Frigidaire Affinity Dryer Heating Element Replacement (5 Steps)

The heating element is essential to your Frigidaire Affinity dryer’s heating and drying functions. Its failure means your dryer won’t do its job of drying clothes, and that’s where a Frigidaire Affinity dryer heating element replacement is necessary.

Replacing the heating element on a Frigidaire affinity dryer involves five quick steps: disconnect the dryer’s power supply, disassemble the dryer, detach the old heating element and attach its replacement, and reassemble the dryer.

I’ll walk you through all those five steps to enable you to replace the heating element DIY. If you can do that, you will save money and time as you’ll get your dryer back heating and drying your clothes as soon as possible.

In addition to discussing how you can replace your dryer’s heating element, we shall look at how the heating element fails in the first place, the signs to indicate it’s faulty, and how you can check it. But first, let me help you understand the role of the heating element in your dryer.

Frigidaire Affinity dryer heating element replacement

Role of the Heating Element in a Frigidaire Affinity Dryer

If you have an electric Frigidaire Affinity dryer, it depends on the heating element to get hot and dry the wet laundry. The heating element generally generates heat for the dryer, which is essential for vaporizing moisture from wet clothes.

The heating element is strategically positioned behind the rear access or at the bottom of your dryer. It automatically activates when you power on and run the dryer. Without it, the dryer won’t get hot and won’t dry your clothes.

Signs of a Faulty Frigidaire Affinity Dryer Heating Element

You can tell that your Frigidaire Affinity dryer heating element is defective by observing these signs:

Non-heating dryer – The heating element is likely faulty if your Frigidaire Affinity dryer runs but doesn’t produce heat. It could be burnt out or damaged and thus can’t produce heat.
Incomplete drying – If your Frigidaire Affinity dryer takes an unusually long to get hot or the clothes come out soaking wet after the end of the drying cycle, the heating element is likely defective.

Visible damage – The heating element won’t work if damaged. You can tell if that’s the case by taking out the rear access panel and visually observing it. Check for breaks, wear, and other signs of physical damage.
Inconsistent temperature – If your dryer’s temperature suddenly drops or spikes and repetitively does that, the chances are that the heating element is defective. It means the heating element fails to regulate the dryer’s temperature correctly.
Inaccurate thermostat reading – If the thermostat doesn’t read the dryer’s temperature correctly, it could be due to a malfunctioning heating element.

Unusual noise – While this doesn’t directly point to a defective heating element, an unusual noise during a running cycle could suggest a struggling heating element. It could indicate that the heating element is struggling to keep up with the heat demands of the dryer.
Burning smell – Sometimes, a short-circuited heating element produces a burning smell. At other times, the burning smell could result from an overheating dryer, which can overheat due to a defective heating element, among many different reasons.

How Does the Heating Element Fail in a Frigidaire Affinity Dryer?

The heating element of your Frigidaire affinity dryer may fail due to different reasons, and the most notable ones are:

Natural wear – The dryer and every other component, including the heating element, may wear over time. When it does, it’s unable to work correctly. Of course, this depends on the level of maintenance, as the more you look after the dryer, the likelier it is to serve you.
Mechanical damage – The heating element may suffer physical damage if you place extra weight on the dryer and damage it.
Short-circuiting – Electrical issues like power surges or spikes and faulty wiring can cause the heating element to short-circuit. Once that happens, the heating element will fail.

Overheating dryer – Due to restricted airflow, perhaps from an obstructed dryer vent, the dryer may overheat and burn out the heating element. Once burnt, the heating element becomes defective, necessitating a replacement.
Rusting – If there are signs of rust around the heating element coils, they could cause the heating element to fail. That happens when moisture gets to the heating element, especially the coils, and encourages corrosion.
Manufacturing defects – Though rare, the manufacturer sometimes makes mistakes and produces a poorly assembled heating element. Once that’s the case, you cannot expect the heating element to heat the dryer.

Inaccurate thermostat reading – If the thermostat fails to regulate the dryer temperature, the dryer may overheat and burn up the heating element.

How to Check for a Faulty Frigidaire Affinity Dryer Heating Element

There are four ways to tell if the Frigidaire Affinity dryer is really faulty, and they include the following:

1. Visual Inspection

You can tell if the heating element is defective if you observe signs of damage (breaks, wear, and tear), rust, and burns. However, to do the visual inspection, disconnect the dryer and take down the rear access panel. That allows you to view and scrutinize the heating element for damage effects.

2. Continuity Test

Using a multimeter, you can tell if the heating element in your Affinity dryer is defective.

Here’s how to go about it:

Set the multimeter on continuity or resistance setting

Disconnect the heating element’s wiring
Probe the multimeter into the heating element’s contact points
Check the display to see if there’s any continuity or a low resistance reading

A low resistance reading or lack of continuity confirms a defective heating element

3. Voltage Testing

You can also use the multimeter to check if your dryer heating element has the required voltage. Typically, the standard voltage requirement for most dryers, including Frigidaire dryers, is 240 volts. However, you should confirm this with your dryer manual.

4. Defective Thermal Fuse

You can also tell a defective heating element from an equally bad thermal fuse. In most cases, a faulty thermal fuse causes the heating element to fail as it’s unable to protect it from overheating and short-circuiting during a power spike.

But How Do You Change a Heating Element in A Frigidaire Affinity Dryer?

Now that you know how to check for a defective heating element, let’s discuss its replacement.

Supplies

New heating element – Check the Frigidaire Affinity Dryer Heating Element Part Number to ensure it matches the existing
Nose pliers

Screwdrivers (flathead & Philips)
Multimeter
Work gloves

Camera (phone camera will do) or paper and pen
Socket wrench

How do you change a heating element in a Frigidaire Affinity dryer

Frigidaire Affinity Dryer Heating Element Replacement Steps

Now, here’s how to replace Frigidaire Affinity dryer heating element:

Step 1 – Disconnect the dryer’s power supply

Safety first;

Put on the work gloves and plug out the dryer. You can also flip its circuit breaker off to avoid any risk of electrocution.

Step 2 – Disassemble the dryer

Use the screwdriver to unscrew the rear panel and set it aside. That allows you to access the heating element.

Step 3 – Detach the old heating element

Use the nose pliers to remove any wiring harness on the old heating element. Then unscrew any screws holding the heating element before gently sliding it out of the housing.

Remember to note down or take photos of the heating element in its position before removing it for easy installation. Also, observe the old heating element for faultiness or test it with a multimeter, as shared earlier, to affirm its defectiveness.

Step 4 – Attach the replacement heating element

If the old heating element proves defective, you don’t have to return it. Instead, you should reinstall the new heating element and ensure you reconnect the detached wiring harness just as everything was initially. You can refer to the notes or photos you took.

Step 5 – Reassemble the dryer

Once the replacement heating element is in place, return the rear access panel and screw it back tightly. Then plug back the dryer and power it on.

Note

You can test-run the dryer to see if it’s working. It should be able to heat up. If it doesn’t, it could be a different issue, not the heating element; hence, you should call a dryer expert.