Dryer not heating in Gatineau

The drum and the heat are two separate systems inside a dryer. The motor turns the drum and the blower; the heat comes from an electric element or a gas burner, controlled by a chain of safety parts: a thermal fuse, a high-limit thermostat, a cycling thermostat and, on newer models, a control board and moisture sensor. When any link in that chain opens, the dryer keeps tumbling happily and simply never gets warm.

That is why “my dryer runs but no heat” is one of the most common dryer calls we take in Gatineau, and why it is usually a modest repair rather than a new machine.

Thermal fuse blown (electric and gas). A one-time safety fuse on the blower housing that opens when the exhaust gets too hot. It does not reset. It usually blows because the vent is restricted, so replacing it without clearing the vent means it blows again within weeks. That is why the vent run is checked whenever we replace a fuse.

Heating element open (electric). The coil inside the heater breaks at one point and the circuit is gone, while the rest of the dryer works perfectly. Elements for Whirlpool, Maytag, Samsung, LG, GE and Frigidaire are common parts.

High-limit or cycling thermostat failed. Either can fail open. The high-limit is a safety; the cycling thermostat turns the heat on and off to hold the set temperature. A dryer that heats for a few minutes and then goes cold for the rest of the cycle often has a cycling thermostat that drops out early.

Only half the power (electric dryers). An electric dryer needs two 120-volt legs to make 240 volts for the element. If one leg drops (one breaker pole tripped, or a burned terminal on the cord or outlet), the motor still runs on the surviving leg but the element gets nothing. If the dryer stopped heating right after a breaker trip, check the breaker first; if it happens again, the outlet or cord needs attention from a qualified person.

Igniter, flame sensor or gas valve coils (gas dryers). The burner has to light and stay lit. A worn igniter never gets hot enough, a faulty flame sensor never closes the valve circuit, and weak valve coils open for a few minutes then drop out. Each has its own signature, and the diagnostic watches the full ignition sequence. See gas dryer repair for the detail.

Heat is there but weak, and cycles take forever. This is airflow, not the heater. A vent packed with lint, a crushed foil duct behind the machine, or an exterior hood frozen shut or blocked by birds in a Gatineau winter all restrict the exhaust; the dryer then overheats and shuts off its own heat. It is also the number-one dryer fire risk. See dryer takes too long.

Control board or moisture sensor. Dryers with electronic controls can stop calling for heat because a relay on the board has failed, or because the moisture sensor bars are coated with dryer-sheet residue and report “dry” immediately. The board is tested before it is replaced.

The technician measures the voltage at the outlet and the terminal block; tests the thermal fuse, the high-limit and cycling thermostats and the element (or, on gas, watches the igniter, flame sensor and valve sequence); measures exhaust airflow and temperature; inspects the blower and the vent run to the exterior; and checks the moisture sensor and the control.

That order separates an inexpensive fuse from a control board, and you get the answer in plain language, with a written quote, before anything is replaced. After the visit you also receive a written diagnostic report.

The diagnostic is $89 + tax for an electric dryer in a home and $129 + tax for a gas dryer or commercial equipment, and it is applied toward the repair if you go ahead. Most no-heat repairs are a fuse, a thermostat, an element or an igniter; a drive motor or control board costs more. Typical dryer repairs, parts and labour, fall in these ranges (your own repair is quoted in writing first):

• Thermal fuse or cycling thermostat: typically $130–$280
• Heating element (electric): typically $200–$400
• Igniter or gas valve (gas dryers): typically $200–$380
• Drive motor: typically $250–$450
• Control board: typically $200–$400

The full table is on dryer repair cost in Gatineau.

Hull, Aylmer and central Gatineau are within 30 km of downtown Ottawa, so no travel charge applies there; for the farther sectors, any travel charge is confirmed when you book. Visits between 9 PM and 7 AM add a $100 flat after-hours fee (see emergency appliance repair). Every repair carries a 3-month warranty on parts and labour.

Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, Maytag, GE, Frigidaire, KitchenAid, Bosch, Electrolux, Kenmore, Speed Queen, Inglis, Amana and Blomberg, electric and gas (gas service confirmed when you book), in standard, compact and stackable models, as well as ventless heat-pump dryers. See Samsung dryer repair in Gatineau for Samsung-specific notes. B&M Canada Appliances has been in business since 1995, with a parts and appliance warehouse in Gatineau.

A no-heat fault is one of the best cases for repair: a fuse, thermostat or element on a dryer under twelve years old costs a small fraction of a new machine, and dryers are simple enough to run fifteen years or more. The exceptions are a dryer whose drum, motor and heater have all worn together, or a control board on a discontinued model.

Our repair or replace a dryer guide has the decision by age. If you do replace, appliance installation in Gatineau covers the vent, the electrical hook-up and the stacking kit.

We cover all sectors of the City of Gatineau: Hull, Aylmer, the Plateau, Vieux-Hull, Pointe-Gatineau, Limbour, Touraine, Buckingham and Masson-Angers, in English or French. Sector pages: appliance repair in Hull and appliance repair in Aylmer; for every other appliance, see appliance repair in Gatineau. The Gatineau dryer hub is dryer repair in Gatineau; the Ontario-side version of this guide is dryer not heating in Ottawa.

En français : sécheuse qui ne chauffe pas à Gatineau, réparation de sécheuse à Gatineau and prix de réparation de sécheuse. Other dryer problems: dryer not drying clothes, dryer making noise, dryer not spinning and sécheuse qui ne tourne pas.