How to Troubleshoot and Fix a Dryer That Is Not Heating

If your dryer is running but your clothes aren’t being properly dried because your dryer is not heating up, we’re here to help solve the issue! Whether your dryer is not heating at all or is just not getting hot enough to fully dry your clothes, the outcome is probably the same: you open the door at the end of the cycle and find a soggy or damp load. A dryer requires high heat to dry your clothes properly, and if it’s not getting to the required temperature, there’s a problem, whether it’s something simple like a clogged lint screen or vent, or something more technical like a heating element failure. We are going to walk you through the basics first – some things you can check that may solve the issue before you even have to consult a parts troubleshooting guide. If your dryer still won’t heat after these issues are checked, we’ll guide you through the common parts that might have failed and how you can find, inspect, test, and replace them.

Using This Page, You Will be Able to Troubleshoot the Following Symptoms

1. Dryer Running But Not Heating
2. Dryer Not Heating Up

Inspect These Common Issues First

If your dryer is running but isn’t producing heat, check these use-case scenarios first before moving onto the more repair-oriented section.

FIX TIP

Remember, when troubleshooting any washer symptom, start by unplugging it from the electrical outlet or turning off the breaker.

Check Vent and Lint Traps

Vents and lint filters build up lint over time, which can cause them to become clogged and make your dryer less effective at distributing heat. If your dryer is running well but your clothes are coming out damp, giving these areas a thorough inspection and cleaning to remove and prevent blockages should be the first port of call. Clogged lint filters and vents not only affect the heat level your dryer is able to get to but also represent a fire hazard. For this reason, this should always be your first inspection point when your dryer is having any heating issues. Take out your lint trap and inspect it, as well as the housing around it. Also check that your house vent is clear of any obstructions and not crushed, torn, or otherwise damaged.

Check for Laundry Load Issues

It may seem simple, but following a few best practices for using your dryer can often solve lack of heat issues. Dryers work hard to remove moisture from wet clothes; if we ask too much of our dryer, sometimes it can struggle to get hot enough to do its job. Make sure you’re not putting sopping wet loads of laundry into your dryer; they weigh too much and can place massive strain on the machine. There could be an issue with your washer’s spin cycle if you’re finding that the clothes you put into your dryer are always very wet and heavy. Similarly, pay attention to load size. Don’t overload your dryer, even if it seems convenient to dry everything at once. The results will be poor and your dryer may not get hot enough to fully dry an oversized load. If your dryer isn’t getting enough heat to dry your clothes, try putting only a few items in for a cycle and see if the results are different. If it’s able to heat with this smaller load, your dryer load sizes may be the culprit.

Check for Power Supply Issues

Whether you have a gas or an electric dryer, how your dryer receives its power can affect the heating properties during its cycle.

If you have an electric dryer, your wall outlet can sometimes malfunction and not deliver the correct amount of power to specific parts or even the appliance in its entirety. You can check if your wall outlet is correctly delivering the right amount of power with a multimeter. You should also ensure that you’re using the right type of wall outlet, one that delivers 240 volts. If your dryer is plugged into an outlet that is not suitable to provide this power output, it will affect the ability of the dryer to heat up properly. It could also pay to check that the circuit breakers to these outlets have not been tripped.

If you have a gas dryer, ensure that the valve to the gas pipe is properly activated and receiving gas to the machine. If it is closed, even partially, the dryer will appear to operate as normal but, due to lack of gas, will not heat during the cycle.