How to fix a dryer
Most dryers that seem dead are either starved of airflow or missing half of their electrical supply. The unsafe repairs are the ones that skip that split.
A dryer, from the top down. Gas valves are not in this drawing.
- Top panel. The cover across the top.
- Door. The front door.
- Lint screen. The mesh you pull out. Clean it every load.
- Drum. The basket the clothes tumble in.
- Cabinet. The outer box.
- Exhaust duct. The pipe that carries air outside. A blocked duct is a no-heat cause and a fire risk.
Separate the two complaints people mix together. A dryer that tumbles and does not get hot is a heat or power problem. A dryer that heats and does not tumble is a mechanical problem, and it should be unplugged immediately because heat without moving air can scorch clothes. A dryer that does nothing at all is usually the door switch, the start circuit, or the breaker.
Electric and gas dryers do not share the dangerous parts. Many U.S. electric dryers run on a double-pole 240-volt breaker. If one pole opens, the drum can still turn on 120 volts while the heating element stays cold. Switch the breaker fully off, then on. If it trips again, call an electrician instead of resetting it all afternoon. Gas dryers still need 120 volts for the motor, but the heat comes from a burner. If you smell gas, leave the house and call the gas utility. Do not adjust a gas valve.
The vent is part of the repair
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission tells owners to clean the lint screen after every load and to keep the duct and outdoor hood clear. A crushed vinyl transition duct or a stuck outdoor flap will overheat a dryer that is otherwise fine, and it can open the thermal fuse. Replacing that fuse without clearing the vent just burns the new fuse. The reachable parts are in how to clean a dryer vent, and the repeating habit is on the maintenance checklist. If the dryer still will not heat after that, use dryer not heating.
Brand paths
How to fix a Whirlpool dryer and how to fix a Maytag dryer follow the same first split: vent, breaker, then the model manual. Whirlpool and Maytag share a lot of platforms, but the tech sheet for the model number is still the authority. Do not order a heating element from a photo of a different cabinet.
- Samsung dryer not heating, including the moisture-sensor bars Samsung tells you to wipe when clothes stay damp.
- LG dryer not heating, including Flow Sense and the duct warnings many LG dryers show.
- Whirlpool dryer not heating.
- Dryer not spinning but heating.
- Dryer squeaking, including a noise that starts with the motor and one that is only the feet on an uneven floor.
- Dryer won't start, which is a different fault from a dryer that tumbles and stays cold.
- Dryer taking too long to dry, usually airflow, after the vent guide.
When the cabinet stays closed
Testing a heating element, igniter, or flame sensor means the dryer is unplugged and you are following that model's service manual. If you do not have the manual and a meter, the safe result of this page is a clean vent, a confirmed breaker, and a call to a technician. Gas burner work belongs to someone qualified for gas appliances.
Guides in this section
Samsung dryer not heating: sensor bars, codes, and airflow
A Samsung dryer not heating usually still tumbles while the air in the drum stays cool.
Dryer not heating: vent, breaker, and airflow checks
A dryer not heating while the drum still turns is usually airflow or electrical supply, not a mystery setting.
How to clean a dryer vent
How to clean a dryer vent starts with the lint screen every load, then the outdoor hood flap, then the short transition duct behind the dryer after you unplu…
Whirlpool dryer not heating: separate a dead heater from a blocked vent
A whirlpool dryer not heating needs the fuel tag first, and a check that the drum still turns.
LG dryer not heating: read Flow Sense before you blame the heater
An LG dryer not heating on a normal dry cycle is an airflow or heat-supply problem, not a steam setting.
Dryer squeaking: level the feet, then note when it happens
A dryer squeaking is a fire-risk appliance first.
Dryer won't start
A dryer won't start when the drum never turns and the normal start press does nothing.
Dryer not spinning but heating: unplug it, then judge the drum
Unplug the dryer if it heats while the drum is stopped.
Dryer taking too long to dry
A dryer taking too long to dry is an airflow problem when the drum turns and the clothes eventually get hot.