A dryer that turns but does not heat, or heats but never dries, is one of the most common calls we get. Here is what it is on electric and gas dryers, and why the repair includes the vent. Call or email for a quote.
- Clear quote before any work starts
- Licensed, insured technicians
- All major brands: Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, GE, Bosch, Frigidaire, Maytag, KitchenAid, Miele
- Serving York Region and North York
Electric dryer, no heat, drum turns
An electric dryer runs on a double breaker: one half turns the motor, the other half powers the element. If the drum spins but there is no heat, check the breaker panel first, because a single tripped half is common and free to fix. If the breaker is fine, the fault is one of:
- Thermal fuse. A one-shot safety that blows when the dryer overheats, nearly always because the vent is restricted. Cheap part, but the vent must be cleared or it blows again.
- Heating element. Burns out with age, or from repeated overheating. Same-visit repair; we carry elements for Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, GE, Maytag, Kenmore and Electrolux.
- High-limit thermostat or cycling thermostat. Control when the element is on. A failed one gives no heat or intermittent heat.
Gas dryer, no heat, drum turns
On a gas dryer the burner has to light every cycle. If it does not:
- Igniter. Glows but has weakened and no longer proves the flame, so the gas valve never opens. The most common gas dryer fault.
- Flame sensor. Fails to detect the flame and shuts the gas off within seconds.
- Gas valve coils. Open the valve once the igniter is hot; when they weaken, the burner lights once and then stops.
- Thermal fuse. Same as electric, and same vent cause.
Gas dryer work is done by a licensed technician.
Heats, but clothes stay damp
Warm air that is not drying means the air is not moving through the drum and out. In order:
- Blocked vent. The cause of roughly half the dryer calls we get in York Region, because most homes here have long vent runs from a second-floor or basement laundry to an outside wall. Lint packs the duct, airflow drops, cycles run long, and eventually the thermal fuse blows.
- Lint screen coated with softener residue. Wash it with soap and a brush; if water pools on it, that is why.
- Cycling thermostat. Failing, so the element cycles off too soon.
- Moisture sensor. Coated with dryer-sheet residue, it tells the dryer the clothes are dry when they are not. A cleaning fixes it.
- Outside vent flap stuck shut. Check it while the dryer runs; if no air comes out, the run is blocked.
Why we check the vent on every dryer call
A blocked vent is behind the thermal fuse, the burnt element, the long cycles and the scorched smell, and it is a fire risk on its own. Replacing the part without clearing the vent means we are back in three months. So the vent check and clearing is part of the repair, not an upsell.
What to do in the next hour
- Check both halves of the dryer breaker.
- Wash the lint screen and clear the lint trap housing.
- Run the dryer and check the outside vent flap for airflow.
- If the dryer smells hot or scorched, stop using it and call.
What it costs
Pricing depends on the appliance, the brand, the fault and the part, so we do not publish a price list. Tell us what it is doing and we will tell you what to expect before anyone comes out. Call or email for a quote.
Where we work
We serve Richmond Hill, Markham, Aurora, Newmarket, Stouffville and Thornhill, and North York and King City. Call or email for the earliest available appointment. More on dryer repair across York Region.
Questions we get asked
How much does dryer repair cost?
It depends on the brand, the fault and the part. Call (905) 000-0000 or email hello@yorkregionappliancepros.ca with the symptom and we will tell you what to expect.
What are the most common dryer problems you fix?
Dryer not heating; Dryer runs but clothes stay damp; Dryer won't start or turn; Squealing or thumping; Burning smell.
Which brands?
Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, GE, Maytag, Electrolux, Bosch, Kenmore and most others.
Where do you offer dryer repair?
Richmond Hill, Markham, Aurora, Newmarket, Stouffville, Thornhill, North York and King City.
The dryer runs and is warm but clothes are still damp after a full cycle. Is that the heater?
Usually not. Warm but not drying means the air is not moving: a vent packed with lint, a lint screen that needs washing, or a failed cycling thermostat. In York Region's two-storey homes with second-floor laundry, the vent is the answer most of the time. We clear it and test the thermostat on the same visit.
My electric dryer has no heat at all but still spins. What is it?
On an electric dryer, no heat with a spinning drum is the heating element or the thermal fuse. The fuse usually blew because the dryer overheated from a blocked vent, so replacing the fuse without clearing the vent just repeats the failure. Also check the breaker: an electric dryer uses two breakers, and if one trips the drum turns but the element gets no power.
Related
Need it fixed fast?
Call or email and we will give you the earliest available appointment. No-cooling fridges and active leaks get priority.
Call (905) 000-0000