A thermal fuse is a safety device designed to prevent overheating in dryers. It is a one-time-use fuse that will blow if the dryer reaches a certain temperature, typically around 180 degrees Fahrenheit. If the thermal fuse blows, the dryer will stop working. Checking the thermal fuse is a relatively simple task that can be done in a few minutes.
To check the thermal fuse, you will need a multimeter. Set the multimeter to the ohms setting. Then, disconnect the power to the dryer and remove the back panel. Locate the thermal fuse, which is usually located near the heating element. Disconnect the wires from the thermal fuse and touch the probes of the multimeter to the terminals of the fuse. If the multimeter reads zero ohms, the fuse is good. If the multimeter reads infinity, the fuse is blown and needs to be replaced.
