Gas Dryers

Dryers that utilize both gas together with flaming via pilot lights tin can live wellness hazards. They are also rattling free energy-inefficient. These things atomic number 82 to the turn down inwards the use of airplane pilot lights, starting inward the 80s.

There are a variety of reasons why your gas dryer may take a pilot low-cal despite their lack of popularity together with the fact that they are banned inward more or less regions. Either way, it pays to check too besides to know how to relight i since a blown-out airplane pilot light tin can atomic number 82 to fires or even explosions.

Modern gas dryers do not accept airplane pilot lights. Such designs were phased out around the 1970-1990s inward favor of more free energy-efficient too rubber agency of ignition. Today, virtually gas dryers calorie-free the gas using an electrically heated ignition piece (essentially a piece of metal).

Modern Gas Dryers Don’t Have Pilot Lights

Rather than using pilot lights, modern gas dryers commonly purpose electrical ignition.

Electrical ignition involves both electrical as well as gas processes.

An electrical current is used to showtime the procedure as well as produces ignition estrus, but the actual flame is fueled past gas.

Pilot light igniter inside a hot water heater

The heated air produced by this gas flame is essential to how gas dryers operate. It travels through the blower housing in addition to into the principal surface area of the dryer to dry the clothes.

Unlike a pilot calorie-free, the flaming created by electric ignition processes is ignited every bit needed in addition to is not on constantly.

However, when the flame created past electric ignition is on, in that location is notwithstanding an open fire, which tin can be dangerous, and so go along this inward listen.

Why Pilot Lights Were Replaced

One argue why other methods, such equally electrical ignition, are favored over using a airplane pilot low-cal is that their flames are entirely introduce when needed.

Having a pilot light means that the fire is active 24/vii. This is expensive equally far equally energy costs get, too it is unnecessary in lite of newer technologies.

Overall, having a gas dryer without a airplane pilot low-cal volition Pb to lower free energy bills.

Additionally, having an open flaming anywhere inwards the home, even if it is contained inside a dryer, can atomic number 82 to a disaster.

Another dangerous circumstance is if the light is accidentally extinguished.

In such cases, gas continues to be released inward an endeavor to relight the lite, like when your gas stovetop is releasing gas piece trying to beginning the burner flame.

The job is, if the pilot low-cal isn’t relit soon, flammable gas volition continue to period out of the dryer. If this gas comes across a spark, whether this is from a gas stovetop, static electricity, or the pilot lite trying to relight, it could crusade a burn or an explosion.

When Did Dryers Stop Using Pilot Lights?

There isn’t really a specific date for when dryers stopped using pilot lights—non inward the U.S., at to the lowest degree.

Instead, various cities in addition to states phased them out over a catamenia of time for safety as well as energy-efficiency reasons.

For example, on June 1st, 1980, Albany’sec governor place a ban on pilot lights inwards gas appliances due to their free energy wastage.

He claimed that almost fourscore% of the gas used by pilot lights was non effectively used in the process.

Although nosotros don’t know this governor’sec sources, he was right most the waste product of free energy.

Using this ban as a home marker, it is condom to assume that about gas dryers made inwards the 1970s or before are likely to take airplane pilot lights while those produced from the 1980s onwards are less probable to take them.

Could My Dryer Still Have a Pilot Light?

If your gas dryer was manufactured in the 70s or before, it is really probable that it volition use a pilot low-cal.

Even if your gas dryer was manufactured in the 80s or 90s, it might however accept a airplane pilot low-cal.

Although Albany, New York banned airplane pilot lights inwards gas appliances, other cities and states banned them at afterward times or not at all.

Additionally, it takes time for a manufacturer to adapt to a ban that affects appliances. This is because dryers inward the midst of being manufactured when the ban was placed will nearly probable even so live assembled, shipped, as well as eventually sold.

This is oftentimes the manner that it happens with these things. Even asbestos was however used for a menstruum following the discovery of how unsafe it is to our health.

Nowadays, fifty-fifty if they are non too never were banned in your city or state, gas dryers with pilot lights are no longer manufactured because the marketplace for this pattern is dead.

But back to my argument that a 1980s or 1990s dryer may yet have a airplane pilot lite. To many homeowners, it might appear a fleck nonsensical to live talking well-nigh a xxx-forty twelvemonth former dryer. This is fair, of grade, since newer appliances ofttimes hateful meliorate appliances.

However, former gas dryers tin can live inherited from a relative or remain a functional (however loosely that term applies) fixture in the laundry of your one-time flat edifice.

In roughly cases, these older dryers go but also equally modernistic ones.

Dryers manufactured during these times were oftentimes constructed in a fashion that meant that they would stand the examination of time. They are meant to be robust together with all the same work well after years of purpose, so it is entirely possible that you lot take a dryer that was manufactured inward the 70s.

In the case of appliances that merely won’t quit, y'all may sooner go rid of them than take them break downwardly on you.

How to Tell if a Dryer Has a Pilot Light

If your gas dryer was manufactured before the 1980s, it volition virtually likely have a airplane pilot low-cal.

For later decades, it is less probable to have a airplane pilot low-cal merely definitely not impossible.

If your gas dryer was manufactured subsequently the 80s, it is wise to check for a pilot lite but in case.

Unfortunately, spell yous will definitely know if y'all have a pilot lot or an electrical ignitor if you lot wait at your burner assembly, getting to this assembly is non the simplest procedure.

First, unplug the dryer in addition to disconnect the gas furnish.

Then, scooch the dryer forward a few inches and then that the dryer is accessible from the dorsum together with the front end.

Next, undo the screws belongings the front panel in home and withdraw it.

Now, the actual search tin can set out.

Look at the bottom of the within of the dryer. The pilot light volition almost likely live located on the side to the correct or left.

Locate the metallic tubing that runs back to forepart. This is called the burner subway system assembly. The airplane pilot light will live located in here. If it is a newer dryer, this is where you volition observe the electric ignitor.

If y'all are nevertheless not able to notice the pilot light through these steps, it would be best to consult the owner’s manual.

How to Relight a Gas Dryer Pilot Light

As mentioned earlier, 1 danger of a gas dryer pilot calorie-free is when they are blown out.

If yous observe out that you take a gas dryer with a airplane pilot low-cal, y'all must make certain that yous are aware of this danger in addition to that you lot know how to solve the problem.

Thankfully, 1 of the steps has been accomplished if yous accept already located where your airplane pilot low-cal is.

Next, you must locate your gas control. It is ofttimes a large, reddish knob located most one of the gas valves.

The gas control should have iii settings: on, off, in addition to airplane pilot. Turn the knob into the off position together with let it rest at that place for iii to 10 minutes. This ensures that the gas balance clears earlier relighting the airplane pilot lite.

Next, turn the knob to the pilot position as well as concord upwardly a lit tally or lighter to the pilot low-cal place until a self-sustaining flaming appears.

Leave the gas command inwards the airplane pilot position for a infinitesimal or two to permit the dryer to heat upwardly.

Then, twist the knob to the on position.

Gas Dryer Not Heating Up: Possible Causes

A pilot lite beingness out tin can be i effort of a gas dryer not heating upward, as well as relighting the pilot calorie-free tin can fix this problem.

However, if it turns out that your gas dryer does non function a pilot lite, there must be some other explanation for your dryer not heating upwards properly.

Gas dryers have a variety of pieces too parts that can neglect and foreclose the dryer from heating upward properly.

One role that can drive problems is the flame sensor. The flaming sensor acts to open the gas valve when starting the flame in the example of electric ignition.

If the fire sensor fails and does non open up the gas valve to get-go the flaming, the ignitor volition glow only the fire volition not ignite.

Additionally, failed thermostats or thermal fuses tin effort problems.

Thermostats as well as fuses are meant to blow when temperatures achieve dangerous levels in the dryer. They cut off the power furnish to the igniter.

If your dryer isn’t heating upward, it could live because of blown thermostats or fuses.

The igniter, the glowing piece meant to ignite the flame, is a rattling of import factor inwards heating upward a gas dryer. When the igniter has burnt out due to wearable together with tear, your dryer volition not estrus upward effectively.