A customer called me out for skipping the thermal fuse check on dryers

I was working on a Whirlpool dryer that wouldn't heat, and I went straight for the heating element. A homeowner, an older guy who used to be an electrician, watched me for a minute and then said, 'You know, you're gonna waste that part. The fuse is probably blown and it'll just pop again.' He was right. I had gotten lazy and was just swapping common parts. Now, I always check the thermal fuse first with my multimeter, even if I'm 90% sure it's the element. It adds maybe two minutes to the job and saves the customer money on a needless part. That one comment made me slow down and follow the proper diagnostic steps every single time. Has anyone else had a customer point out a basic step you were skipping?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_emma21d ago

Build off what aaronlee said about callbacks. A blown fuse you skip is gonna cost you an hour driving back and redoing the whole thing. @wendy_garcia16 nailed it with people rushing past the basics. I see it all the time with techs skipping the door switch check on washers that won't spin. They swap the control board, realize it still doesn't work, and then find the switch is dead. That old electrician called out the exact shortcut that causes those return trips.

aaronlee1mo ago

Totally get that... but honestly, skipping the fuse check is just asking for a callback. That electrician saved you from yourself that day.

wendy_garcia161mo ago

Yeah it's like that with everything now, people just want to skip the basic steps to get to the finish line faster.

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