Dryer Not Heating

Ensure the dryer is set to the appropriate heat setting. The setting may have been inadvertently changed to a non-heat option.

The igniter uses heat to ignite the gas in the burner assembly. If the igniter is not working, the gas will not ignite, preventing the dryer from heating. To determine if the igniter has burned out, use a multimeter to test the igniter for continuity. If the igniter does not have continuity, replace it.

The heating element warms the air before it enters the dryer drum. Over time, the heating element can burn out, causing the dryer not to heat. To determine if the heating element has burned out, use a multimeter to test it for continuity. If the heating element does not have continuity, replace it.

The heating element assembly warms the air before it enters the dryer drum. Over time, the heating element can burn out, causing the dryer not to heat. To determine if the heating element assembly has burned out, use a multimeter to test it for continuity. If the heating element assembly does not have continuity, replace it.

On a gas dryer, the flame sensor detects the heat emitted by the flame. If the flame sensor isn’t working, the dryer won’t heat. Before checking the flame sensor, first make sure that the igniter and thermal fuse are not at fault. To determine if the flame sensor is defective, use a multimeter to test the sensor for continuity at room temperature. If the flame sensor does not have continuity at room temperature, replace it.

A dryer's control board controls the voltage being sent to all of the appliance's electrical components. If the board is defective, it may not allow voltage to reach the heating circuit. You can inspect the board for signs of damage or a shorted component. You can also use a multimeter to test for voltage reaching the drive motor after reviewing the dryer's wiring diagram.

An electric dryer heater requires 220 volts to operate properly. If the incoming voltage is incorrect the dryer can run and not heat.

A dryer thermistor monitors the temperature of the burner or heater housing and will shut off the heat once a sufficient temperature is reached. If the thermistor is faulty, the dryer may not heat at all.

The high-limit thermostat monitors the dryer temperature and shuts off the burner if the dryer overheats. If the high-limit thermostat is malfunctioning, it may shut off the burner even if the dryer is not overheating. However, this is rarely the case. Before replacing the high limit thermostat check all the more commonly defective parts. If you have determined that all of the other components are working properly, test the thermostat by using a multimeter to test it for continuity. If the thermostat does not have continuity, replace it.

A dryer's gas valve assembly will open to allow gas to flow into the burner tube to ignite into a flame to heat the air being circulated through the dryer drum. If the gas valve assembly is malfunctioning, the dryer may not heat.

The cycling thermostat cycles the heat on and off to regulate the air temperature. If the cycling thermostat is defective, the dryer will not heat. However, this is rarely the case. Before replacing the cycling thermostat check all the more commonly defective parts. If you have determined that all of the other components are working properly, test the thermostat by using a multimeter to test for continuity. If the thermostat does not have continuity, replace it.

The main control board might be defective. However, this is rarely the case. Before replacing the main control board, check all of the more commonly defective parts. If you have determined that all of the other components are working properly, replace the main control board. (The control board cannot be easily tested, but you can try to inspect it for signs of burning or a shorted-out component.)