The drum turns, the timer counts down, and the clothes come out just as wet as they went in. It's one of the most common dryer calls we get. The good news is that the cause is usually one part, and a few of the reasons are things you can check yourself in a few minutes.
Here are the six things worth checking, in order.
IN THIS ARTICLE
Safety First
Before you look at anything, unplug the dryer or switch it off at the breaker. A standard dryer runs on a 240-volt circuit, so pull the plug fully, not just the start button.
If you have a gas dryer, don't take apart any gas parts yourself. The igniter, valve and burner are a technician's job. If you ever smell gas, don't touch any switches. Leave the house and call your gas utility from outside.
1. Is It the Setting?
Start with the easy one. Many dryers have an "air fluff", "air dry" or "no heat" setting, and it's easy to bump the knob or pick it by mistake on a touch panel. On that setting the drum turns and the fan runs, but the heat never comes on.
Pick a regular timed cycle on high heat and run it for five minutes with a damp towel inside. If the towel comes out warm, the dryer was fine all along.
Also check the breaker panel. A standard dryer uses a double breaker, which is two switches joined together. If one half trips, the drum can still turn, but there's no heat. Switch the breaker fully off, then back on.
2. A Clogged Vent
A blocked vent on its own usually makes a dryer slow rather than cold: the heat comes on, but damp air can't get out, so loads take much longer. It still matters here, because when air can't escape the dryer runs hot inside, and that is what blows the thermal fuse or trips the high-limit thermostat (causes 3 and 6). Clear the vent before any of those parts is replaced.
Check three things:
- The lint screen. Clean it before every load. If it looks clean but water beads on it, wash it with warm soapy water. Dryer sheets can leave a film on it.
- The duct behind the dryer. Look for a crushed or kinked hose, especially if the dryer was pushed back hard against the wall.
- The outside flap. With the dryer running, go outside. You should feel strong, warm air at the hood. If it's weak, or the flap barely moves, the duct needs cleaning.
Long runs to an outside wall, like in many basement laundry rooms, clog faster. Our guide to dryers taking too long and vent safety walks through the vent in more detail.
3. A Blown Thermal Fuse
The thermal fuse is a small safety part on the dryer's exhaust duct, inside the cabinet. If the dryer overheats, the fuse blows, and the heat (and on many models, the whole dryer) stops working. It's a one-time part. Once it blows, it has to be replaced.
A fuse almost never fails on its own. It usually blows because air isn't moving well, so the vent is often the real problem. Replacing the fuse without clearing the vent just means it will blow again. When we replace a fuse, we check the airflow at the same visit.
4. A Failed Heating Element (Standard Dryers)
On standard (non-gas) dryers, the heat comes from a coiled wire element inside a metal housing. Over time the coil can break, and then there's no heat at all. Sometimes the coil touches the housing and the dryer heats in short bursts.
Signs it's the element:
- The drum turns and the dryer runs, but it never gets warm.
- The breaker is fine and the setting is right.
- The vent is clear.
Testing the element means opening the cabinet and checking it with a meter, so this is one to book. The element is one of the most common heat repairs on standard dryers.
5. The Igniter or Gas Valve Coils (Gas Dryers)
Gas dryers light a burner instead of heating a coil. A small part called the igniter glows hot and lights the gas. Then small valve coils open and close to let gas through.
If the igniter is worn, it may not glow at all. If the valve coils are tired, the igniter glows but the flame never lights, or it lights once and won't come back. A common clue is a dryer that heats for the first few minutes, then runs cold.
These are gas parts, so please don't work on them yourself. A technician can test the igniter and coils safely and replace only the part that has failed.
6. The Thermostats
Dryers use small thermostats to keep the heat in the right range. The cycling thermostat switches the heat on and off during the cycle. The high-limit thermostat shuts the heat off if things get too hot.
If either one fails, you can get no heat, or heat that only comes on now and then. Like the fuse, a high-limit thermostat often fails after the dryer has been running hot. That points back to the vent again.
What You Can Check Yourself
Before you call, work through this list:
- Pick a regular timed, high-heat cycle and confirm it's not on air fluff.
- Reset the dryer's breaker: fully off, then back on.
- Clean the lint screen, and wash it if water beads on it.
- Pull the dryer out and straighten any crushed or kinked duct.
- Go outside and check for strong, warm air at the vent hood.
- Run a small load and feel the air coming out.
If you've done all six and it's still cold, the problem is inside the dryer.
Not sure what's wrong? Call 1-888-642-0352 or book online. Diagnostic regularly $129, now $99, and always waived when Aria does the repair.
When to Call a Technician
Call if:
- The dryer still won't heat after the checks above.
- It heats for a few minutes, then goes cold.
- It's a gas dryer and there's no flame.
- The outside of the dryer gets very hot, or you smell burning.
- The thermal fuse has blown more than once.
Stop using the dryer if you smell burning or see scorching on clothes. If you smell gas, leave the house and call your gas utility first.
Our dryer repair team works on gas and standard dryers from all the common brands. That includes Whirlpool, which many laundry rooms here still run on.
What It Costs
Diagnostic regularly $129, now $99, and always waived when Aria does the repair. Your technician tests the dryer, tells you which part has failed, and gives you the price before any work starts. Diagnostic regularly $129, now $99, and always waived when Aria does the repair.
Typical ranges from our dryer repair page, in CAD before HST:
- Thermal fuse: about $130–$220
- Cycling or high-limit thermostat: about $150–$260
- Igniter (gas): about $180–$300
- Gas valve coils: about $180–$320
- Heating element: about $180–$320
Brand, model and parts change the final price. Completed repairs carry our 1-Year Parts & Labour Warranty. If the vent needs cleaning, we can do that at the same visit.
Need Help With a Dryer That Won't Heat?
We fix gas and standard dryers in homes across Vaughan, Woodbridge, Maple, Kleinburg and Concord.
We also serve Thornhill.
Call 1-888-642-0352, Mon–Sun 8 AM–10 PM, or book online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my dryer running but not heating?
The most common causes are a blown thermal fuse, a failed heating element on standard dryers, or a worn igniter or gas valve coils on gas dryers. Check that the dryer isn't on an air fluff setting, reset the breaker, and clear the vent first. If it's still cold, the part needs testing.
Can a clogged vent stop my dryer from heating?
Not usually by itself. A clogged vent mostly makes drying slow. But it makes the dryer run hot inside, which can blow the thermal fuse or trip the high-limit thermostat, and then there's no heat. Clean the lint screen and check for strong, warm air at the outside vent hood.
Is it worth fixing a dryer that won't heat?
Usually, yes. Most no-heat repairs are one part, like a fuse, a thermostat, an element or an igniter. Those cost much less than a new dryer. Your technician gives you the price before any work starts, so you can decide.
How much does it cost to fix a dryer that's not heating?
It depends on the part. A thermal fuse runs about $130–$220, and a heating element or gas valve coils about $180–$320, in CAD before HST. Diagnostic regularly $129, now $99, and always waived when Aria does the repair.
