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Whirlpool dryer not heating? Five things to check

Updated October 25, 2026

A dryer that tumbles but stays cold usually has one of a few causes. Start with the easy ones.

Safety first: unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before you open panels, and shut off gas or water if you'll be near those lines.

1. Check the breaker (electric dryers)

Electric dryers use a double breaker. If one half trips, the drum can still turn but the heat won't come on. Switch the breaker fully off, then back on.

2. Check the gas (gas dryers)

Make sure the gas valve behind the dryer is open and your other gas appliances work.

3. Check the cycle

Settings like Air Fluff or Air Only tumble without heat. Pick a timed or automatic cycle with heat.

4. Clean the lint screen and the vent

A clogged vent traps heat until a safety part shuts the heat off. Clean the lint screen, then check that air blows strongly out of the outside vent while the dryer runs.

5. Suspect the thermal fuse

If the dryer overheated, its thermal fuse or thermal cutoff may have opened. These one-time safety parts have to be replaced, and the vent has to be cleared or the new one will blow too.

A slow or blocked vent is one of the most common causes. See our dryer vent cleaning.

When to call a technician

Call us if it still won't heat, if you smell burning, or if the dryer gets hot on the outside. A weak or failed heating element or gas igniter needs a technician.