Is your gas dryer not getting hot? Or, is it not getting hot enough? You load the dryer and leave it for some hours only to come back to damp/wet clothes?
This might leave you dejected. After all, it is an extra repair you might not have budgeted for.
Fortunately, fixing it is quite easy – you can do it at home as a DIY project and save some bucks.
In this guide, I will be showing you how to test the possible parts to help you pinpoint the culprit. And of course, I will also tell you how you can fix or replace the problematic part.
Gas dryer not getting hot – what might be causing this and how to fix it
For safety purposes, start by disconnecting your dryer from the power outlet and gas supply before proceeding.
Pro tip: The steps below will help you in troubleshooting various gas dryer models such as Samsung, Maytag, LG, GE, Whirlpool, Kenmore, Amana, and so on.
There might be no gas supply or the gas pressure might be low
Start by confirming that the gas valve is not kinked. If it’s kinked, be sure to straighten it out.
Next, confirm that the gas valve is fully open and that there is a gas supply to your house – you can confirm the gas supply by turning on another gas appliance such as the gas range.
If there is a gas supply, there is a possibility that the pressure might not be enough to ignite.
So, if you are using natural gas, make sure that it has a pressure of at least 0.25 psi (7 WC). On the other hand, if you are using LP gas such as propane, the pressure should be at least 0.39 psi (11 WC).
If pressure is low, first confirm that the gas valve is fully open. Otherwise, have a certified plumber look at the gas plumbing.
Gas dryer not getting hot, smell gas
Usually, this means that the gas is leaking – might be through the gas pipe or the valve is faulty.
Before further troubleshooting, first turn off the gas supply to avoid possible fires.
Next, have a certified gas plumber inspect the gas connections – some states require only certified professionals to handle gas connections.
However, if your state does not dictate this, you can proceed to try and locate the source of the leakage and fix the faulty part.
The ignitor might be faulty
A bad ignitor is usually the most common reason for gas dryers not heating.
An easy way to tell it’s bad is to peek inside the heating assembly after starting a drying cycle – does the ignitor glow for some seconds?
If not, it means it’s gone.
Alternatively, you can use a multimeter to test for continuity – no continuity means the ignitor is bad.
If your ignitor is faulty, you ought to replace it – they are cheap with most costing under 30 bucks… Below is where you can order a replacement ignitor for some common dryer brands:
| Dryer brand | Recommended Gas ignitor replacement |
| Samsung, Maytag | Order it on Amazon |
| GE | Order it on Amazon |
| Maytag, Amana, KitchenAid | Order it on Amazon |
| LG | Order it on Amazon |
| Kenmore, Whirlpool | Order it on Amazon |
| Electrolux, Frigidaire | Order it on Amazon |
The radiant flame sensor could be to blame
The flame sensor is responsible for controlling the opening and closing of the gas valve solenoid.
As such, a bad flame sensor might not open the solenoid to allow gas in hence why your gas dryer is not getting hot.
Having that in mind, use a multimeter to test for continuity between the flame sensor terminals.
If it lacks continuity, then it’s bad and you will need to replace it… Below is a table of common dryer brands and where to get their replacement radiant flame sensor (for some it’s packaged as a complete repair kit with an ignitor and gas coils):
| Dryer brand | Radiant flame sensor replacement |
| Samsung | Get it on Amazon |
| GE | Get it on Amazon |
| Maytag | Get it on Amazon |
| LG | Get it on Amazon |
| Whirlpool, Kenmore | Get it on Amazon |
| Electrolux, Frigidaire | Get it on Amazon |
The gas valve solenoid might be gone
To test if the solenoid is to blame, use a multimeter to test for continuity between the solenoid’s terminals.
Something else: If your gas dryer has two gas valve solenoids, be sure to test both of them.
If the solenoid lacks continuity, it’s an indication that it’s bad and you should replace it –check price on Amazon
Why is my gas dryer not getting hot – more causes and possible solutions
The outlet thermostat might be bad
In most dryer models, you will find the outlet thermostat on the blower housing.
Usually, this thermostat will trip (if the airflow is restricted) thereby cutting off power to the burning chamber.
As a result, the ignitor will not glow and the solenoid will turn off.
So, test this thermostat for continuity to see if it’s good – if it lacks continuity, it likely means it’s bad.
Subsequently, replacing the thermostat is your best bet – they are quite affordable with most costing less than 15 bucks… The table below will guide you on where to get a replacement for some common dryer brands:
| Dryer brand | Recommended thermostat replacement part (or complete repair kit) |
| Samsung | Order it on Amazon |
| GE | Order it on Amazon |
| Maytag, Whirlpool, Amana, KitchenAid | Order it on Amazon |
| LG | Order it on Amazon |
| Kenmore | Order it on Amazon |
| Electrolux, Frigidaire | Order it on Amazon |
Main control board failure
If all the above components check out, it could be that the control board has failed in which case you will need to replace it.
Unfortunately, there is no direct way to test the board though it might at times have burn marks.
So, before replacing the board, be sure to first test all the above components.
If they are all good, go ahead and see if replacing the main control board could fix your appliance (it can be pricey..see prices):
Other times, you might note that even after fixing the faulty part (say the ignitor or outlet thermostat), your dryer goes out after running for a couple of minutes.
Or, the dryer won’t heat fully hence won’t completely dry your clothes.
Usually, this means that some other part of the dryer is misbehaving, and here’s what you can do to prevent this from recurring:
Gas dryer not getting hot enough to dry clothes – possible causes and solutions
You might be overloading the dryer
Overloading the dryer tends to reduce the airflow inside it.
And, this might result in the dryer taking longer than it should to dry your laundry which might be confused for the dryer not heating enough.
Having that in mind, make sure that you are not loading your dryer more than ¾.
Were the clothes soaking wet before putting them in the dryer?
For the most part, this is usually due to the washer not removing the water fully. And, this water will result in excess moisture in the dryer making it hard to dry the clothes.
Before putting the clothes in the dryer, be sure to wring out any excess water (or put them back in the washer and run a Drain/Spin cycle).
Are you using the Eco-dry option?
Eco-dry related settings work by reducing the dryer’s power consumption.
In turn, this means that the dryer will not get hot enough.
So, if you are using the Eco-dry option, be sure to choose another drying cycle such as the normal dry.
The lint screen might be full of clogs
This will reduce the airflow within the dryer making it hard to remove the moisture inside the drum.
In turn, this results in the dryer taking longer than usual to dry hence it might appear as if it’s not heating enough.
So, be sure to clean the lint filter using a lint cleaner brush (and running water to get rid of any residue).
Something else: It’s advisable to clean the lint screen after every laundry.
The venting system might be to blame
If the venting system is crushed or full of clogs, it will reduce airflow from the dryer making the dryer run longer.
And, this might easily be confused with the dryer not getting hot enough to dry clothes more so if it is on Time Dry.
To test if the venting system is to blame, disconnect the dryer from the vent and run it for some time… If the dryer runs fine, it means the venting system is to blame.
In this case, you ought to clean the venting system – and straighten out any kinks that might be present.
Pro tip: Make a point of cleaning the venting system at least once every six months.
Gas dryer not getting hot – parting words
If your brand-new gas dryer is not getting hot (or it’s still under warranty), do not disassemble it to avoid voiding its warranty.
Instead, contact the manufacturer and have them send a professional technician to fix it.