Gas dryer repair in Ottawa

An electric dryer heats with a resistance element; when it stops heating, the element or a fuse is almost always to blame. A gas dryer heats with a burner assembly: an igniter glows, a flame sensor confirms it is hot enough, the gas valve coils open, and the burner lights. Every one of those parts can fail on its own, and each failure has its own signature.

That is why “gas dryer not heating” is a different diagnosis from “dryer not heating”, and why the parts involved in a gas call are different. It is also why the dryer can still tumble perfectly while producing no heat at all: the drum and the burner are separate systems.

Runs but no heat. The most common gas dryer call. Usually the igniter has failed (it no longer glows), the flame sensor has failed (the igniter glows but the valve never opens), or the gas valve coils have weakened (the burner lights, runs for a few minutes, then drops out and does not relight for the rest of the cycle). Coils that fail hot are the classic cause of “it heats for a while, then stops”. If you have an electric dryer with this symptom, see dryer not heating in Ottawa.

Clicks but does not light. The igniter is trying, but a weak or cracked igniter or a fouled flame sensor stops the sequence. On older units a clogged burner orifice does the same.

Takes too long to dry. Most often this is airflow, not the burner: a lint-packed vent, a crushed foil duct behind the machine or a clogged exterior vent hood. Restricted airflow also trips the high-limit thermostat, which cuts the burner. We check the vent on every gas dryer call because it is a fire risk as much as a drying problem. See dryer takes too long in Ottawa.

Burning smell or shuts off mid-cycle. Lint at the burner, a failing motor or a cycling thermostat. Stop using the dryer until it is checked.

Drum problems. Belts, idler pulleys, drum rollers and motors are the same on gas and electric dryers; see dryer not spinning in Ottawa and dryer making noise in Ottawa.

The technician confirms the gas supply and shut-off valve, leak-tests the connector and every joint, watches the full ignition sequence (igniter glow, sensor, valve, flame), checks the flame for correct colour, measures exhaust temperature and airflow, tests the thermal fuse, high-limit and cycling thermostats, inspects the vent run and exterior hood, and checks the drum drive. On models with a moisture sensor, the sensor bars are tested too.

That sequence separates an inexpensive flame sensor from a far costlier valve assembly. You get the answer in plain language and a written quote before anything is replaced, then a written diagnostic report after the visit.

The gas dryer diagnostic is $129 + tax. It reflects the certified gas handling, the leak test and the burner check that every gas call includes. Electric dryers are $89 + tax for residential customers ($129 + tax commercial). Either way, the diagnostic is applied toward the repair if you go ahead, and parts and labour are quoted in writing for your approval first.

As a guide, a flame sensor sits at the low end; an igniter or gas valve coils in the low-to-mid range; a thermal fuse and vent clean-up together at the low end; a motor at the high end. Our dryer repair cost in Ottawa page sets out the ranges. Visits between 9 PM and 7 AM add a $100 flat after-hours fee (see emergency appliance repair), and addresses more than 30 km from downtown Ottawa may carry a travel charge, confirmed when you book. Repairs come with a 3-month parts-and-labour warranty.

We repair gas dryers from Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, Maytag, GE, Frigidaire, Electrolux, Kenmore, Inglis and Speed Queen, including stacked pairs and laundry towers. Igniters and coils in the Whirlpool and Maytag family are shared across several brands; less common parts are ordered and the timeline is confirmed up front.

Two things matter more with a gas dryer than with an electric one. First, venting: the exhaust carries combustion by-products as well as moisture, so it must run outdoors through rigid or semi-rigid metal duct, never plastic or foil, and never end in the basement or garage.

Second, the connection: a gas dryer should have a shut-off valve within reach and an approved flexible connector. Older Ottawa homes in Alta Vista, Carlington and Overbrook sometimes still have rigid piping or a connector past its useful life, and we tell you when we see it. If you are replacing the dryer, see washer and dryer installation in Ottawa: gas hook-ups are leak-tested before we leave.

Almost every time. Igniters, sensors, coils and belts are modest parts on a machine that can last fifteen years or more, and a repaired burner assembly heats like new. Replacement makes sense when a dryer past twelve years needs a motor or a control board and shows other wear. Our repair or replace your dryer guide lays out the math, and the technician gives you both numbers.

All of Ottawa: Kanata, Barrhaven, Nepean, Orléans, Gloucester, Stittsville, Westboro, the Glebe, Alta Vista and Riverside South.

Across the river we serve Hull, Aylmer, Buckingham and Masson-Angers in English or French. TSSA certification covers our gas work in Ontario; for a gas dryer in Gatineau, gas service is confirmed when you book. See dryer repair in Gatineau and dryer not heating in Gatineau. Other gas appliances: gas stove repair, gas oven repair and gas appliance repair in Ottawa.