Whirlpool Duet gas dryer not heating in Oakland
Problem: The owner of a Whirlpool Duet gas dryer in Oakland called because it would run but not heat. It powered up and tumbled the way it should, but there was no heat. They had already ruled out the gas supply, since the other gas appliances in the house were fine. They had also taken off the lower access panel and noticed lint built up inside.
Diagnostics: A gas dryer that tumbles but stays cold has a short list of suspects, and they’re all in the heating and ignition circuit. On a dryer like this, the igniter has to glow, a sensor has to see that heat, and the gas valve coils have to open the valve so the burner lights. Ahead of all of that sit the safety parts that cut the burner if the dryer overheats. Any one of them can stop the heat while the drum keeps turning.
Our technician worked through that circuit with the lower panel off: the temperature safety circuit, the igniter, the flame-sensing circuit and the burner components. The faults were on the safety and ignition side.
Solution: We replaced the thermal safety fuse and the gas valve coils. Then we put the dryer back together and ran it to test the heat.
Result: The repair was done in one visit. A thermal fuse is a one-time part. It opens when the dryer runs too hot and it doesn’t reset, so it’s worth asking why it went. Lint in the cabinet and a restricted exhaust are the usual reasons. Keep the lint screen clean, and if loads start taking longer to dry, have the exhaust run looked at before the new fuse goes too. We repair gas and electric dryers in Oakland and across the East Bay.