Laundry
Dryer Repair: Heat, Airflow and Vent Problems
Most dryers that take forever aren't broken inside. The vent is choked. We check airflow first, then the heat source, whether it burns natural gas or runs on 240 volts.
Booking online works too. With the dryer's model number in the form, we can check part availability before we come.
First the appliance and its location, then your contact details. We follow up to schedule.
How a dryer dries, and where it stops
A dryer is a heater and a fan attached to a turning drum. A blower draws household air past a gas flame or an electric coil, drives it through the tumbling load, and sends the moist air out the exhaust vent. A cycling thermostat in the exhaust path switches the heat off and on to hold temperature, while a thermal fuse or high-limit cuts the heat if things run hotter than they should.
That's why airflow comes first. When lint packs the vent, the heat has nowhere to go, the dryer overheats, the safety devices trip, and the clothes stay damp. Eventually the thermal fuse blows and the dryer stops heating, or on some models stops running. Swapping the fuse without clearing the vent just blows another one.
On a gas dryer, an igniter glows and a flame sensor confirms it before the valve coils open the burner. An electric element needs both legs of a 240-volt circuit; lose one at the breaker and the drum can keep turning with no heat. Condensing and heat-pump dryers skip the outside vent and pull water out of the air instead, which adds a lint filter, a condenser and sometimes a drain line to keep clean.
- Electric (240V)
- Natural gas
- Stacked and compact
- Condensing (ventless)
- Heat-pump
- Laundry centers
Dryer symptoms and likely causes
Start with airflow. A clogged vent can produce nearly every item on this list.
- Runs but no heat (electric)
- Blown thermal fuse, open heating element, failed high-limit or cycling thermostat, one leg of the breaker tripped
- Runs but no heat (gas)
- Gas shutoff closed, burned-out igniter, weak gas valve coils, failed flame sensor, blown thermal fuse
- Takes two or three cycles to dry
- Lint-packed vent or crushed transition hose, clogged lint screen, coated moisture sensor bars, obstructed blower wheel
- Won't start
- Door switch, thermal fuse on some models, start switch, broken belt switch, drive motor
- Squealing, thumping or grinding
- Worn drum rollers or idler pulley, glides worn through, frayed belt, loose blower wheel
- Shuts off partway through
- Motor overheating, restricted vent, failing thermostat, control fault
- Burning or scorching smell
- Lint collected inside the cabinet near the heat source, clothing caught at the drum edge, element or motor trouble; stop using it
Safe checks before you book
- Empty the lint trap, start a timed cycle, and go outside to feel the exhaust hood. You should feel a strong, warm stream of air. A weak puff means the run is restricted somewhere.
- Look at the flexible hose behind the dryer. If it's crushed, kinked or made of plastic or thin foil, replace it with rigid or semi-rigid metal duct.
- Wash the moisture sensor bars inside the drum, usually near the lint screen, with a little soapy water. Film from dryer sheets makes them read wet clothes as dry.
- If an electric dryer has no heat, go to the breaker panel. The dryer is on a double breaker, and one side can trip while the drum still turns.
- On a gas dryer, confirm the shutoff valve on the supply line is open, with the handle running parallel to the pipe.
Before you touch anything: Unplug the dryer before you move it or take off any panel. If gas odor appears at any point, stop, leave switches alone, get outside and call 911 and Washington Gas from outside. Don't retighten or reconnect a gas connector yourself after moving a dryer; the flare fittings are a common leak point.
When to call in a dryer technician
- The vent blows strong and clear, but the dryer still won't heat.
- It trips the breaker or blows its thermal fuse more than once.
- You hear loud squealing or thumping, or the drum won't turn.
- A gas dryer lights and then goes out, or never lights.
- There's a scorching smell. Stop using it until it's been inspected.
What we do on a dryer call
The technician measures airflow and exhaust temperature before touching the heat circuit, because a restricted vent explains so many dryer complaints. After that comes meter work on the heat circuit: fuse, thermostats and element on electric models; igniter, coils and flame sensor on gas. Noise complaints mean opening the cabinet to look at the rollers, idler, glides and belt.
Any gas connection that gets disturbed is leak-tested before we go. You'll get an explanation and a quote, and nothing is done until you approve it. If the vent run itself is the problem and it's buried in a wall or a building duct, we'll show you what we found so you can bring in the right contractor or your building's management.
Fix the dryer or replace it?
Dryers are simple machines, and the usual failures (fuses, thermostats, elements, igniters, belts, rollers) are almost always worth repairing. A motor or control board on an older budget model is where it gets closer, and we'll say if the numbers point toward replacing.
If you do replace, the installation matters as much as the brand. A new gas dryer needs a sound gas connection and a leak test, a new electric one needs the right cord for your outlet, and a condo stack may need matching dimensions and venting the building approves. A worn-out vent will shorten the life of a new dryer just as it did the old one.
Why Book Us for Dryer Repair
Airflow is tested first
Exhaust flow and temperature tell us whether a fuse blew because of a blocked vent, so the repair deals with the cause and not only the symptom.
Gas work gets a leak test
Any gas connection we disturb is checked for leaks before we leave the house.
Parts matched to the model
Fuses, thermostats and elements are ordered to your dryer's model number, and we use the maker's parts when they can be had.
See the Maryland neighborhoods and ZIP codes we cover, or request a dryer repair.
Dryer Repair in Houses, Townhomes and Condos
Townhouses around Silver Spring and Wheaton often send the dryer vent a long way, up through a wall or out the roof, and long runs fill with lint faster. High-rise condos tend to use compact stacked dryers tied into building ducts, or condensing models with no outside vent at all. A lot of single-family houses in all four of our areas are piped for Washington Gas, so gas dryers are common, and any gas connection we disturb gets tested for leaks before we leave.
How a Dryer Repair Visit Works
Book the Visit
Tell us if it's gas or electric, stacked or side-by-side, and whether it won't heat, dries slowly or makes noise.
Find the Fault
The exhaust run is checked along with the dryer itself: element or burner, thermal fuse, thermostats, belt, rollers and motor.
Approve the Price
You'll know whether the fault is the dryer or its vent, and what the repair costs, before anything is replaced.
Fix and Check
We run the dryer on heat and confirm airflow at the outside hood when we can reach it, and gas work is leak-checked.
Related Services
More appliances, brands and areas on this site.
Dryer problems we repair
Every dryer problem we diagnose, from heat and airflow faults to noise, drum and control failures.
- Not Heating
- Drum Not Tumbling
- Takes Too Long to Dry
- Making Loud Noise
- Won't Start
- Dryer Overheating
- Not Drying Clothes
- Shutting Off Early
- Not Getting Hot Enough
- Taking Too Long to Dry
- Thermal Fuse Blown
- Heating Element Burned Out
- Gas Igniter Not Working
- Gas Valve Solenoid Failure
- Flame Sensor / Radiant Sensor Failure
- Blower Wheel Clogged with Lint
- Exhaust Duct Clogged
- Restricted Exhaust Airflow
- Dryer Venting Improperly
- Drive Belt Broken
- Drum Rollers Worn Out
- Drum Glide / Bearing Worn
- Idler Pulley Seized
- Drive Motor Failure
- Making Loud Noise During Operation
- Squealing Noise During Tumble
- Thumping or Banging Noise
- Rattling Noise
- Control Board Failure
- Cycling Thermostat Failure
- High-Limit Thermostat Failure
- Moisture Sensor Failure
- Dryer Door Not Closing Properly
- Door Switch Failure
- Lint Trap / Screen Damaged
- Start Button Not Working
- Dryer Won't Turn On
- Tripping Circuit Breaker
- Burning Smell
- Clothes Shrinking
- Clothes Still Wet After Full Cycle
- Clothes Damp but Warm After Cycle
- Auto-Dry Sensor Not Working
- Timer Not Advancing
- Electric Dryer No Heat — Partial Power
- Gas Smell from Gas Dryer
- Display Panel Not Working
- Buttons Not Responding
- Won't Spin at All
- Stops Mid-Cycle
- Heat Setting Not Changing
- Excessive Energy Use
- Excessive Static on Clothes
- Clothes Heavily Wrinkled
- Steam Function Not Working
- Moisture Sensor Needs Cleaning
- Exhaust Hose Kinked
- Exterior Too Hot to Touch
- Wrinkle-Prevent Tumble Not Working
- Requires Two or More Cycles to Dry
- Error Code on Display
- Low Gas Pressure to Dryer
- Drum Interior Light Not Working
- Door Handle Broken
- Auto-Dry Cycle Runs All Night
- Gas Burner Orifice Clogged
- Lint Fire Hazard in Ductwork
- Timer Advancing Too Slowly
- Three-Prong Outlet / Four-Prong Cord Mismatch
- Knocking at Startup
- Intermittent Squeaking
- Bird or Pest Nest in Dryer Duct
- Cycling Thermostat Stuck Closed
- Gas Valve Solenoid Kit Needed
- Thermal Cutout Needs Resetting
Dryer brands we service
Notes on the dryer brands we're asked about most, then the complete list we work on.
- Whirlpool dryer repair
- Samsung dryer repair
- LG dryer repair
- Maytag dryer repair
- GE Appliances dryer repair
- Speed Queen dryer repair
- Electrolux dryer repair
- Bosch dryer repair
Where we repair dryers
Each area page adds notes on the dryers we see in its homes, plus its ZIP codes. Or book below.
More reading on dryers
Dryer Repair Questions
The questions that come up most often. Anything not covered here, ask us when you call, or add it to the booking form's notes field.
Have a different question?
Tell us what make it is and what's going wrong. A few things can be settled over the phone, and anything else gets looked at during the visit.
On electric dryers, a blown thermal fuse or a burned-out element. On gas dryers, a worn igniter or weak valve coils. Before any of that, make sure a double breaker hasn't half-tripped (electric) or that the gas valve is open (gas). And because fuses usually blow when the vent is restricted, the vent needs checking too.
Clean the lint screen after every load. For the vent run itself, it depends on its length and how much you dry; long runs through a townhouse wall or roof clog sooner. If drying times creep up, or the outside flap barely opens while the dryer runs, it's due. The U.S. Fire Administration lists failure to clean dryers as the leading cause of home dryer fires.
Yes. We diagnose and repair gas dryers, including igniters, flame sensors and valve coils, and we test the gas connection for leaks after any work on it. If you smell gas before the visit, don't wait for us: leave the house and call 911 and Washington Gas.
Condensing and heat-pump dryers work at lower temperatures, so longer cycles are normal for them. Much longer than usual points to a clogged lint filter, a dirty condenser or heat-exchanger filter, or a full water tank or blocked drain line. The manual shows where each one is.
Usually it's a worn idler pulley, drum rollers or glides. That isn't dangerous at first, but it gets worse and can break the belt. Grinding or scraping can mean metal rubbing on metal. A burning smell is a different matter: stop using the dryer.