vacuum hose annually to remove lint from inside the duct. Check the vent hood frequently and brush out any visible buildup. Heating elements in a dryer usually burn out if they overheat.
The service can include cleaning the dryer hoses and vents. Gas dryers typically cost about $50 to $100 more to repair than electric dryers. These appliances are less common than their electric counterparts and, as such, are harder to find parts for.
And they are all equally inefficient, give or take. Until recently, Energy Star did not even list clothes dryers in its efficiency ratings, mainly because they were all such energy hogs. We have found through experience that the energy-saver modes that qualify a dryer for Energy Star just don’t work very well.