Editor's Note: This is the first of a two part series. We will talk about gas dryers not working in this article and the second article will deal with electric dryer issues. 

 "Our gas dryer won't heat - the igniter doesn't heat up." - this was a statement posted on the McCombs Supply Facebook page a few weeks ago.

The Facebook follower/customer wanted to know what to do, how do they fix the problem. 

"My wife needs her dryer," he wrote. 

For starters, McCombs Supply sells replacement dryer parts. Give us your dryer model number and we can find the part number for you. 

The issue could be the igniter, but it can easily be other issues. The first, and easiest to fix, is lint. Make sure you clean and move lint. McCombs has a lint removal kit.  

Here are 5 reasons why a gas dryer stops working. 

- Thermal Fuse. You can use a multi-meter to test for continuity 

- Defective Gas Valve Solenoid coils

- Faulty Igniter

- Defective Flame Sensor

- Faulty Thermostat

Here is a video talking about 5 parts that can break on a gas dryer. All these parts mentioned are sold a McCombs Supply at reasonable prices and with fast, reliable shipping. 

If you determine the issue is the igniter, here are a few things do.

Test the wires

Unplug the dryer and disconnect the wires leading from the back of the dryer to the burner assembly. Plug the dryer back in and turn it on. Use a voltage tester and press the leads into the two terminals. If the tester doesn’t light, test the thermal fuse. 

Solutions for how to fix it

The first thing you should do if the gas dryer is not heating to dry your clothes is clean the lint screen. Clogged air passages may cause the dryer to shut down or not heat. 

Use warm water and soap and clean it. This will remove invisible fabric softener buildup.  

In addition, check for clogs where the vent exists through the wall. 

If the igniter doesn’t heat up

First test for a burned-out  thermal fuse. The thermal fuse is a safety device that shuts off power to the burner if the dryer overheats. 

When the thermal fuse burns out, it must be replaced. With the dryer plugged in and turned on, test for power to the burner. If there’s no power, unplug the dryer and pull it away from the wall and remove the back panel.

If there’s power to the burner but the igniter isn’t glowing, the problem could be a bad  igniter. The igniter is easier to test and replace if you remove the entire burner assembly.

Turn off the gas to the dryer and shut off the gas valve located near the burner. Make sure the dryer is unplugged. 

With the burner assembly removed, test the igniter with a multimeter.

If you don’t get any reading on the multimeter, the igniter is bad. 

Install a new igniter.

If the multimeter test shows that the igniter is good, but it still won’t glow, it could be a bad flame sensor. 

Test the  flame sensor with a multimeter and replace it if you don’t get a reading 

Note: If you don’t feel confident working with gas, call a repair service for this repair. 

About Us

McCombs Supply Company, Inc.

In business since 1953, McCombs Supply Co., Inc. is a third-generation family-owned business that specializes in low prices and fast, reliable shipping.
Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, McCombs Supply Co., Inc. offers replacement repair parts for dishwashers, dryers, microwaves, range-ovens, refrigerators, washing machines, HVAC, commercial refrigeration, commercial cooking, pellet stove parts and more. Some of our manufacturers we distribute for include – Backer-Chromolox, Broan-Nutone, Exact Replacement Parts (ERP), EZ Flo, Fasco, Mastercool, ICM, JW Harris, Packard, Robertshaw, Sealed Unit Parts Company (SUPCO), White Rodgers, Englander, Breckwell, Harman, Lennox, Napoleon, St. Croix and Quadra-Fire.

We supply contractors, service technicians, housing developments, hospitals, retirement communities, institutions, and do-it-yourselfers (DIY).

Today, we have nearly one million SKUs in our system. We are constantly upgrading our cutting-edge technology to serve our customers better.

Copyright 2018