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Clothes dryer · Repair Copilot

Dryer not heating

A dryer that spins but won't heat is often a clogged lint path, a tripped breaker, or (on electric dryers) one half of the 240V circuit gone dead — a fire-safety issue worth catching early. Show SightLine the dryer, its vent, and the breaker and a friendly handyman persona walks you through the safe checks first.

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Steps to fix dryer not heating

  1. Unplug the dryer (or shut its breaker off) before checking anything at the back or the lint area.
  2. Clean the lint screen AND the vent hose to the wall — a packed lint path chokes airflow, kills heat, and is a real fire hazard.
  3. On an electric dryer, check the breaker panel: a dryer uses TWO breaker poles, and losing one leaves it tumbling with no heat — flip the double breaker fully off, then on.
  4. Confirm the outside vent flap actually opens when the dryer runs so hot air can escape.
  5. GAS DRYER SAFETY: if you smell gas at any point, stop, leave, and call the gas company — do NOT poke at the burner, valve, or gas line yourself.
  6. If lint is clear, the breaker is good, and it still runs cold, the heating element, thermal fuse, or (gas) igniter is the likely failure — call a licensed appliance pro.

Safety first: if a step calls for gas, a main water or sewer line, a service panel or main breaker, or a sealed refrigerant system, stop and call a licensed pro — Repair Copilot will tell you when you're there.