Short answer
On electric dryers, check for a tripped breaker first — a dryer can tumble on one half of its double breaker without heating. Then check airflow: a restricted vent can overheat the dryer and blow its thermal fuse. With power and airflow confirmed, the heating element (electric) or igniter, flame sensor, or gas valve coils (gas) are the usual causes.
Safety
Act now
- Gas smell: leave and call your gas utility or 911 from outside.
- Burning smell: stop the dryer and unplug it if you can reach safely.
Possible causes, in the order they're usually ruled out
- PowerOne half of the double breaker tripped (electric)You can check
- AirflowLint screen, duct, vent hoodYou can check
- Thermal fuseBlown — usually because airflow was restrictedTechnician
- Heat sourceElement (electric) or igniter and valve coils (gas)Technician
- Thermostats & controlsHigh-limit or cycling thermostatTechnician
Safe checks
- Electric: reset a tripped double breaker.
- Clean the lint screen.
- Feel for strong airflow at the outside vent while the dryer runs.
- Straighten a crushed transition duct.
- Gas: confirm the gas shut-off valve behind the dryer is open (handle in line with the pipe) — don't do anything else to the gas line.
Dryer duct
Example photos of the condition — different appliances, not RepairHearth jobs. Photos: Yanping Ma (Unsplash) · Yanping Ma (Unsplash).
Possible causes
A blown thermal fuse is usually a symptom of restricted airflow. Ask the technician to check the vent run, not just replace the fuse.
| Dryer type | Commonly involved parts |
|---|---|
| Electric | Heating element, thermal fuse, high-limit thermostat, cycling thermostat |
| Gas | Igniter, flame sensor, gas valve coils, thermal fuse |
Dryer airflow
- 1HeaterElement (electric) or burner (gas)Technician
- 2DrumHot air passes through tumbling clothes
- 3Lint screenClean every loadYou can check
- 4DuctNo kinks or crushingYou can check
- 5Vent hoodFlap opens, no blockageYou can check
Don't attempt
Leave this to a professional
- Bypassing or jumping a thermal fuse — it's a fire-safety device
- Gas valve or igniter work
How it's diagnosed
On electric dryers a technician checks voltage at the terminal block, then tests the thermal fuse, thermostats, and element for continuity with the power disconnected. On gas dryers they watch the igniter: if it glows and then goes out without flame, the gas valve coils are a common suspect; if it never glows, the igniter or a safety fuse is more likely.
Cost and repair-or-replace
Heating repairs are among the most routine dryer jobs, and most dryers are worth repairing for a no-heat fault. Budget for vent cleaning too if airflow contributed — it protects the new part.
What to request
A symptom points to likely causes; only testing confirms one. If the checks above don't solve it, request a diagnosis for dryer repair and mention what you've already checked.
Common questions
Why does my dryer spin but not heat?
Common causes are a tripped breaker half (electric), a blown thermal fuse from restricted airflow, a failed heating element, or a gas ignition fault.
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