Your dryer won’t heat or won’t dry? Maybe you have a clogged lint screen or an air vent is blocked. We will guide you to get your dryer heating and drying again.
4 reasons the dryer won’t heat
1. Lint screen/Lint trap
Remember to clean out your lint screen after every load of laundry. Look for the lint screen on the door opening. Slide it out to swipe away any leftover lint with your fingers. If there’s detergent residue left behind, scrub off what you can using hot water from a sink along with dish soap before giving it another rinse with cold water.
2. Power to dryer or gas to dryer
Make sure the 240 volt power supply is in good working order for an electric dryer. If the dryer is gas, be sure the gas line makes secure contact with your dryer and be sure the shut-off valve for gas model dryers is fully open to allow gas to get to the dryer to heat. See image below for which way gas valve is opened or closed.
Gas valve dryer open and closed
Keep valve open to allow gas dryer to get gas
3. Dryer vent
A rigid metal 4 inch diameter vent is best for dyers. Clean the vents yearly to ensure they are not obstructed by any debris that may cause longer drying times or hinder the air flow. The best type of dryer vents are made of rigid or flexible metal, the better air vents help your dryer achieve its optimal performance by allowing good air movement and shorter drying times. Disconnect the dryer vent from the dryer and vacuum the lint build up from both ends of vent.
Dryer exhaust vent
Keep straight and clean to avoid issues
Dryer – vacuum the vent hose
Vacuum it out to keep free of lint
4. Wiring or component fault
The dryer can run but not heat in certain circumstances and this can be caused by a wiring issue or a gas component issue. A faulty door switch on your gas or electric dryer can cause the dryer to not heat. The timing mechanism dial on your dryer depending on model, can also cause your dryer to not heat. Check the wiring in the dryer for any issues. Use a meter and check to be sure the door switch and timer is in working order. Remove and replace any components if needed.
4 reasons the dryer won’t dry
1. Venting issue
The dryer vent need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Your dryer is connected your home vent. This vent can clog or get blocked and take longer to dry your clothes. Clean the vent to get the dryer to dry at optimal time.
2. Wrong setting
Use the setting AUTO DRY is your dryer has it. On newer dryers, the AUTO DRY will sense if the wash load is dry. This setting will keep heating your clothes until they are fully dry.
3. Vent blockage
The vent that goes from the dryer to the outside of your home may be obstructed. If you can, do a preliminary check of your vents yourself to see if there are any obstructions before calling for assistance from an HVAC professional. If your vent hose or any part of the vent has been crushed or kinked, it may be obstructing the air flow, and causing the no dry problem. Checking and cleaning out the dryer vent hose and duct will lower energy costs, increase the airflow, and reduce drying times. See image below for best vent hose positioning/shape.
Do not crush dryer vent hose
Keep vent hose at 45 degree bends for best performance
4. Wiring or component fault
The dryer can run and turn on but not dry clothing in certain circumstances. This can be caused by a wiring issue or a gas component issue. Check the wiring and gas components in the dryer for any issues. Remove and replace any components if needed.
MORE DRYER HELP:
Dryer takes long time to dry
Dryer vent issues solved
Dryer not heating or drying
Dryer not drying but is heating
Gas powered dryer – If there is no heat coming out of the vent when running on high setting, then this indicates that either the air ducts are blocked by lint or an issue with pilot light or the ignitor for igniting gas flow.
Electric powered dryer – If you find yourself facing similar problems as above but without any obvious reason such as build up in vents or lint screen issues, your problem may be the door switch assembly. Check the wiring in the dryer for any issues. This should also help solve when the dryer has low heat output issues while operating at maximum temperature settings.
Need more help? Please leave a comment below with your dryer issue and the model number and we can have someone assist you.
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