Dryer repair
A dryer that takes two cycles to dry a load is usually telling you about airflow, not about a broken part. A dryer that makes no heat at all is telling you about a heating element, an igniter, a thermal fuse or the power supply. RepairWell sorts out which, and just as importantly checks the vent run, because a new element in a dryer with a crushed duct will fail the same way again.
We repair electric and gas dryers, stacked units and compact ventless condensers in Ottawa and Gatineau homes. Gas dryers have a page of their own (gas dryer repair) because everything on the gas side is certified-technician-only.
Online booking is a request; we confirm a window by text or phone within 1 business hour.
Types and configurations we service
- Electric dryers (240 V) — The most common type in the region; elements, thermal fuses, thermostats and one of the two legs of power are the usual findings.
- Gas dryers — Igniter, flame sensor and gas valve coils on the burner; all gas-side work is done by certified technicians. See gas dryer repair.
- Stacked laundry centres — Dryer on top of the washer in one cabinet; belt and drum work means more disassembly.
- Ventless condenser and heat-pump dryers — Common in condos with no exterior vent; lint in the condenser and pump problems replace duct problems.
- Compact 24-inch dryers — Often on 120 V; slower by design, so 'taking too long' has to be judged against the model's normal.
Symptoms we're called for
- Drum turns, no heat
- Clothes still damp after a full cycle
- Motor hums but the drum doesn't turn
- Squeal, thump or scraping while running
- Dryer stops a few minutes into the cycle
- Dryer won't start at all
- Clothes very hot, cabinet hot to the touch
Possible causes
These are possibilities, not a diagnosis; the technician confirms the cause on site.
- A vent run that is crushed, kinked, too long, has too many elbows, or is packed with lint; LG names airflow blockage as the most common cause of long dry times
- An outside vent flap stuck shut with lint, or frozen shut in an Ottawa winter
- A blown thermal fuse, which often blows because of the airflow problem above
- A failed heating element or a cycling thermostat that no longer closes
- One of the two 120 V legs missing at a 240 V outlet, so the motor runs but the element doesn't (a half-tripped double breaker)
- A broken drive belt, worn idler pulley or seized drum rollers
- A worn door switch or start relay, so the dryer won't run or stops when the door is touched
- A coated moisture sensor, which LG suggests cleaning monthly, causing sensor-dry cycles to end early
Repairs a technician may recommend
- Replace the heating element and the thermal fuse together, and correct the vent that caused the fuse to blow
- Replace the cycling thermostat, high-limit thermostat or thermistor
- Replace the drive belt, idler pulley, drum rollers or rear bearing
- Replace the door switch, start switch or motor relay
- Replace the drive motor or blower wheel
- Clean the internal lint path and blower housing and replace a damaged transition duct
- Replace the moisture sensor bars or the control board
- On gas dryers: igniter, flame sensor and gas valve coil replacement by a certified technician
Typical components involved: heating element (electric) or burner assembly (gas), thermal fuse, cycling and high-limit thermostats, drive motor, belt and idler pulley, drum rollers, glides and rear bearing, blower wheel and internal lint duct, door switch and start relay, moisture sensor bars, control board and timer.
Safe checks before you book
- Clean the lint screen before every load and wash it with soap if fabric softener has glazed it
- Pull the dryer forward and look at the transition duct: crushed foil hose, tight bends and lint in the joints are all common; LG recommends rigid or semi-rigid duct in a straight run or a gentle S-curve
- Go outside and confirm the vent flap opens while the dryer runs and isn't packed with lint or iced up
- Check the double breaker at the panel; reset it fully off then on, because a half-tripped 240 V breaker can leave the motor running with no heat
- Wipe the moisture sensor bars inside the drum opening with a damp cloth
- Try a timed-dry cycle instead of sensor dry, and dry a smaller load, before deciding the dryer is at fault
Stop using it if
- A scorching or burning smell, or scorched marks on clothes: stop using the dryer
- The cabinet or the wall behind it is very hot, or the outside vent shows no airflow at all
- Smoke, sparking, or a breaker that trips again immediately
- On a gas dryer, any smell of gas: shut the dryer off, don't operate switches nearby, ventilate, and call the gas utility from outside
Never work on gas lines, wiring, refrigerant or microwave components yourself.
What to expect during diagnosis and repair
The technician starts with the two things that decide most dryer visits: whether the vent flows and whether full power arrives at the machine. Then the front or top panel comes off to check the belt, rollers, blower and heating circuit, and a meter confirms which part in the heat circuit has opened. On a gas dryer the burner is observed through its cycle. You get a written finding with the total before any part goes in. Elements, fuses, thermostats, belts and rollers are commonly on the truck. If the vent run is the real problem, the finding says so, and duct cleaning or rerouting is quoted separately or referred out ([VENT CLEANING SCOPE TO BE CONFIRMED]).
Repair or replace?
Dryers are mechanically simple and most of their parts are inexpensive, which is why they are usually worth repairing well past ten years. Elements, fuses, belts, rollers and switches all fall into that group. The repairs that make you think are a drive motor, a control board on a newer model, or several worn parts at once on a dryer that is also rusting through. Ventless heat-pump dryers are a separate case: compressor or refrigerant faults on those are certified-technician work and can approach replacement cost. In every case the finding puts the number in front of you before you decide.
Our repair-versus-replacement method →
Pricing factors
The diagnostic visit is $89, waived when you go ahead with the repair, and the quote is given on the spot. What moves the repair price:
- Single part (fuse, switch, belt) versus element plus fuse plus thermostat together
- Drum roller, bearing and motor jobs need more disassembly, especially on stacked units
- Gas burner components are replaced only by certified technicians
- Whether a vent correction or cleaning is needed, quoted separately
- Model-specific control boards ordered by part number
- Second appliance on the same visit: If a second appliance is diagnosed on the same visit, it is $45 instead of the full $89.
Brands we service for dryers
Brand list subject to confirmation: most major brands, including LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, Bosch, GE, Maytag, Frigidaire, KitchenAid, Electrolux, Kenmore, Amana, Inglis, Miele, Jenn-Air, Fisher & Paykel, Haier and Danby. Independent service; no manufacturer affiliation implied.
Dryer questions
My dryer runs but there's no heat. Is it the element?
On an electric dryer it may be the element, the thermal fuse, a thermostat, or a lost leg of 240 V power. All four look the same from the laundry room. The technician meters the circuit and the finding names the part.
The dryer works but clothes take forever. Do I need a repair?
Check the vent first. LG lists a blocked or crushed exhaust as the most common cause of long dry times. If the vent is clear and the dryer still takes two cycles, a weak element, a stuck thermostat or a dirty moisture sensor may be involved.
Why did the thermal fuse blow, and will it blow again?
A thermal fuse opens when the dryer overheats, most often because airflow is restricted. Replacing the fuse without fixing the vent tends to end with the same call a few months later, which is why we check the duct as part of the repair.
Do you clean dryer vents?
[VENT CLEANING SCOPE TO BE CONFIRMED] The technician will clean the lint path inside the dryer and the transition duct as part of a repair; long in-wall runs may be referred to a duct-cleaning service.
Can you convert my dryer from gas to electric or the reverse?
No. Gas-side work is done only by certified technicians and conversion is not a service we offer. See the gas dryer page for what we do handle.
Is a squealing dryer dangerous?
Usually it is a worn idler pulley, roller or bearing, not a safety issue, but it will get louder and can eventually stop the drum. A scraping sound with a burning smell is different: stop the dryer and book.
Related guides and pages
- Dryer not heating
- Dryer taking too long to dry
- Dryer drum not turning
- Dryer making unusual noises
- Dryer shutting off mid-cycle
- Washer and dryer installation
- Gas dryer
Service areas: Ottawa (central), Nepean, Kanata, Stittsville, Barrhaven, Orléans, Gloucester, Manotick and Riverside South, Gatineau (secteur Gatineau), Hull, Aylmer, Buckingham and Masson-Angers, Chelsea and Cantley.
Sources
- LG Support: Why is my dryer not heating, not drying or taking a long time drying?
- GE Appliances: Gas Dryer - Runs But Does Not Heat
Reviewed 2026-09-24.
Book a dryer diagnostic
Tell us the symptom and your postal code. You'll get a confirmed window, then a written finding before any repair.
Online booking is a request. We confirm the appointment by text or phone within 1 business hour.