First: is it no heat, or heat that isn't reaching the clothes?
Run the dryer empty on a high heat setting for five minutes and put your hand inside the drum. Cold air means the dryer is not producing heat, and this page applies. Hot air with loads that still come out damp is an airflow problem, and the page on a dryer not drying is the one to read. The distinction matters because the fixes do not overlap.
Electric dryers, step by step
- Breaker. An electric dryer needs 240 volts for the element but only 120 for the motor. If one side of the double breaker has tripped, the drum turns and nothing warms up. Reset it fully off, then on.
- Thermal fuse. A small one-time fuse on the exhaust duct or blower housing. On some models a blown fuse kills only the heat; on others it stops the whole dryer. It opens because the dryer overheated, usually from poor venting.
- Heating element. A coil of resistance wire in a housing behind or below the drum. It can break in one spot, which a multimeter shows as no continuity.
- High-limit and cycling thermostats. The high-limit cuts the element if the housing overheats; the cycling thermostat switches it on and off to hold the temperature. Either can fail open.
- Control or timer. Less often, the board or the timer contact that feeds the element fails. A technician checks this last because it is the costly part.
Gas dryers, step by step
- Gas supply. The shutoff valve behind the dryer should be open, with the handle in line with the pipe. If other gas appliances also stopped, the problem is the supply, not the dryer.
- Igniter. Look through the small burner window while the dryer calls for heat. An igniter that never glows is burned out or not getting power.
- Flame sensor. An igniter that glows and never shuts off, with no flame following, points to the sensor. So can an igniter that never glows at all, if the igniter itself tests good.
- Gas valve coils. An igniter that glows, goes dark and is not followed by a flame, or a flame that lights and later quits for good, points to the valve coils.
- Thermal fuse and thermostats, the same safety parts an electric dryer uses.
Smell gas? Stop. Do not run the dryer, operate switches or make calls from inside. Leave the house and call 911 or your gas company from well away from it. Diagnosis of the burner and valve is work for someone who does gas repairs.
What the heating repairs cost
| Part | Parts and labor | Dryer type |
|---|---|---|
| Thermostat (high-limit or cycling) | $100–$260 | both |
| Igniter | $100–$250 | gas |
| Gas valve coils | $150–$300 | gas |
| Heating element | $150–$350 | electric |
| Timer | $150–$300 | dial-control models |
Fixr national replacement-part ranges, updated January 31, 2025; its "does not heat" problem range is $100 to $350. A thermal fuse is an inexpensive part, so that repair is mostly the service call.
The fix that keeps the fix from failing
Fuses, elements and high-limit thermostats are safety parts, and they mostly fail because they were asked to protect a dryer that could not breathe. A technician who replaces one should also look at the transition duct behind the dryer and ask when the vent run was last cleaned. If the lint screen slot, the duct or the wall flap is packed, clearing it is part of the repair, not an extra.
Information that speeds up the visit
Say whether the dryer is gas or electric, whether the drum turns, what you saw through the burner window on a gas model, and whether the breaker has tripped before. Give the model number from the tag in the door opening. If the dryer is within its manufacturer's warranty, call the manufacturer first.
Questions people ask next
Why did the thermal fuse blow in the first place?
A thermal fuse is a one-time safety part that opens when the exhaust gets too hot. The usual reason is restricted airflow: a lint-packed vent, a crushed transition duct or a stuck wall flap. Replacing the fuse without clearing the vent means the new one tends to blow again.
My gas dryer heats for ten minutes, then goes cold. What is that?
That pattern is classic for weak gas valve coils: they open the valve when cold and fail once they warm up. A technician can confirm it by watching the igniter glow, the flame light and then drop out. The coils are usually replaced as a pair.
Can I test the heating element myself?
Only if you are comfortable with a multimeter and the dryer is unplugged. An intact element reads a low resistance; an open element reads no continuity. Most people let the technician do it, because the element sits behind the drum or rear panel on many models.
Sources
- How much does it cost to repair a dryer?, Fixr, updated January 31, 2025.
- Emergency response: what to do if you suspect a gas leak, U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, read September 29, 2026.
Reviewed October 1, 2026. Spotted an error? Write to admin@compareappliancerepair.com.