Why / how do dryer heating elements wear out?

[SC Maintenance]

OP is your dryer stacked on your washer ?

No. Its a regular front load side by side.

 

[SC Maintenance]

My guess after taking a look under the hood of my failed Samsung Washer ( replace with Speed Queen ) would be China and or Koren JUNK Parts that are designed to fail! My 2 cents...

Yes I have heard of a lot of bashing here on Korean appliances but I have no complaints. My original samsung washer was replaced a year ago at 11. It had survived 2 teanage girls - ran all the time. It still actually worked when I got rid of it, except the extraction pump leaked into its tray a little, and it had pretty much rusted out, so I replaced.

The dryer has been pretty good as well. Just the $25 elements every few years and the drum wheels once. 12 years and still going.

 

[SOUNDMAN5000]

Yes I have heard of a lot of bashing here on Korean appliances but I have no complaints. My original samsung washer was replaced a year ago at 11. It had survived 2 teanage girls - ran all the time. It still actually worked when I got rid of it, except the extraction pump leaked into its tray a little, and it had pretty much rusted out, so I replaced.

The dryer has been pretty good as well. Just the $25 elements every few years and the drum wheels once. 12 years and still going.

Glad you had good luck, I didn't.
I had a Samsung washer that anything over 1/4 load it would buck like a bucking bronco, slow and all but turn off, It was balanced with level but wound NEVER wash a full tub of clothing. Back then NO repair places would come out and told me upfront we can't get Samsung parts so we no longer service Samsung. I understand parts now may be easer to get?

So I started researching via Google how to fix it myself, was tracked down I needed to replace those new spring things and when I opened the washer up it was like a kids toy, white plastic tiny gears and a tiny sewing machine size belt. The old school 90's Maytag washer I replaced with the Samsung had REAL gears, pulley and belts look like the underside of my Snapper Riding lawn mower or my Cummins Diesel truck!
Seriously when I seen the inside if the Samsung I called a mom and pop Speed Queen dealer and had a new set delivered that same day and that less than 2 year old Samsung went to the City dump.

I can fill my Speed Queen to the tip top with Bedding, beach towels anything and it cuts through dirty clothing like my old Snapper cuts through wet grass.

The Speed Queen Had a sticker on the front of the washer that said USA made - Designed to Last 25 YEARS!

 

[nomas]

When the dryer is running , the element gets red hot and is fragile at that point in time . If you are in the habit of opening the door while it is still running you kill the airflow which is the only thing keeping the element from melting . Let it complete the cycle which will let it cool down .

 

[DCDG]

An old fashioned electric leaf blower is an awesome vent cleaner.

My go to. I do handyman work one of my services is dryer and duct cleaning. Customers laugh but had one customer tell me walking their dog later that evening they found lint several houses down. Coincidence or windy day it sure does displace lint.

 

[Mechanician]

My go to. I do handyman work one of my services is dryer and duct cleaning. Customers laugh but had one customer tell me walking their dog later that evening they found lint several houses down. Coincidence or windy day it sure does displace lint.

One of my houses' duct vented out a tall roof.
I blew it out twice a year, there would be so much lint on the roof it looked like it snowed.
An appliance repair man told me about the leaf blower trick.

 

[DCDG]

One of my houses' duct vented out a tall roof.
I blew it out twice a year, there would be so much lint on the roof it looked like it snowed.
An appliance repair man told me about the leaf blower trick.

Exactly how I learned this method a friend of mine has an appliance repair business.

 

[Hall]

When the dryer is running , the element gets red hot and is fragile at that point in time . If you are in the habit of opening the door while it is still running you kill the airflow which is the only thing keeping the element from melting . Let it complete the cycle which will let it cool down .

He said he's got teenage girls and it runs 18 hours a day (I know he's being slightly sarcastic - or maybe not !), but this is probably it. He also jokingly mentioned it being used to dry one pair of jeans (yes, teenage girls absolutely will do this !!) so they very likely constantly check to see if they're dry (enough).

 

[perkz]

Samsung dryer element failed again. I think this one was about 3 years. 4th one for this dryer installed - last 3 being Amazon knock off $25.00 ish. OEM original lasted maybe 5 years? I apparently can get an OEM one still for about $80 plus shipping. I don't mind changing it - less than an hour and I get to vacuum all the fire hazard junk in the dryer out so I have stuck with the cheap ones so far.

Anyone know why these fail? Do they just wear out? Should I change the thermostat or something?

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I would try the OEM one and see what happens. I have old Kenworth dryers in my apartment building and usually get 4-5 years on the even the Amazon cheap heater coils, and they are high usage dryers.

 

[Fitter30]

Air flow over the elements like others have stated. If their glowing red they shouldn't be. First they start to sag then they break. Toaster element glow red but that how their designed and supported.

 

[repairman54]

Dryer vent specs are 20 ft. length. Every 90 in the vent is worth a 3 ft. deduction in vent length. Retired 46 yr dryer tech BTW.
Samsung heaters are not as robust either. Change the safety thermostat on the heater box also, they can stick and not shut down the element when they are supposed to preventing element from overheating due to clothes ''sticking'' to the drum outlet reducing air flow.
Dryer too low in front will keep clothes from staying in front of drum outlet and piling up there.