Your dryer tumbles, the cycle counts down, and 60 minutes later your clothes are still cold and damp. It's one of the most common — and most fixable — dryer problems we see.
Across 1,843 real dryer repairs in the SF Bay Area & Peninsula, 464 of them were exactly this: a dryer that runs but won't heat, or one that runs full cycles and still leaves everything wet. It's our second most common dryer symptom, and in the large majority of cases it comes down to one of a handful of failed parts.
How our customers describe it:
"Samsung, stackable — not heating up. Ran it for a couple hours and it never got dry, the air is cold."
"Not drying properly — clothes coming out damp. Items come out of the dryer damp even after a full cycle."
"Dryer is now spinning but not producing heat."
If that sounds like your machine, keep reading. Below is what actually causes it, what we usually replace, what you can safely check yourself, and what it typically costs.
What's actually causing it
A dryer needs three things to dry: heat, airflow, and tumbling. When the drum spins but clothes stay wet, you've either lost the heat or lost the airflow. Here's what we find on Bay Area service calls, roughly in order:
On electric dryers
- Blown heating element — the coil that produces heat burns out or breaks. The dryer runs normally but blows room-temperature air. This is the single most common cause we replace. Two of the parts we replace most often across our dryer jobs are WE11X27519 and 5318EL3001A — both parts we stock and install regularly.
- Blown thermal fuse — a safety fuse that trips when the dryer overheats (usually because the vent is clogged). Once it blows, you get no heat at all, and sometimes no start. It's cheap, but if you replace it without clearing the real cause, it just blows again.
- Failed high-limit thermostat or cycling thermostat — these regulate temperature. When they fail open, the element never energizes.
On gas dryers
- Weak or dead igniter — it glows but no longer lights the gas, so the drum spins with cold air. Very common on gas Maytag, LG, and Whirlpool units.
- Failed gas valve coils — the igniter glows but the valve never opens to release gas.
- Bad flame sensor — cuts the burner even though everything else works.
One customer described a gas Maytag this way: "Gas Maytag dryer not heating. Spins without heat." On gas machines the fix is different from electric, but the symptom you feel is identical.
When there IS heat but clothes are still damp
If the dryer gets hot but takes two or three cycles to dry a load, the culprit is almost always restricted airflow — a lint-clogged vent line, a crushed transition hose, or a blocked exterior vent flap. Moist air can't escape, so it re-condenses on your clothes. This one is common in Bay Area apartments and stacked closet units where the vent run is long or kinked. It's also a genuine fire hazard, which is why it's worth taking seriously.
The usual fix
For a no-heat electric dryer, the repair is typically replacing the failed heating element and testing the thermal fuse and thermostats on the same visit (they often fail together, and a good tech checks the whole heat circuit rather than swapping one part and leaving). For a gas dryer, it's usually the igniter or valve coils. For a "heats but won't dry" complaint, it's clearing and re-running the vent, then verifying temperature and airflow.
Our technicians carry the common heating elements, fuses, thermostats, igniters, and coils for LG, Whirlpool, GE, Samsung, Kenmore, and Maytag — the brands behind most of our dryer repairs — so a large share get fixed in a single visit.
DIY vs. calling a pro — the honest version
You can safely do yourself:
- Clean the lint screen every load (people forget — it's the #1 airflow killer).
- Pull the dryer out and vacuum the vent connection; check that the exterior flap opens.
- Confirm you're actually on a heated cycle and not "Air Dry" / "Fluff" (yes, it happens).
- On electric dryers, check whether one of the two 120V legs of the breaker tripped — a dryer can still tumble on one leg but won't heat.
Leave to a technician:
- Anything involving the heating element, fuses, or thermostats — these require a multimeter, disassembly of the dryer cabinet, and knowing which safety device to test in what order.
- Every gas dryer heat repair. Igniters and gas valves involve a live gas line. This is not a DIY job.
- Diagnosing "it heats but won't dry" — the vent, the airflow, and the moisture sensor all have to be checked together.
Swapping a thermal fuse without finding out why it blew is the most common DIY mistake we get called back to fix. The fuse is the symptom, not the disease.
What it costs
We don't quote a repair sight-unseen — the honest answer depends on which part failed and whether it's gas or electric. What we can tell you from our own books: the median dryer repair we complete runs about $315, parts and labor included. The diagnostic fee is credited toward the repair the moment you approve the work, so you're not paying twice. Heating elements and fuses tend to sit at or below that median; gas valve assemblies can run a bit higher.
You'll get a firm price before any work starts — no surprises.
Book your Bay Area & Peninsula dryer repair
We fix not-heating dryers across San Francisco, the Peninsula, and the greater Bay Area — often same-day. Call (888) 993-5699 or book online and we'll get a technician out with the common heat parts already on the truck.
Book same-day dryer service → or call (888) 993-5699.
Related pages
- Dryer Repair — main hub
- Dryer making a loud noise
- Dryer won't turn on
- Dryer error codes explained
- LG dryer repair
- Whirlpool dryer repair
- Appliance repair in San Francisco
Frequently asked questions
Why does my dryer run but not heat?
On an electric dryer it's almost always a burned-out heating element or a blown thermal fuse; on a gas dryer it's usually a weak igniter or failed gas valve coils. The drum motor and the heat source are separate systems, so the dryer can tumble perfectly while producing no heat at all.
Why are my clothes still damp after a full cycle even though the dryer gets warm?
That points to restricted airflow rather than lost heat — most often a lint-clogged vent, a crushed transition hose, or a blocked exterior vent flap. Moist air can't escape, so it re-condenses on your laundry. A failing moisture sensor can cause it too. It's worth fixing promptly because a clogged vent is also a fire risk.
Is it the heating element or the thermal fuse?
Both cause "no heat," and they often fail as a pair, which is why a technician tests the whole heat circuit instead of swapping one part. A blown thermal fuse is frequently a symptom of a clogged vent overheating the dryer — replace only the fuse and it usually blows again within weeks.
Can I fix a dryer that's not heating myself?
You can safely clean the lint screen and vent, check the breaker (a dryer can tumble on one 120V leg but won't heat), and confirm you're on a heated cycle. Anything involving the heating element, fuses, or thermostats needs a multimeter and cabinet disassembly. All gas-dryer heat repairs should go to a pro — they involve a live gas line.
My gas dryer spins without heat — is that different from an electric one?
Yes. The symptom feels the same, but a gas dryer makes heat with an igniter, gas valve, and coils instead of an electric element. The most common gas fix is a worn igniter that glows but no longer lights the burner. Because it's a live gas line, it's not a DIY repair.
How much does it cost to fix a dryer that won't heat?
Our median dryer repair runs about $315 including parts and labor, and heating-element and fuse jobs often land at or below that. Gas valve assemblies can run higher. You get a firm price before work begins, and the diagnostic fee is credited toward the repair once you approve it.