Clothes dryers are a leading cause of home appliance fires in the United States, and failure to clean the lint path is the leading contributing factor. A restricted vent is also the root cause behind most of the faults on this page: blown thermal fuses, long dry times, overheating, and shortened element life all trace back to air that cannot leave the drum. If you read only one answer here, read why does my dryer take so long to dry.
troubleshoot Heating, Airflow & Diagnostics
Why is my dryer running but not heating up? →
A dryer that tumbles without heat has almost always blown a thermal fuse, failed a heating element on an electric model, or failed an igniter or gas valve coil on a gas model. The thermal fuse is the one to understand first, because it blows as a consequence of restricted airflow rather than on its own. Replacing the fuse without clearing the vent means it will blow again, often within weeks.
What are the most common clothes dryer problems? →
The most common dryer problems are no heat from a thermal fuse or heating element, long dry times from a restricted vent, loud rumbling or thumping from worn drum rollers or an idler pulley, a drum that will not turn from a snapped belt, and a dryer that will not start from a failed door switch or start switch. Vent restriction is the underlying cause of a large share of all of them.
Why does my dryer take so long to dry? →
Long dry times are nearly always a venting problem rather than a dryer problem. Lint accumulation in the duct, a crushed or kinked flexible hose, a long vent run with multiple elbows, or a blocked exterior flap all restrict airflow so moist air cannot leave the drum. Boston triple-deckers and brownstones often have vent runs of twenty feet or more, which makes this the most common complaint we attend.
payments Repair Economics & Costs
Are dryers worth fixing or should you replace? →
Dryers are usually worth fixing, and they are the most repair-favourable major appliance in the laundry room. Most dryer repairs run $180 to $400 against $650 to $1,400 for a replacement, and a dryer is mechanically simple: a motor, a belt, a blower, a heat source, and a thermostat. There is no sealed system and no transmission, so the failures that end washing machines do not exist here.
How much does it cost to repair a dryer? →
A dryer repair in Greater Boston costs $180 to $400 including parts and labor, with a median job near $240. Thermal fuses and door switches sit at $180 to $280, heating elements at $220 to $380, drum rollers and belts at $200 to $360, and gas valve coils at $240 to $420. Control boards are the top of normal range at $320 to $600, and heat pump dryer compressors are the outlier at $700 to $1,300.
What is the most expensive part to replace on a dryer? →
On a conventional vented dryer the electronic control board is the most expensive part at $320 to $600, with the drum and bearing assembly close behind at $350 to $650. On a heat pump dryer the sealed refrigeration system is far higher at $700 to $1,300, which on most units approaches replacement cost. Conventional dryers have no single component expensive enough to justify replacing a sound machine.
verified Lifespan & DIY Safety
How long do clothes dryers last on average? →
A clothes dryer lasts twelve to fifteen years, longer than a washing machine, because there is no water circuit, no sealed system, and no bearing carrying a wet load. Gas dryers typically reach the upper end. Heat pump dryers are shorter at eight to twelve years because the refrigeration circuit becomes the limiting component. Vent maintenance matters more to dryer lifespan than brand does.
Can you safely repair a dryer yourself? →
Several dryer repairs are genuinely DIY-friendly once the dryer is unplugged: cleaning the vent and lint path, replacing a door switch, fitting a new belt, and changing drum rollers. Two categories are not. Any work on a gas dryer valve, igniter, or supply connection requires a licensed gas fitter in Massachusetts, and heating element work on a 240V circuit involves terminals that stay dangerous after the cycle ends.
build Book Laundry Service in Greater Boston
Done reading and ready for a technician? These are the pages that get a licensed tech to your laundry room, with transparent pricing before any work begins.
Dryer Running Hot but Not Drying?
Our gas-licensed master technicians provide same-day diagnostics for Whirlpool, Maytag, Speed Queen, Bosch, Miele, Samsung, LG, and Electrolux dryers, including vent airflow testing, with transparent flat-rate pricing and no travel fees.