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Remove the fasteners holding the housing halves together. Pull the halves apart carefully because some switches will fall out.
Make sure you lay out the components so they are easier to reassemble once you've fixed the hair dryer.
Components of a hair dryer: heating element, fan motor, and controls.
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Some call the hair dryer the most indispensable gadget invented by mankind. Others call it a curse. Most of us are somewhere in between; it's handy—when it works. If it doesn't, bring it to a meeting of the Fix-It Club.
An electric hair dryer produces an instant blast of hot air, yet many are light enough to be held in one hand so the air can be directed. The dryer contains a very long coil of thin wire that develops heat. A jet of air blown by a fan behind the heating element carries away this heat. If the air flow is obstructed and the air becomes too hot, a thermostat cuts off the power.
The typical hair dryer includes an on-off switch, a fan-speed switch, a fan and motor, and a heat switch. Larger hood-type dryers work on the same principles with the same key parts, so the same repair instructions apply. Heated styling brushes are essentially the same in function, parts, and repair.
To disassemble a typical hair dryer:
- Unplug the dryer.
- Remove the hair dryer nozzle and filter. On some models, they are held on by tension while on others by a small screw where the nozzle or filter meets the main body.
- If the unit has an intake filter screen, remove and clean it.
- Remove screws that hold the housing together and remove the housing.
- Locate any switches, the fan, and the motor, then test them. In some cases you can see obvious damage or problems that can be repaired quickly. Or you may need to find and install replacement parts.
To service a thermal cutout:
- Open the housing as above to open the heating element assembly.
- Inspect the thermal cutout for damage or discoloration. The thermal cutout will be connected to one of the two wires leading from the electrical cord, and inside the housing.
- Carefully use canned air to clean internal components of dust, hair, and other debris. Be careful not to damage the sensitive element wires in the heating unit.
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