MAYTAG Appliance Parts
Welcome to your Maytag Dryer Parts Resource
RepairClinic.com Help Video
- How to Find your Maytag Dryer Parts
- Different Types of Maytag Dryers
- How Maytag Dryers Work
- The Control Panel
- The Door Switch and Interior Light
- The Drive Motor and Related Parts
- The Burner Assembly and Related Parts
- Keeping your Maytag Dryer Well-Maintained
How to Find your Maytag Dryer Parts
Is your Maytag dryer not working properly or is something broken? All you need to do is visit RepairClinic.com and you will find the right part for your appliance. RepairClinic.com specializes in finding the exact part for your Maytag dryer through its easy, but powerful appliance part search tool, the PartDetective.
RepairClinic.com can assist you in properly diagnosing your Maytag dryer for electrical, plumbing, hardware, or other problems and they have all the dryer parts you need at www.repairclinic.com.
Different Types of Maytag Dryers
Maytag dryers come in three different styles.
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| Electric Dryer | Gas Dryer | Washer/Dryer Combination |
How Maytag Dryers Work
Dryers are relatively simple appliances with similar parts, and not difficult for a DIYer to repair. All dryers, both electric and gas, have:
- a drum that holds the drying clothes
- a heat source to warm the air and the clothes
- an exhaust vent to get rid of the moisture in the form of steam as the clothes dry
The Control Panel
Your dryer control panel is made up of at least two of the following three components:
- Timer - The timer on your dryer is usually the largest dial on the main control panel. It may be a mechanical device that looks much like a simple clock; or it may be completely electronic, which looks like a digital readout.
- Start switch - After you have set the dryer timer to the proper cycle, you need to press or turn the start switch to begin the cycle. Your dryer should not start until this is done.
- Selector switches or knobs - Most dryers have a number of switches or knobs on the control panel. These switches let you adjust settings such as temperature, end-of-cycle signal, timer cycle, and so on. Usually, your dryer will function and run the cycle selected by the timer, regardless of how these switches or knobs are set.
The Door Switch and the Interior Light
Usually there is a door switch inside the main cabinet of your dryer. This door switch looks like a button or a small lever protruding from the main cabinet on or near the dryer door frame.
When you close your dryer door, it contacts the door lever, which activates the switch and lets the dryer operate when it is started. When you open your dryer door, the switch interrupts the power to most of the dryer's internal components, stops all action and turns on the interior light.
Warning! If your dryer does not stop turning when you open the door, don't use it! If you use a dryer that has a defective door-switch, serious injury may occur.
The Drive Motor and Related Parts
Your dryer motor serves three main functions:
- The drum is turned on by the motor, while the drive belt is attached to one side of the drum.
- If the dryer drum does not rotate at the correct speed, the heat will not turn on.
- A fan blade is attached to the other side of the drum; it draws warm air through the drum and pushes it out the dryer exhaust vent.
The Burner Assembly and Related Parts
The burner assembly for an electric dryer consists of a heating element and one or more thermostats. In a gas dryer these various parts collectively make up the burner assembly: thermostats, gas valve, igniter and sensor. Both electricity and gas are supplied to the heating element when they are turned on by the timer. This is how it works:
- The first thing to do when you close the dryer door is to set the timer, and press or turn the starter switch. This will start the motor. When the motor reaches full speed (in about a second or so), a switch on the motor will turn on. This action allows electricity to flow to the heating element through a thermostat.
- The heating element starts to glow hot red. The air from the blower flows over the element, through the drum, and outside through the exhaust vent.
- When your dryer reaches the pre-set drying temperature, a thermostat will turn off the flow of electricity to the heating element.
- When the temperature in your dryer falls by about twenty to thirty degrees, the thermostat will turn on the power to the heating element again and the cycle will start over.
- If you select the Automatic setting on your dryer, the cycle will continue until the clothes are dry. When the clothes are done, the timer will turn your dryer off automatically. If you selected a timed setting on your dryer, the cycle will continue until the time has expired, and then the timer will turn your dryer off.
Keeping your Maytag Dryer Well-Maintained
- Vent - It is good preventive practice to routinely check the entire length of the vent pipe in your dryer for lint build up. This should be done at least once a year, or more often if the dryer gets a lot of use. Make sure that the lint is completely removed from the duct. It is not a good idea to push the lint back into the dryer as it could clog up different parts of the vent.
Warning! Make sure that you have an aluminum vent pipe. The white vinyl ducts that were common a number of years ago no longer meet most building codes. If your dryer ignites the vinyl pipe, there is danger that a fire may start in your home. - Interior of dryer cabinet - The lint produced by clothes tumbling in your dryer is mostly trapped by the lint filter. However, some lint invariably escapes and then it accumulates on the inside of the dryer cabinet. At least once a year, you should check the inside of the dryer cabinet, and clean it well. If the dryer is used heavily, you should do this more frequently, about four times a year.
- Lint filter and area under lint filter - It is good preventive practice to check and clean the lint filter after every drying cycle. If the lint filter has any rips or tears, replace it right away. If the filter gets clogged by fabric softener or other residue, you can easily clean it with a soft-bristle brush and a little detergent.
You should also clean the chute, duct, or area that the lint filter fits into. A vacuum cleaner is a useful tool to use as it allows you to reach far into the duct and clean out most of the lint.
