Make sure you’ve chosen the proper fuel type before purchasing your new Kenmore dryer. Nothing is more frustrating than having to have the delivery person return with your new appliance because it uses the incorrect fuel.
So that old dryer that came with the house is finally conking out and it’s time to replace it with a new one. You’re all set to order your new Kenmore dryer from Sears or Amazon, but you just realized one very important thing: You don’t know whether your dryer is gas or electric!
Of course, many dryers are installed in confined spaces where you might not be able to see the outlet, so should you use one connection or two? Pulling the dryer a few inches away from the wall so you can shine a flashlight behind it is another way to determine whether it is an electric or gas dryer. It is an electric cord if there is only one attached to the dryer. Your dryer is gas if you see a cord and a thin stainless steel connector. (Confusing the gas connector with the dryer’s flexible metal vent tube The gas connector won’t even come close to the vent tube in size. ).
Maybe these suggestions will help you determine whether your dryer is electric or gas:
Find out if your home has gas service by doing a quick check to see if your home even has gas service in the first place. You probably have an electric dryer if you have an electric range and furnace. Your dryer might be gas if you have a gas range, furnace, and/or water heater.
How can I tell if I have a gas or electric dryer?
You can tell by looking at the outlet if you recently moved into a new place with a washer and dryer hookup but no appliances. Electricity is used by gas dryers to power the lights and turn the drum, but gas is used for heating. Therefore, the outlet should appear fairly standard, and a gas line will be capping nearby. The likelihood that you have an electric setup (which typically operates on 240 volts) increases if the outlet is larger and has three or four prong holes. When you visit the appliance store, you can take a picture of the outlet and have them verify it for you.
If you already have a dryer, you can always look up the model number. Electric dryers have an “E,” while gas dryers typically have a “G” somewhere in the jumble of letters. ” This isn’t necessarily foolproof, though. The Whirlpool WGD4815EW dryer has both an “E” and a “G” in its model number. However, the model number for the electric version has two “E’s” in it: WED4815EW.
In This Article:
Even though a functioning gas line in your kitchen might imply that your entire home is set up for gas appliances, that isn’t always the case. One frequent reason why some homes have gas in the kitchen but not in the laundry room, for instance, is remodels. Although extending a laundry gas line as part of the renovation is always an option, time and budget constraints also have an impact on the final choice.
Do not assume that your dryer must be electric simply because there is an outlet nearby. Unbelievably, even gas dryers need access to an electrical outlet. The reason for this is that the power board, controls, WiFi connection (if applicable), and initial spark that ignites the dryer’s heat source all still require electricity to operate.
In general, the power cord, plug, and wall outlet will be the telltale signs, as shown in this chart.
| Gas | Electric | |
|---|---|---|
| Attributes |
‣ Can be plugged into any regular home outlet ‣ Standard three-prong outlet |
‣ Larger, single-outlet plug (roughly the size of a hockey puck) ‣ A much thicker cord ‣ Either a three-prong or four-prong outlet |
Now look at the specifics in this illustration below.
The switch from a 3 prong dryer outlet to a 4 prong dryer outlet was implemented sometime between 1996 and 2000. In the switch, a neutral hot wire was added, safely directing currents into the ground and preventing them from running up the dryer and possibly posing a shock hazard.
Electric dryers, however, don’t ship with a cord because there is no real way for manufacturers to know whether a new dryer will go to a house built before new regulations (in contrast, gas dryers do since they do use a standard outlet). Therefore, you must be aware of which outlet your new dryer draws power from if you intend to install an electric dryer yourself. However, since Grand Appliance and TV brings both to accommodate whatever outlet your home uses, having your new dryer appliance installed by us requires no guesswork.