Why is my dryer not drying or getting hot?

4 reasons why your dryer isn’t drying or getting hot.

A dryer that doesn't dry or get hot isn't very useful. Here are the main culprits when this happens. Keep in mind that most of these fixes are best left to the professionals. However, you may be able to do the repairs if you're handy.

1. The heating element or thermal fuse is broken.

The heating element is the part of the dryer that heats the air. If it breaks, it could prevent your dryer from heating up or drying your clothes. Also, if your thermal fuse is blown, this may cause the drum to spin — but there's no heat. You'll need to repair or replace that part.

Unfortunately, because the thermal fuse and heating element are located inside the dryer, these repair projects typically require you to disassemble the machine to reach it. For that reason, we recommend leaving these jobs to a dryer repair professional.

If you want to try replacing the heating element yourself, you'll need to remove the back panel of the machine, disconnect the element and put in the new one. You may also need to remove the thermostat from the old heating element and put it on the new one.

2. The dryer vent is clogged.

Your dryer vent attaches to the back of your dryer and vents the hot air outside your home. If this vent gets clogged or crushed, steam builds up in your machine, causing longer drying times.

It's relatively simple to check and see if this is the issue. While you're drying a load, head outside and hold your hand near the exhaust vent. Do you feel warm air and a steady airflow? If not, then your vents could use a cleaning.

Disconnect the dryer, then use your vacuum or shop vac to suck out any trapped dirt and debris.

Related: How often should you clean your dryer vent?

3. The electrical or gas supply is faulty.

Because dryers are so powerful, they require a 240-volt circuit. Most homes have 120-volt outlets, meaning you'll need a special plug that connects to two separate lines.

If one of these lines isn't working correctly, you may find the dryer runs but doesn't heat up. The problem could be as simple as a tripped circuit breaker. Check your breaker box to see if one of the lines has tripped. You can always unplug the dryer and reset both breakers to see if that helps.

If it's still not working, electrical issues aren't something you should DIY. Contact an electrician for further help.

While gas dryers do use electricity to run, gas powers the heating. Therefore, if you have a gas machine that runs but doesn't heat up, the problem may be with your gas supply. Check to make sure the gas valve is in the open position, parallel to the pipe. 

Again, tinkering with gas lines can be dangerous. Always call in a professional for help if you suspect this is the issue.

4. The lint screen is dirty.

The lint screen captures excess debris from your dryer. You're supposed to empty it after every load. But if you've forgotten for a while, this could be the culprit to all your woes. A clogged lint screen reduces airflow, making the heating system work harder and possibly even causing it to stop working entirely.

To clean your lint screen, pull it out of your machine and remove the trapped lint with your fingers. For more thorough cleaning, wet the lint screen and use a nylon brush and liquid detergent to scrub out residue buildup.

Related: How to clean the dryer lint trap.

Why is my dryer not drying but getting hot?

If your clothes aren't getting dry but your dryer is still heating up, the good news is that your heating element is probably in good shape. The bad news? It might take a little more troubleshooting to figure out what's wrong.

1. You have too many clothes in the dryer.

Sometimes, the problem is simply user error. If you've stuffed too much in the dryer, it won't be able to handle it all at once. Separate your laundry into smaller loads to see if it fixes the problem.

2. Your clothes might be too wet.

Usually, your washing machine has a spin cycle to wring out as much extra water as possible. Then, your dryer finishes the job on the damp clothes.

Dryers aren't meant to handle soaking wet fabrics. So if your washer isn't wringing out enough water, it may actually be your washer that's the problem.

3. Your dryer's thermostat is defective.

Your dryer's thermostat controls the temperature during a cycle. When working properly, it monitors the dryer to ensure temperatures stay between 120 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit. But defective thermostats don't always do this, meaning your machine can overheat and not dry your clothes properly.

To diagnose this issue, you'll need a multimeter, which isn't something most DIY-ers have on hand. But if you're able to determine the thermostat is the issue, it's a simple fix to switch out the old one with a new one.

Instructions vary depending on your machine's model, but in most cases, the thermostat is just attached with two or more screws inside the back panel.

Find a dryer repair professional on Thumbtack.

As you can see, there are a lot of things that can go wrong with your dryer. You could spend your entire weekend troubleshooting everything, or you could just find a local dryer repair professional that can likely handle everything in a few hours. 

Download the Thumbtack app now, and start getting free estimates.