Hotpoint Tumble Dryer Not Heating Up? (here’s why)
If your Hotpoint tumble dryer isn’t heating up, it means there’s something wrong with it. Before you contact a service engineer, it might be something simple that you can fix yourself. In this article we’ll look at the most common problems with Hotpoint tumble dryers and how to fix them.
Please note the following faults are common amongst many brands of tumble dryers but these are specifically for Hotpoint tumble dryers. Always check the user manual before attempting any of the fixes listed in this article.
Why Is My Hotpoint Tumble Dryer Not Heating Up?
There are several reasons why your Hotpoint tumble dryer might not be heating up. Some are common and some not so common, let’s start with the most common and work from there.
Always remember. Before working on any electrical appliance, you should remove it from the power supply to prevent any injury.
Plus you should check your warranty before attempting to dismantle any parts from your Hotpoint tumble dryer. As you could void your warranty if you tamper with anything, especially if you are not entirely sure what you’re doing.
Incorrect temperature Setting Selected
The first thing to check is that you haven’t selected the cool setting on your dryer. If you have accidentally chosen the cool program the dryer will not heat up.
Clogged Dryer Filters
If the filters clog up with lint, the tumble dryer could overheat which can permanently damage your Hotpoint tumble dryer. This could lead to an expensive repair. All you need to do is remove the lint filter from the machine and clear all of the lint from it.
You can wash it under the tap and then vacuum the housing that the lint filter sits in. Remember to check the condenser too and give this a clean out as well.
The filters should be cleaned at least once a month to prevent an excessive build up of lint which could be the cause for your dryer not heating up.
Blocked Dryer Hose
If the lint filter is crammed with lint it’s a safe bet that the dryer hose will be too. If the hose becomes blocked or even only partially blocked, it will restrict airflow and increase drying times substantially. This could be why your Hotpoint tumble dryer isn’t heating up.
Remove the hose and run it under the tap until the water runs clear. You might need to apply gentle pressure to get rid of all of the lint.
Faulty Thermostat
On many Hotpoint dryers there are 2 thermostats, the safety thermostat and the cycling thermostat.
The Safety Thermostat
The safety thermostat prevents the dryer from overheating which could cause a fire at worst or serious damage to the machine at best. It turns the system off within the dryer if the temperature reaches a certain point.
The Cycling Thermostat
The cycling thermostat is responsible for turning the heat on and off at different times to control the temperature which you set at the start of the program.
Reasons Thermostats Can Malfunction
Thermostats can go wrong due to one of the following;
- Interrupting the cycle too often
If you keep opening the dryer door when it is operating, it can cause the thermostat to malfunction. This is because you prevent the dryer from cooling down sufficiently which can lead the thermostat to stop working. - Overloading the drum
If you put too many clothes into the drum of your dryer, it can restrict the airflow which can cause the thermostat to stop working correctly. - Clogged filters
If the filters or the dryer hose are blocked or partially blocked, the hot air cannot flow through the dryer as it should which could cause the thermostats to have to work too hard which could cause them to shut down. - Cycling thermostat stuck open
If the cycling thermostat gets stuck in the open position it will only blow cold air through the dryer. All you need to do to solve this is reset the switch and your Hotpoint tumble dryer will operate correctly again.
You will find the thermostats in the heating element housing at the back of the machine. If your machine is only blowing cold air, check the thermostats first as they are the usual cause. If you need to replace the thermostats, take care to not touch the circular gold discs in the centre of the thermostats as this can damage them.
It is also advisable to replace the heating element at the same time as the thermostats as they are housed in the same area and so closely linked together (see below).
Blown Thermal Fuse
The thermal fuse is a safety device which prevents Hotpoint tumble dryers from overheating. If the thermal fuse has blown or tripped, it could be the reason your dryer isn’t heating up.
The thermal fuse will be in one of two places depending which Hotpoint tumble dryer model you own. It will either be in a compartment behind the front panel, or it could be in the dryer’s heat source. Check your user manual for more information as to where your machine’s thermal fuse is located.
Once you find the fuse, check to see if it has tripped if it has just reset it. If you can see that it has blown, you’ll need to buy a new one and replace it. If it keeps blowing, you’ll need to call in an engineer to check what’s causing it to keep blowing.
Faulty Heating Element
The heating element is the part which heats up to provide heat to the dryer. If this is faulty, the dryer cannot blow hot air. You will find the heating element very close to the thermostat and as they are closely linked, many experts recommend replacing both at the same time.
Replacing both parts at once will definitely save time as you will only need to remove the panelling once to do both jobs. We would advise you to take photos of the old heating element and thermostats to ensure you are clear where they are situated correctly.
Always ensure the machine is disconnected from the power supply before undertaking any work inside the dryer.
Faulty Dryer Pump
The dryer pump is located at the back of the dryer on the bottom. In many cases all it needs is a clean out which can be done easily with hardly any DIY knowledge at all.
Once you locate the dryer pump which is a large container at the bottom rear of the dryer. Lift off the top of the container (this might need levering), remove the hoses from the container and ensure they are lint/dust free. You can then remove the pump and check if it needs cleaning. Then check the pump reservoir for lint and give it a clean as well.
You can use the brush attachment on your vacuum to clean all of the lint and other debris from your pump. In some cases the pump will need replacing, this can be done but if you’re not too sure of your competence, it’s probably best left to an expert.
Drum Not Turning
If the drum on your Hotpoint tumble dryer isn’t turning the clothes won’t get dry because the way tumble dryers work is to pass hot air through the clothes as they tumble around the drum. If the drum isn’t turning, the hot air cannot pass through the clothes.
If the drum isn’t turning, it will be one of two things which are;
The Drive Belt Is Broken
The drive belt connects the motor to the drum and causes the drum to rotate. Obviously if the drive belt is broken, the drum cannot rotate and the clothes inside cannot tumble and therefore will not dry. To check if the belt is broken, simply try to turn the drum, if it has far less resistance than usual, the drive belt is probably broken.
It is possible to replace the drive belt yourself, but it is a bit involved as you will need a drive belt fitter as well. Plus the job can be quite fiddly unless you know exactly what you’re doing. We would advise you to call in an engineer if you suspect the drive belt is broken.
A Faulty Start Capacitor
The start capacitor starts the motor everytime the drum changes direction as it causes the clothes to tumble. If the start capacitor is faulty, it will either not cause the motor to start at all, or it will only work intermittently. If you suspect the start capacitor is at fault, this is another one for an engineer in the interests of safety.
A Faulty Timer
If you’ve checked everything else and you haven’t found the problem it could possibly be the timer which is at fault. This is a very uncommon fault so you’ll need to check it with a multimeter to confirm that this is the problem. If it is found to be defective, it will need replacing and is best left to an expert.
Control Board Faulty
This is extremely uncommon and difficult to check, but if all else fails, the only possible cause for the problem would be the main control board. Again, you’d need an expert to diagnose and replace the control board and often, control boards can be so expensive that you’re often financially better off replacing the dryer.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your Hotpoint tumble dryer isn’t heating up it’s probably due to one of the following. Either the filters need cleaning, the dryer hose needs cleaning, the thermostat could be faulty, the heating element could be faulty, the dryer pump could be faulty, the thermal fuse could have blown, you could have selected the wrong program or the drum might not be turning.
If your tumble dryer is working but not heating up, it’s probably because the filter and/or the condenser need cleaning. Or maybe the thermal fuse has tripped or you might have selected a cool program.
If your Hotpoint dryer is blowing cold air, it’s probably because the lint filter needs cleaning. If it’s not this it could be due to a blocked or partially blocked dryer hose, a faulty thermostat, a faulty heating element, a faulty dryer pump, you might have selected a cool program or the thermal fuse could have blown.
