Dryer has been reliable for 20 yrs! All of a sudden, it's not getting nearly as hot as it used to, particularly at the higher temp settings, and it's therefore taking a lot longer to dry any load. I've cleaned out the exhaust duct and made sure it's not blocked, Ignition is working, and the flame is firing, so my suspicion is the gas valve coils need replacing. I thought it could be the moisture sensor, but in auto mode, even though it's taking a lot longer, it does seem to be correctly sensing the dryness. Is there anything else this is likely to be (i.e. a thermostat?) or does this sound typical for the coils?
Brian for Model Number Kenmore Dryer 110-97292100
ANSWER Brian, Did you check the vent hood, on the outside of the house, if it is blocked. or damaged, this will restrict the air flow and cause the dryer to improperly heat,as well. If you haven't yet, remove the front bulkhead and drum and vacuum out the inlet duct and the blower housing and fan blade. You also want to remove the regulating thermostat, and check it for a build up of lint and residue from fabric softner, causing the thermostat to react slowly or erratically. Once you've done these checks, if the problem persists, then repalce the coils.
Answered by AppliancePartsPros.com | Monday, February 11, 2013