Frigidaire Dryer No Heat or Insufficient Heat

When your dryer won’t heat it can be really frustrating- clothes take forever to dry, or they may not dry at all. There are several things you can take a look at to try to determine the cause of your Frigidaire dryer not heating. We’ll walk you through how to check things out.

How To Fix A Frigidaire Dryer Not Heating

Overloading

Is your Frigidaire dryer not heating? You may be filling it with too many items at once. When your dryer is filled to capacity with wet clothes, they don’t always have enough space to allow sufficient air circulation. Without proper air circulation, your dryer cannot dry efficiently.

Although this seems obvious, when we have a ton of laundry piled up, it’s easy to get overzealous and try to squeeze too much into the loads in an effort to save time.

Try filling your dryer with fewer clothes to see if that solves the problem.

Clogged Dryer Vent

A clogged dryer vent is one of the most common culprits behind any dryer not heating. If you have a dryer not drying clothes in a reasonable time, this could be why.

Cleaning a dryer vent is important to improve the efficiency of your dryer and reduce the risk of a fire. Here are some steps you can follow to clean a dryer vent:

Disconnect the dryer from the power source and turn off the gas (if applicable).
Remove the lint filter from the dryer and clean it along with the lint trap area with a flexible soft-bristled appliance brush.
Locate the dryer vent on the back of the dryer and use a screwdriver to loosen the screws that secure the vent in place.
Once the vent is loose, use a vacuum with a hose attachment to remove any lint or debris from the vent and the area around it.
Use a dryer vent brush to scrub the inside of the vent and remove any remaining lint.
Reattach the vent and secure it with the screws.
Turn the power and gas back on and run the dryer on a high heat setting for about 15 minutes to help remove any remaining lint.
Check the vent outside of your home to make sure that it is clear and free of any blockages. If you notice any issues, use a dryer vent brush or a plumber’s snake to clear the blockage.

It’s a good idea to clean your dryer vent at least once a year, or more frequently if you notice that your clothes are taking longer to dry or the dryer is overheating. If you’re not comfortable cleaning the dryer vent yourself, you can hire a professional to do it for you.

Blown Thermal Fuse

If you discover the dryer not heating at all, you may have blown the thermal fuse. The thermal fuse is designed to blow if the dryer gets too hot.

This safety feature will help prevent a potential fire, but be aware: the number one cause of blowing this fuse is a clogged dryer vent – so only check and replace the fuse after thoroughly cleaning all the vents!

The Frigidaire dryer thermal fuse location is in the back right corner of the dryer, attached to the heating element housing. Use a multimeter to check if the thermal fuse has continuity. If it is defective, replace it.

The safety design of the thermal fuse is not exclusive to Frigidaire, so ensuring your thermal fuse is working properly is a high priority with any dryer.

Defective Heating Element

The Frigidaire dryer heating element is the part that actually generates heat inside electric dryers. When you have a dryer not heating, the heating element may have failed.

Over time, parts begin to break or fail – it’s just part of the wear-and-tear process of any appliance. If the coils are damaged or no longer work throughout the entire dry cycle, then your dryer won’t maintain enough heat and your clothes won’t dry efficiently.

Inspect the heating element coils to determine if any are broken. If any of the coils are broken or otherwise damaged, they will need to be replaced. If the coils are intact, use a multimeter to check for continuity to ensure they are working properly. If either method indicates the heating element has failed, replace it.

Broken Gas Igniter

The igniter is what ignites the burner assembly in gas dryers. If the ignitor has burned out, the dryer won’t be able to generate heat. This is not terribly uncommon, especially if your dryer has been used for years.

Check the igniter with a multimeter to determine if it is still functioning. If the ignitor has failed, replace it.