# Heating element in clothing dryers - how hot does it get? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 21, 2016, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heating-element-in-clothing-dryers-how-hot-does-it-get/746652 "2016-02-21T00:05:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 3
**Author:** ![Mikahw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Mikahw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikahw)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heating-element-in-clothing-dryers-how-hot-does-it-get/746652/3 "2016-02-21T03:35:23Z")
Assuming we’re talking about immediately after the air passes the element, wouldn’t the element have to be the same temperature as the air that’s gone through it? The air cools the element just as much as the element heats the air. I wish I had the calculations to back that up, though. I recently replaced a stuck thermostat in my dryer. Before it was fixed, I measured the air coming out of an (empty) dryer was about 190F. The thermostat is designed to cycle between 150-130 degrees. Interestingly (at least to me), that’s measured after the air has gone through the clothes. Put a lot of wet clothes in there, and initially the exhaust temperature will struggle to break 90 degrees, slowly warming up as the water is evaporated. > [@Whatha](#): > > I’m not sure of the temperature, but I had to replace the heating element in mine a few years ago. With the cover off I noticed that it would glow red hot. It was made out of nichrome wire. The same kind of wire that is used to make those small space heaters. I thought this might be an airflow issue, but I tried running my dryer with the door closed, and I could still see the heating element glowing for several seconds after I opened it. Maybe it is hotter than 190 after all? Hmm. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heating-element-in-clothing-dryers-how-hot-does-it-get/746652)._