We all know the sweet feeling of pulling out a clean, fresh, and dry clothing item from the electric dryer. At that moment when all that freshness and dryness touches your skin, you enjoy this often unrecognized pleasure of life.
The only thing that can stand in the way of experiencing this each day is a faulty dryer outlet.
An electric dryer is a tough machine, and it often demands much power. Hence, the ideal outlet to provide enough power for this equipment must be a 240V and 110V outlet. The 240V supplies enough electrical power to heat the dryer and get it working at full capacity. Then the 110V supplies electricity to control the timers in the dryer. So, you see a good 240V and 110V dryer outlet ensures your safety while providing power to the dryer.
Can a dryer outlet be fixed?
Sure! But a replacement is much cheaper and safer than trying to fix a faulty outlet. Here is how you can install a dryer outlet.
- Take precautions
Before beginning any electrical work (no matter how small you think it is) you should turn off the power. Electrical hazards and accidents can be avoided by doing this. If you don’t know which circuit services that area or outlet, you can switch off power to the entire house instead. - Unscrew the receptacle
The receptacle is largely represented by the white faceplate. Remove the faulty receptacle from the wall by unscrewing any screw you find on the faceplate. There are usually two on opposite sides of the faceplate. When the screws are taken out, you can easily pull the receptacle from the wall but you should do this with care and little force because the receptacle will remain connected to the wires in the wall. Set the screws aside for later use.Next, unscrew the terminals with a right-sized screwdriver. A small screwdriver should work best for this. When the terminals have been unscrewed the entire outlet can be pulled from the wall easily.
- Replacing the outlet
It is advisable to purchase an outlet in a similar size and shape to the one you need to remove. This makes it easier to install the new dryer outlet without having to change the size of the hole.Feed the cable through the cable grip in the wall, then tighten the gripping screws to hold it in place. Don’t clamp the bare metal of the cable. Ensure you clamp only the insulated part.
- Wiring
Strip the wire using a razor knife or a cutting tool. Connect the grounding wire to the green screw and the neutral white wire to the terminal. Connect the red and black wires to the other terminals. Now that this is done. Look at the setup to ensure that the wires are tucked nicely and neatly. Push the wires into the box and screw the receptacle back in with the faceplate.
Test the new dryer outlet. If you encounter any problems or cannot do this yourself, don’t hesitate to call an electrician.