Dryer repair in Ottawa and Gatineau
RepairWell repairs dryers in homes and businesses across Ottawa and Gatineau. A technician comes to you, diagnoses the fault ($89 + tax for an electric home appliance, $129 + tax for a gas appliance, a business or a Thermador, Miele, Viking, Wolf or Fisher & Paykel model; waived when you proceed with the repair) and gives you the finding in writing before any work.
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.
Pick a preferred day and arrival window online; we confirm by email once a technician is assigned.
- $89 + tax diagnostic ($129 + tax gas, commercial or high-end brands), waived with repair
- Written finding
- 90-day warranty on parts replaced
- Insured
- English & French
Dryer problems we fix
Pick the symptom for safe checks you can do first, or book and tell us what it's doing.
- 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
- Dryer vent clogged
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; gas-side work is done by licensed gas 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.
Parts we commonly test and replace
- 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
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 licensed gas technicians
Possible causes behind the symptoms
These are possibilities, not a diagnosis. The technician confirms the cause on site and writes it down before any repair.
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
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.
Dryer repairs we've done
Real photos from RepairWell jobs. No stock images.
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. Changes to the duct run through walls, the attic or the roof are work for a ducting or HVAC contractor.
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: refrigerant faults on those are work for a certified refrigeration technician we work with 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 →
What moves the price
The diagnostic visit is $89 + tax, waived when you proceed with the repair, and the quote is given on the spot. Electric models $89 + tax; gas models, and Thermador, Miele, Viking, Wolf and Fisher & Paykel models, $129 + tax. Businesses: $129 + tax for any commercial appliance.
- 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 by licensed gas technicians
- Whether the vent needs correcting first
- Model-specific control boards ordered by part number
- Second appliance diagnosed on the same visit: $45
How the fee works → · Preparing for the visit → · Dryer repair cost in Ottawa →
Serving
Ottawa (central), Downtown Ottawa, Centretown, The Glebe, Nepean, Kanata, Stittsville, Barrhaven, Orléans, Gloucester, Manotick and Riverside South, Gatineau (secteur Gatineau), Hull, Aylmer, Buckingham and Masson-Angers, Chelsea and Cantley, Rural Ottawa (Carp, Richmond, Greely, Navan, Cumberland), Kemptville, Carleton Place.
York Region: Aurora, Newmarket, King City, Richmond Hill and everywhere within 40 km of Aurora (York pricing on those pages).
Dryer brands we service
Brand-specific repair and error-code guides
Independent service; manufacturer names and logos identify the brands we service and imply no affiliation.
Dryer repair questions
Straight answers before you book. Anything else, call or text (613) 880-3013.
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?
Ask when you book and we'll tell you whether it's something we can do. If the vent is restricting airflow, the written finding says so. Changes to the duct run through walls, the attic or the roof are work for a ducting or HVAC contractor.
Can you convert my dryer from gas to electric or the reverse?
Converting means changing the gas supply or adding a 240 V circuit, which is work for a licensed gas technician or a licensed electrician. Call with the model and we'll tell you whether it's something we can help with. 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.
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
Sources checked 2026-09-24.
From the repair blog
Repair stories and guides, with real photos from our work.
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.
Pick a preferred day and arrival window online; we confirm by email once a technician is assigned.
- $89 + tax diagnostic$129 + tax for gas or commercial appliances and for Thermador, Miele, Viking, Wolf or Fisher & Paykel; waived when you proceed with the repair
- Written finding on every visitCause, price and our repair-or-replace verdict
- 90-day warrantyOn parts replaced; labour depends on the work done