A dryer that tumbles but doesn't heat is sending you a clear message: something in the heating circuit failed open. Almost always it's a thermal fuse that blew because the vent is clogged with lint. Fix the vent first or you'll just blow another fuse.
Most dryer symptoms get diagnosed and fixed on the first visit. Flat $129 diagnostic — fully waived when you approve the repair.
Step-by-step
Pull the plug at the wall. For gas models, also close the gas shutoff valve behind the dryer.
Pull the lint screen, wash it with soap and water (lots of unseen residue from dryer sheets). Then disconnect the vent hose at the back of the dryer and at the wall. Vacuum both ends and the wall duct. This alone fixes ~30% of 'no heat' calls.
Walk outside, find the vent flap on the wall, and confirm it opens when the dryer runs. A stuck flap or a bird's nest behind it = no airflow = blown thermal fuse every time.
Move the dryer out, remove the rear panel (usually 6–8 screws). On most models the thermal fuse is mounted on the blower housing — a small white rectangle with two wires.
Set the meter to continuity (the beep setting). Touch the probes to the two terminals on the fuse. Beep = good. Silence = blown — replace it ($8 part). IMPORTANT: a blown fuse means the vent was restricted; if you don't fix the vent, the new fuse blows in days.
The element is a coiled wire inside a metal cage at the back. Disconnect both wires, set the meter to continuity, and probe the two terminals. You want a low reading (5–50 ohms). Open / OL = burned out, replace the element ($45–$90 part).
Mounted near the heating element. Same continuity test — beep = good, silence = bad. If it's tripped, that's another vent clog symptom.
Put the back panel on, hook the vent up, plug in (gas: open the valve), and run a 10-minute timed-dry cycle on high. Touch the dryer cabinet — it should be warm but not hot. The exhaust at the wall should feel like a hair dryer on low.
Stop and call
Safety + model triggers
Gas dryer with no heat, OR you smell gas at any point.
Igniter, gas valve, and flame sensor work involves the gas line — leave, ventilate, and call your gas utility first if you smell gas.
Burning smell, scorched lint, or visible flame inside the drum.
Lint fires kill people every year — STOP using the dryer, unplug it, and call now.
You replaced the thermal fuse and it blew again within a week.
Vent restriction you can't find — running the dryer in this state risks a cabinet fire.
Stacked unit, closet install, or compact 24" Bosch / Miele / LG WashTower.
Back panel access requires unstacking and re-leveling — not safely DIY.
Other reasons to call
FAQs
The heating circuit failed open somewhere — almost always a thermal fuse that blew because the vent is clogged. Fix the vent first, then test the fuse, element, and thermostat with a multimeter (under $15 at any hardware store).
Once a year for a household of 2–3, twice a year for 4+. Clean the lint screen every load. A clogged vent doubles dry times, blows fuses, and is the #1 cause of dryer fires.
Thermal fuse: $189–$240 all-in. Heating element: $250–$380. Gas igniter: $260–$340. Vent cleaning add-on: $79. Our flat $129 diagnostic is waived when you approve the repair.
Yes — the high-limit thermostat trips and/or the thermal fuse blows when the cabinet overheats from restricted airflow. The dryer is protecting itself (and your house) from a fire.
Yes. Most no-heat conditions are caused by overheating from a clogged vent — the same condition that causes ~15,000 dryer fires per year in the US. Don't ignore it and don't keep running the dryer.
Related service
Gas, electric, or heat-pump — most dryer problems trace back to heating elements, igniters, drum rollers, belts, or vent restriction. We diagnose all five on the first visit and carry the parts on every truck.
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