Disclaimer: I’m not mechanically inclined and this isn’t a paid post.
I bought my Kenmore 11061402310 Electric Dryer on February 13, 2013, along with a matching washer.
Why did I buy a Kenmore brand? Well, I grew up with Kenmore appliances. So, I figured I’d carry on the tradition. And, I’d seen how they held up for my parents over the years.
Fast forward to December 8, 2018. I started the dryer cycle and set the timer for 60 minutes. However, I heard the dryer stop ten minutes later. When I went over to the dryer, the top was extremely hot and my clothes were thoroughly dried. While I was happy to have dry clothes, I was unhappy that my dryer died.
Expense #1: Thermal Fuse, Part Number 3392519
I gunned up for troubleshooting my beloved dryer because 1) it was under five years old and 2) I didn’t want to spend the money on a technician if it could be an inexpensive solution.
So, I headed to the Sears’ website and looked up the parts to my dryer and read through their troubleshooting guide. Since the dryer overheated, I figured it caused the Thermal Fuse to go out. I looked at the price at Sears and decided to go to Amazon to see if I could get a better deal. Yes, I tend to be frugal. I hate spending unnecessary money. Of course, I found the part on Amazon and ordered it. Two days later, it arrived.
Installation was a cinch. And the dryer came on. I did a brief happy dance and threw in a load of clothes. However, the dryer cut off after one sixty-minute cycle. But, it thoroughly dried the clothes.
Expense #2: A Second Thermal Fuse
Here I go again. After further research, I wondered if the part was defective or perhaps an inferior knock-off because it didn’t have the part number printed on the part. Additionally, I discovered Whirlpool manufactured my Kenmore dryer. Of course, you may already know this.
So, I assumed the part was defective and ordered another one from another seller that was supposed to be a genuine Whirlpool replacement part. Two days later, it arrived. Another easy install because I’d become a pro at replacing thermal fuses.
Déjà vu time. The dryer cycle stopped after ten minutes. The top of the dryer was piping hot and the clothes were almost scorched. It’s a good thing that the dryer cut off when it did because my house could’ve possibly caught on fire.
Now, I’m feeling frustrated. I do more research and now I think it could be the thermostat. I’m still not ready to summon a technician. Besides, I’ve spent under twenty dollars on parts. So, I felt I haven’t crossed into the justification of paying eighty-nine dollars for a service call plus extra for parts and labor.
While I familiarized myself with all of the parts inside my dryer, I saw it could be a number of things. And, I discovered my dryer had two thermostats. I went back to trusty Amazon and looked for a kit, which would contain all of these parts. Now, I could up my troubleshooting game and have spare parts for the future.
Expense #3: Dryer Heater Element Thermostat Kit
I purchased the kit for under fifty dollars. It arrived in two days. Nervousness filled my body as I removed the parts from the packaging. So I decided to replace the thermal fuse again and replace the cycling thermostat. For the third time, I closed up the back of the dryer and anticipated hearing the sweet sound of my dryer. And, my dryer didn’t disappoint me. It came on.
I put in a load of clothes and nervously waited. After a complete cycle, the clothes weren’t completely dry. However, the dryer came back on for another cycle. The thermostat had done its job. And, my clothes dried on the next cycle. I’ve dried several loads since then.
Success!
I’m elated that I spent less than a service call and I have extra parts. I almost gave up after the second failed thermal fuse. However, the fighter in me felt I could accomplish what I thought would be a simple feat. Persistence won.
