Laundry
Gas and Electric Dryer Repair Around Tampa Bay
If a load needs two runs to dry, look at the vent before blaming the dryer. Airflow gets tested alongside the heat source and the drive, and you approve a price before any work.
Booking online? The dryer's model tag in the notes helps us line up the right part.
Tell us the appliance and your area, then how to reach you, and we'll follow up to arrange the visit.
Heat, airflow and a drum: how a dryer works
A dryer combines a heat source, a blower and a rotating drum. The blower draws room air past a gas burner or an electric element, through the tumbling clothes and the lint screen, and out the vent. Cycling thermostats read the exhaust temperature and switch the heat on and off; if temperatures run away, a high-limit thermostat or thermal fuse shuts down the heat source, and on some models the entire machine. Many dryers also have moisture sensor bars in the drum that end the cycle once the clothes are dry.
Nearly every heat problem ties back to airflow. A restricted vent traps hot, wet air in the drum, the thermostat keeps cutting the heat, the clothes stay wet, and sooner or later the thermal fuse gives out. Put in a new fuse without clearing the duct and it's only a matter of time before that one opens as well. Long runs through a hot attic make this worse, and a duct that has come apart up there can dump lint and moisture into the insulation.
On the gas side, an igniter heats until it glows, a flame sensor confirms ignition, and two coils open the gas valve. Electric models heat with an element fed by a 240-volt circuit. Either way the drum is turned by a belt and supported by rollers or glides, with an idler pulley keeping tension. Those parts wear out, and they're behind nearly every squeal and thump.
- Electric dryers
- Gas dryers
- Stacked laundry pairs
- Compact dryers
- Ventless and heat pump
- Commercial-style dryers
Dryer symptoms and usual causes
Symptoms on the left, likely parts on the right. Prove the vent is clear before suspecting the heater.
- Tumbles but no heat
- Thermal fuse open, element burned out or igniter failed, bad gas valve coils, a cycling or high-limit thermostat; on electric models, one half of the 240V breaker tripped
- Heats but needs two or three cycles
- Long or crushed vent run, lint packed at an attic elbow or roof cap, screened or stuck exhaust hood, clogged lint screen housing, faulty moisture sensor
- Drum won't turn, motor hums
- Broken belt, seized idler pulley or drum roller, drive motor
- Squeal, thump or grind
- Worn idler pulley, rollers or glides, drum bearing, debris in the blower wheel
- Shuts off a few minutes into the cycle
- Overheating from a restricted vent, motor overheating, door switch
- Gas dryer: igniter glows, no flame
- Gas valve coils, supply valve partly closed, low gas pressure
- Burning or scorched smell
- Lint around the heater or burner, lint packed in the duct, belt slipping. Stop using it.
What you can safely check
- Clean the lint screen, start the dryer and find where the vent ends. You should feel a strong stream of warm air. If yours exits through the roof, look from the ground or ask a vent cleaner; don't climb onto the roof to check it.
- Look at the exhaust hood. A screen over a dryer vent outlet traps lint and shouldn't be there, and the flap should swing open freely. Birds and wasps sometimes nest in hoods too.
- Check the duct behind the dryer. It shouldn't be crushed or kinked, and it shouldn't be thin plastic or vinyl. Shorter runs with fewer elbows dry faster, and the dryer's manual lists the longest run allowed for your model.
- If an electric dryer tumbles without heat, check the breaker. A 240V dryer uses a double breaker, and with one side tripped, the motor still runs while the heater sits cold.
- With gas, look at the quarter-turn valve behind the dryer: the handle should point along the pipe, which means open.
Safety first: Smell gas? Leave the controls and light switches alone, get out, and phone 911 or the gas company once you're outdoors. Before moving any dryer, unplug it, and with a gas model, slide it out only as far as the flexible connector reaches without tugging. Dryer fires start in packed lint, so treat a scorching smell as a reason to shut it down until someone has looked.
When to call about your dryer
- Air blows hard at the vent exit, yet the dryer stays cool or loads still come out damp.
- The drum stays still, or there's squealing, thumping or grinding as it turns.
- It stops partway through cycles, or the cabinet gets much hotter than normal.
- The igniter on a gas dryer glows but the burner never lights.
- There's a smell of gas or burning. Shut it off and leave it off.
What happens on a dryer repair visit
We measure airflow and look at the vent run before anything else, since a new heater on a choked duct won't last. Then the heat circuit is tested part by part, from the thermal fuse and thermostats to the element, or on gas models the igniter and valve coils, and the technician inspects the drive parts with the cabinet open. Most dryer repairs are done right where the dryer stands, in the garage or the laundry closet.
If the vent itself needs work, such as a long attic run packed with lint, a joint that's come apart or a clogged roof cap, we'll show you what we found and explain what it needs. Nothing is repaired until you've seen and approved the price.
Is the dryer worth fixing?
Few appliances are as straightforward as a dryer, and most of what fails in one, such as a fuse, thermostat, igniter, element, belt, roller or idler pulley, is cheap to replace. So even an older dryer is usually worth fixing. The exceptions tend to be a dead motor or electronic control on a low-end model.
Buying a new dryer does nothing for a restricted duct. If slow drying is why the old one is going, have the duct cleaned or rerouted first, or the new dryer will behave the same way. For a stacked pair in a condo or an upstairs closet, confirm a replacement fits the space and the building's venting before you buy.
Why Book Us for Dryer Repair
The vent gets checked, not just the dryer
Long attic and roof runs cause many slow-dry and no-heat calls. We confirm airflow so a new part doesn't fail for the same reason.
Gas and electric treated differently
On gas models we test the igniter, valve coils and flame, and leak-check any fitting we loosen; on electric models we test the element, thermal fuse and power cord.
Fire hazards pointed out
Lint packed in the cabinet or a clogged exhaust cap is a fire risk. If we spot it, we tell you, even if it's not why you called.
See the cities and communities we serve around Tampa Bay, or book a dryer repair visit.
Dryer Service for Houses, Condos and Rentals
In slab-built Tampa homes, an interior laundry room often vents up through the attic and out the roof or a soffit. Those long runs collect lint, and a roof cap is hard to inspect from the ground. Garage dryers usually have a short, easy vent but run in summer heat. Many homes here are all-electric, though gas dryers turn up too, and condo stacked units often connect to long building ducts.
How a Dryer Repair Visit Works
Describe the Problem
Tell us whether it spins without heat, takes two cycles, or stops early, and whether it's gas or electric.
Diagnosis at Home
We measure airflow through the vent, test the heat circuit and safety fuses, and check belt and rollers.
Quote Before Work
You hear the diagnosis and the price, and decide. If the repair isn't worth it, we'll tell you.
Repair and Test
With the part fitted, we run the appliance through a cycle while you're there to confirm the fix.
You Might Also Need
Nearby areas, related brands and other equipment we service.
Dryer faults we repair
Every dryer problem we diagnose, from no heat and vent restrictions to drive and control failures.
- Not Heating
- Drum Not Tumbling
- Takes Too Long to Dry
- Making Loud Noise
- Won't Start
- Dryer Overheating
- Not Drying Clothes
- Shutting Off Early
- Not Getting Hot Enough
- Taking Too Long to Dry
- Thermal Fuse Blown
- Heating Element Burned Out
- Gas Igniter Not Working
- Gas Valve Solenoid Failure
- Flame Sensor / Radiant Sensor Failure
- Blower Wheel Clogged with Lint
- Exhaust Duct Clogged
- Restricted Exhaust Airflow
- Dryer Venting Improperly
- Drive Belt Broken
- Drum Rollers Worn Out
- Drum Glide / Bearing Worn
- Idler Pulley Seized
- Drive Motor Failure
- Making Loud Noise During Operation
- Squealing Noise During Tumble
- Thumping or Banging Noise
- Rattling Noise
- Control Board Failure
- Cycling Thermostat Failure
- High-Limit Thermostat Failure
- Moisture Sensor Failure
- Dryer Door Not Closing Properly
- Door Switch Failure
- Lint Trap / Screen Damaged
- Start Button Not Working
- Dryer Won't Turn On
- Tripping Circuit Breaker
- Burning Smell
- Clothes Shrinking
- Clothes Still Wet After Full Cycle
- Clothes Damp but Warm After Cycle
- Auto-Dry Sensor Not Working
- Timer Not Advancing
- Electric Dryer No Heat — Partial Power
- Gas Smell from Gas Dryer
- Display Panel Not Working
- Buttons Not Responding
- Won't Spin at All
- Stops Mid-Cycle
- Heat Setting Not Changing
- Excessive Energy Use
- Excessive Static on Clothes
- Clothes Heavily Wrinkled
- Steam Function Not Working
- Moisture Sensor Needs Cleaning
- Exhaust Hose Kinked
- Exterior Too Hot to Touch
- Wrinkle-Prevent Tumble Not Working
- Requires Two or More Cycles to Dry
- Error Code on Display
- Low Gas Pressure to Dryer
- Drum Interior Light Not Working
- Door Handle Broken
- Auto-Dry Cycle Runs All Night
- Gas Burner Orifice Clogged
- Lint Fire Hazard in Ductwork
- Timer Advancing Too Slowly
- Three-Prong Outlet / Four-Prong Cord Mismatch
- Knocking at Startup
- Intermittent Squeaking
- Bird or Pest Nest in Dryer Duct
- Cycling Thermostat Stuck Closed
- Gas Valve Solenoid Kit Needed
- Thermal Cutout Needs Resetting
Dryer brands we repair
A note on each of the dryer brands we see most, then every other make we handle. See every brand we work on.
- Whirlpool dryer repair
- Samsung dryer repair
- LG dryer repair
- Maytag dryer repair
- GE Appliances dryer repair
- Speed Queen dryer repair
- Electrolux dryer repair
- Bosch dryer repair
Dryer guides from our blog
Dryer Repair FAQ
The questions we hear most often about this kind of repair. If yours isn't here, add it to your booking notes.
Didn't see your question?
Send us the make, the model tag and what the appliance is doing. Some problems can be narrowed down before anyone drives over; most need hands on the machine.
In most cases the air isn't getting out, and the heater is fine. Lint built up below the screen, a duct flattened behind the cabinet, a long attic run or a roof cap packed with lint all keep damp air trapped in the drum. Clean the screen, feel the exhaust where it leaves the house while the dryer is running, and if the flow is weak, get the vent cleaned before paying for parts.
Look at the panel first. The heater needs both sides of the double breaker, while the motor can run on one. If the breaker is fine, the likely suspects are an open thermal fuse, a broken element or a bad thermostat. Fuses open because something overheated, usually from restricted exhaust, so the vent has to be dealt with at the same time.
Not by itself, but it's harder to look after. Lint has to be pushed up and out, rooftop caps can clog where nobody sees them, and attic joints can separate unnoticed. A dryer that's slowly getting worse, or a laundry room that turns hot and sticky during a cycle, is worth a vent inspection. Have a vent cleaner handle the roof end rather than climbing up yourself.
Yes. Plenty of Tampa homes have no gas service, but gas dryers are still around. When one won't heat, the cause is usually a weak igniter, a failed flame sensor or worn valve coils, and we test and replace all three. A gas smell comes before any repair: get out of the house first, then call 911 or the gas company.
Dryer manufacturers generally call for metal duct, rigid or semi-rigid, with as few elbows and as short a run as possible; your manual gives the limits. Plastic or vinyl duct has no place on a dryer. Long foil runs, especially snaked across an attic, sag and crush, collect lint, slow drying and raise the fire risk.