Whirlpool dryer not heating: common causes and how to fix them

A Whirlpool dryer that tumbles but stays cold is one of the most common laundry appliance faults. The good news is that the cause is usually a single inexpensive part. The same diagnosis applies to Maytag, Kenmore and Amana dryers built on the same platforms.

Electric dryers: six causes

1. Tripped breaker or blown house fuse

An electric dryer uses a double breaker. If only one half trips, the drum motor can still run on 120 volts while the heater, which needs the full 240 volts, gets nothing. Reset the breaker fully off and on before anything else.

2. Blown thermal fuse

The thermal fuse is a safety device on the exhaust duct or blower housing. When the dryer overheats — nearly always because of a restricted vent — the fuse blows. On many Whirlpool models a blown thermal fuse stops the heat but lets the drum turn; on others the dryer will not start at all.

3. Failed heating element

The element is a coil of resistance wire inside a metal housing. If it breaks, there is no heat at all. A continuity test with a multimeter confirms it.

4. High-limit thermostat

This thermostat cuts the heater if the temperature at the element gets too high. If it fails open, the element will not heat.

5. Cycling thermostat

The cycling thermostat switches the heat on and off to hold the right temperature. A faulty one can cause no heat or intermittent heat.

6. Timer or control board

Less common, but if all the heating components test good, the control that powers them may be at fault.

Gas dryers: three causes

• Igniter: watch through the inspection port when the dryer starts. If the igniter does not glow, it has probably failed.
• Flame sensor: if the igniter glows, goes out and no flame appears, the flame sensor may not be signaling the gas valve to open.
• Gas valve coils: if the igniter glows and goes out but there is still no flame, the coils that open the valve are a frequent culprit.

Do not skip the vent

Most no-heat failures start with a blocked vent. Lint builds up in the duct, the dryer overheats, and a thermal fuse or element fails. Replacing the part without cleaning the vent means the new part fails too. Disconnect the duct, clean it end to end, and check that the outside flap opens freely when the dryer runs.

Repair or replace?

Thermal fuses, thermostats, igniters and heating elements are among the cheapest parts on a dryer, so a repair is almost always worth it on a machine under about ten years old. If you would rather not take panels off yourself, a technician who regularly handles a dryer not heating call can test each component and replace the failed one in a single visit.