Why Your Gas Dryer Won’t Heat (And How to Fix It Safely)

Gas dryers are workhorses in most Wesley Chapel homes, but few things are more frustrating than pulling out a load of clothes that are still damp and cold after a full cycle. If your gas dryer runs but refuses to produce heat, don’t panic—and definitely don’t rush out to buy a new one. In almost every case, the problem is fixable, often with basic tools and a little know-how.

At SkyBreezeTech, we’ve repaired hundreds of gas dryers across Wesley Chapel, Land O’ Lakes, Lutz, Odessa, and the surrounding areas. Below is the exact troubleshooting process our technicians use every day, explained in plain English so you can decide whether it’s a quick DIY fix or time to call a professional.

First: The Most Common Culprit (90% of Cases)

Before you touch a single screwdriver, check the basics.

1. Is the gas valve fully open? Behind your dryer are two gas shut-off valves (one on the wall, one on the flexible line). Both handles need to be perfectly parallel with the pipe. Even a quarter-turn closed will starve the dryer of gas.
2. Did you recently move the dryer? The flexible gas line can get kinked or the valve can get bumped partially closed when you slide the dryer back into place.
3. Power supply Gas dryers need 240V to create the spark and open the gas valves, but they only need 120V to tumble. If one leg of the 240V circuit has tripped, the drum will spin but you’ll get zero heat.

Quick test: Plug a hair dryer or space heater into the dryer outlet. If it runs at half power or not at all, call an electrician before doing anything else.

If gas and power are good, move on to the real troubleshooting.

Safety Reminder Before You Start

Gas dryers involve natural gas or propane, electricity, and moving parts. One small leak or spark in the wrong place can be dangerous.

• Always shut off the gas valve at the wall before working on anything inside the dryer.
• Unplug the dryer or turn off the breaker.
• Work in a well-ventilated area.
• If you ever smell gas, stop immediately, leave the house, and call Pasco County Fire Rescue or your gas provider from outside.

When in doubt, call SkyBreezeTech. We’re licensed, insured, and carry combustible-gas detectors on every truck.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide

1. Igniter – The #1 Failure Point

The igniter is a small ceramic piece with a coil that glows red-hot to light the gas. They’re designed to last 5–10 years, but in humid Florida they often fail sooner.

Symptoms

• You hear the drum turn and the blower run, but absolute silence otherwise—no clicking, no whooshing flame.
• If you peek through the small window at the bottom front (remove the lower panel), you’ll usually see the igniter glow orange for 30–60 seconds, then shut off. If it never glows, or glows but looks dim/cracked, it’s bad.

Fix Part cost: $25–$60. Difficulty: Easy–Moderate. Most igniters are held by two screws and one wire harness. 15-minute job with a ¼” nut driver and YouTube. Brands we see most in Wesley Chapel: Whirlpool, Maytag, Kenmore, Samsung, LG.

2. Flame Sensor (Thermal Fuse on the Combustion Chamber)

This little metal tab sits right next to the burner. If it gets covered in lint or simply wears out, it tells the control board “I don’t see flame” and shuts the gas valve—even if everything else is fine.

Symptoms

• Igniter glows bright, you hear the gas valve click open for 5–10 seconds, then everything shuts off. Cycle repeats a few times and then gives up.

Fix Part cost: $15–$35. Difficulty: Easy. Two screws and a wire harness. Clean it gently with fine sandpaper or emery cloth if it looks crusty—sometimes that’s enough.

3. Gas Valve Coils (Solenoids)

These two or three black cylinders sit on top of the gas valve. When they get hot (after 10–15 minutes of running), they can fail and no longer open the valve.

Symptoms

• Dryer heats fine for the first 10–20 minutes, then goes cold. Works again after it cools for an hour. Classic coil failure.

Fix Part cost: $20–$50 for the set. Difficulty: Moderate. You have to pull the front or top off and remove the whole burner assembly, but it’s still a common DIY.

4. Thermal Fuse (The White One on the Blower Housing)

This is a non-resettable safety device. If the dryer ever gets dangerously hot—usually because the vent is clogged—it blows and kills power to the entire heating circuit.

Symptoms

• No heat, but everything else works.
• Continuity test with a multimeter shows open/infinite resistance.

Fix Replace the fuse ($10–$20) AND clean the entire vent system from the dryer to the outside wall. If you don’t fix the airflow problem, the new fuse will blow again in weeks.

This is the repair we do most often in older Wesley Chapel neighborhoods where the vent runs 25–35 feet through the attic. Florida heat + lint = clogged vents.

5. High-Limit Thermostat & Cycling Thermostat

These two round discs on the burner housing cut power if the temperature gets too high or fails to cycle properly. They rarely fail on their own—usually they’re victims of poor venting.

Fix Replace if open on continuity test, but again, clean the vent first.

6. Control Board or Wiring (The Expensive One)

If everything above tests good, the problem is usually the main control board or a burned wire. This is when most homeowners stop and call us. Board replacement can run $250–$450 parts + labor, but it still beats a $1,200 new dryer.

Related: The Best Way To Clean Your Washing Machine’s Hidden Mold

How to Test Parts Without Guessing

A cheap digital multimeter ($15 at Harbor Freight) will save you hundreds of dollars in wrong parts.

• Igniter: Should read 50–400 ohms (varies by brand). Infinite = bad.
• Flame sensor: Should have continuity at room temperature.
• Thermal fuse: Continuity = good, no continuity = blown.
• Coils: Each coil should read around 1,000–1,500 ohms. One bad coil in the set kills heat.

The Venting Issue Nobody Talks About (But Should)

In the Tampa Bay area, we see more no-heat calls caused by clogged or crushed venting than anything else. Flexible foil ducts collapse behind the dryer, bird guards get clogged with lint, and long attic runs turn into lint tunnels.

Florida Building Code now requires rigid metal duct whenever possible, and for good reason. A restricted vent makes your dryer work twice as hard, shortens its life, and is a legitimate fire hazard.

Pro tip: If your dryer takes longer than 45 minutes to dry a normal load, your vent is probably clogged—even if it still heats.

SkyBreezeTech offers a $99 dryer vent cleaning special that includes flow testing with an anemometer. Most customers are shocked at how much lint we pull out.

When to Call a Professional

Call SkyBreezeTech right away if:

• You smell gas at any point.
• You’re not 100% comfortable working with gas lines.
• You’ve replaced the igniter and coils and still have no heat.
• Your dryer is under warranty (we’re authorized for most major brands).
• You simply want it done right the first time.

We serve Wesley Chapel, Land O’ Lakes, Lutz, Odessa, Shady Hills, Hudson, Dade City, San Antonio, Zephyrhills, and everything in between. Same-day and next-day appointments are the norm.

Quick Recap Checklist

1. Gas valves fully open?
2. 240V power confirmed?
3. Vent clear and flowing freely?
4. Igniter glowing bright?
5. Flame sensor clean and closing?
6. Coils not failing when hot?
7. Thermal fuse good?

Fix in that order and you’ll solve 95% of no-heat problems.

Related: Oven Not Heating Evenly? 6 Fixes To Get Perfect Bakes Every Time

Final Thought

A gas dryer that won’t heat is annoying, but it’s rarely a death sentence for the appliance. With basic safety precautions and a logical approach, most homeowners can handle the common failures themselves. When the job gets complicated—or you just don’t have the time—SkyBreezeTech is only a phone call away.

We’re a local, family-owned company based right here in Wesley Chapel. No dispatch fees in our primary service area, flat-rate pricing, and a 1-year guarantee on all repairs.

Have a gas dryer that’s gone cold? Give us a call at (813) 123-4567 or book online at skybreezetech.com. We’ll have you back to warm, fluffy towels in no time.

Stay safe, and happy drying!