Iron Won’t Turn On? 6 Quick Fixes to Get It Working

There’s a mountain of creased clothes in your utility room but your iron won’t turn on. Before you give up and decide to flaunt the crumpled look for the day, take a look at the 6 methods in this article that will help you to fix it.

If your iron won’t turn on, do this:

1. Check the circuit breaker
2. Inspect the power cord
3. Deactivate the auto shut-off mode
4. Change the settings
5. Replace the heating element
6. Replace the thermostat

Are you ready to see how these 6 steps can help you get your iron to turn on? Then take a look at them in more detail coming up next.

6 Ways to Get Your Iron to Turn On

So, you can’t get your iron to turn on and you’re not sure what to do about it. You’re in two minds, you could spend a couple of hours pulling it to pieces and poking it with a multimeter trying to find out what’s wrong. Or, you could just put on creased clothes from now on and hope that they straighten themselves out a little as you wear them.

I’m sure you’d agree, neither are good ideas. So, how about this. Coming up in this article, you’ll see 6 methods that will help you to get your iron to turn on. It will help you pinpoint why your iron is playing hard to get and assist you with fixing it. Check it out.

Method #1 Check the Circuit Breaker

Let’s get cracking with one of the simplest but most important things to do. If your iron is refusing to turn on, you should first ensure that your electrics are working as they should. A good place to start is at your circuit breaker.

You should check for a tripped fuse in your circuit breaker. If one has tripped, reset it. If the circuit breaker keeps tripping when you plug in the iron, do the following:

• Plug the iron into a different power outlet. Make sure the outlet is on a new circuit.
• Plug the iron into a power outlet in a different room. If you are using an extension cord, do not overload it.
• Turn the iron off and discontinue its use. If the iron continues to trip the circuit breaker, it may have an internal electrical issue. You should contact a technician to resolve the problem.

Method #2 Inspect the Power Cord

Next up on the list is the power cord. A fault with your iron’s power cord could be the reason why it is not turning on. You should inspect it to check that everything is in good working order. But, what should you look out for? Here are a couple of things you should do:

• Make sure that you plug the power cord in correctly. If the plug is half in and half out, the iron will not work properly.
• Check that the power cord does not show any signs of damage. This includes bite marks or fraying.
• Ensure that the plug is not worn or broken

What should you do if you find an issue with your power cord? If the power cord or plug shows signs of damage, you will have to remove the cord and then replace it. I do not recommend you continue using an iron with a damaged power cord. You must fix it immediately.

Method #3 Deactivate Auto Shut-Off Mode

Modern irons have an auto shut-off feature that kicks in after a period of inactivity. This could be:

• Not using the iron for 5 to 10 minutes while it is switched on
• Leaving the iron horizontally without moving it for more than 30 seconds while it is switched on
• Leaving the iron vertically on the heel rest for more than 8 minutes while it is switched on

To get your iron back on its feet again you will have to deactivate auto shut-off mode. Deactivating this safety feature is quick and easy and will allow you to use the iron again normally. To do so, simply shake the iron back and forth a couple of times. Or, if your iron has an ON/OFF button, press the button.

To stop this from happening in the future, do not leave the iron on and unattended. This will prevent it from turning on the auto shut-off mode but is also very important for the safety of your home.

Method #4 Change the Settings

If you’re having problems getting your iron to turn on, this could be because it is stuck on the wrong setting. The setting it is on might be very cool. If you reckon this could be the problem, adjust the temperature dial on the iron. After a couple of minutes, the iron should be hot and ready to use.

Method #5 Replace the Heating Element

If your iron still won’t turn on, this could be because of a faulty heating element. If the heating element in your iron will not work, you could replace it. But replacing an element like this is not easy. Finding the part for your exact iron will be tricky and performing the repair is also very fiddly.

So what should you do if the heating element is causing you problems? If the element is faulty, I recommend you look for a new iron. This will save you time and money.

Method #6 Replace the Thermostat

The thermostat in your iron controls its temperature. So, if the thermostat is faulty, it will not heat the iron up when you turn it on.

If you are having problems with your iron’s thermostat, you will need to replace it. But how can you be sure if it is the thermostat that is the problem? Take a look at the following tips that will help you identify the culprit.

• Turn your thermostat from a very low setting to a very high setting. If the iron turns on but you do not hear any noise coming from it, the thermostat could be to blame.
• Turn your thermostat from a very low setting to a very high setting. If the iron’s sole plate doesn’t change temperature, you might need to replace the thermostat.

Installing a new thermostat is simple. But finding an exact replacement for your iron might prove tricky. This is especially true if your iron is an older model. In some instances, it might be easier for you to replace the iron completely rather than dig for spare parts.

Conclusion

So your iron won’t turn on and it’s really frustrating. Gathering the energy to start the ironing is tough enough as it is. And now trying to find out how to fix it is a whole different ball game.

Fortunately, this article is packed full of 6 methods that you can use to fix your iron. They have no doubt helped you to find out what the issue is with yours and what you need to do to get it working again.

Has this article been helpful to you? Then make sure you check out some of our other articles and free guides on our website. You could even sign up to our email list.

Have a great day!

-Craig