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Electric and gas dryers tumble and control the load in much the same way but make heat differently. An electric dryer uses a heating element on its own dedicated circuit; a gas dryer burns natural gas or propane and sends the combustion gases out through the same vent as the moist air. That difference decides who may do the work, since anything on the gas side belongs to a licensed gas technician.
This page covers symptoms, lint and fire safety, vent materials and routing, gas versus electric repairs, carbon monoxide and repair or replacement.
Dryer not heating, taking too long or making noise: what's behind it
- Tumbles but stays cold, electric model: often a failed element, thermal fuse or thermostat, or a problem with the power reaching the dryer at its outlet or breaker, which needs a technician or an electrician.
- Tumbles but stays cold, gas model: usually the igniter, the flame sensor or the gas valve coils, all of which must be tested by a gas-qualified technician.
- A thermal fuse that fails again and again is a warning rather than the fault itself: the dryer is overheating, and a restricted vent is the first suspect.
- Loads that need extra cycles: a full lint screen, a crushed duct behind the machine, lint packed in the vent run or outdoor hood, an overloaded drum or a moisture sensor coated with residue.
- Thumping, squealing or scraping: worn drum rollers, a stretched belt, a tired idler pulley or worn drum glides; a sharp clicking can be a coin or button caught in the drum.
- A cabinet that feels very hot or laundry that smells scorched means you should stop using the dryer until both the machine and the vent have been checked.
Dryer lint and vent cleaning to prevent dryer fires
Health Canada warns that lint left in a dryer's screen and exhaust piping can ignite at high temperatures. Toronto Fire Services advises cleaning the lint screen after each load, regularly removing lint from metal ducts and exhaust vents, and cleaning the inside of the dryer cabinet as the manufacturer instructs. It also advises turning the dryer off when you leave home or go to bed.
Lint that escapes the screen also settles inside the cabinet, around the element or burner and the motor. Cleaning in there means opening panels with the power disconnected, and the gas shut off on a gas model, so it's a job for the technician during a service visit. At home, watch for these signs that the vent itself is restricted.
- Clothes come out hot but still damp.
- The laundry room turns warm and humid while the dryer runs.
- The outdoor flap barely opens, or lint gathers around the hood outside.
- Lint collects on the floor behind the dryer or around the door seal.
- A burning smell, or a thermal fuse that has already been replaced once.
Dryer vent materials, length and routing
Toronto Fire Services recommends rigid or flexible metal ducting to vent a dryer outdoors, and notes that plastic or metal foil ducts are more prone to kinking, sagging and crushing, which leads to lint build-up. It also advises the straightest, most direct path outdoors, since lint accumulates in bends and elbows.
How long the run can be depends on the dryer. Manufacturers set a maximum length in the installation instructions and reduce it for each elbow, so a laundry room on an interior wall, or a condo unit with a long shared run, needs extra care in planning.
- End the duct outdoors at a hood with a flap that opens freely, never in an attic, a crawl space or the room itself.
- Leave room behind the dryer so the connecting duct isn't flattened when the machine is pushed back; a recessed vent box helps in tight spaces.
- Join sections and fasten them as the manufacturer instructs; screws that poke into the airstream snag lint.
- In a condo or apartment, ask building management who is responsible for cleaning the vent where it runs through shared spaces.
Gas vs electric dryer repair: who is allowed to do the work
On an electric dryer, an appliance technician replaces elements, thermostats, fuses, belts and switches. The dedicated circuit, the breaker and the wall outlet are electrical work for a licensed electrician.
A gas dryer adds regulated gas work: the burner, the gas valve, the connector to the supply line, and any conversion between natural gas and propane. Moving a gas dryer to clean behind it also means disconnecting and reconnecting gas. In Quebec, the RBQ requires contractors who do gas work to hold the appropriate licence, and their workers need a certificate of competence from Emploi-Québec. In Ontario, TSSA states that only registered fuels contractors are legally authorized to do fuels-related work, and its online registry lets you check a company. Other provinces have their own gas safety authorities.
If you smell gas near the dryer, don't operate switches or appliances. Get everyone outside and call your gas utility or 911 from there.
Gas dryers and carbon monoxide: vents, alarms and inspections
A gas dryer sends combustion gases out through its vent, so a blocked or disconnected duct can let carbon monoxide into the house. Health Canada advises inspecting exhaust vents, including the dryer's, during and after snowstorms to make sure ice, snow or debris isn't blocking them. It also advises regularly examining propane and natural gas appliances for leaks, cracks, blocked vents and improper installation, and having fuel-burning appliances inspected by a professional at least once a year or as the manufacturer instructs.
Health Canada says the most important place for a carbon monoxide alarm is in hallways outside sleeping areas, and notes that alarms with a Canadian certification mark have been tested by laboratory professionals. If the alarm sounds, get everyone outside and call 911 from there.
Repair or replace a clothes dryer: parts, vents and fuel type
Belts, rollers, idler pulleys, thermal fuses, elements, igniters, thermostats and door switches are routine dryer repairs, and a dryer with a sound drum and motor is usually worth fixing. A seized motor, a damaged drum or a hard-to-find control board changes the calculation. Before replacing a dryer for slow drying, make sure the real problem isn't the vent, which a new machine would inherit.
If you do replace it, switching fuel type means new hookups: an electrician for a dedicated circuit, or a licensed gas technician to run or cap a gas line. Condensing and heat pump dryers don't need an exterior vent, which can suit a condo, but they have their own maintenance routines, so read the manual before choosing.
Dryer Repair: frequently asked questions
How often should a dryer vent be cleaned?
Toronto Fire Services advises cleaning the lint screen after every load and removing lint from ducts and exhaust vents regularly. Long runs, heavy use and pet hair call for more frequent cleaning, and a slow-drying load or a sluggish outdoor flap is a sign it's overdue.
Why does my dryer keep blowing its thermal fuse?
The fuse is a safety device that cuts out when the dryer overheats, most often because the vent is restricted. Replacing it without clearing the airflow just leads to the next failure, and a fuse should never be bypassed.
Is it safe to run the dryer while I'm out or asleep?
Toronto Fire Services advises turning the dryer off when you leave home or go to bed. Start loads when you'll be around to notice a burning smell or an alarm.
Can a gas dryer be converted to propane or swapped for an electric one?
Conversions between natural gas and propane use the manufacturer's kit and are gas work for a licensed gas technician. Switching to electric needs an electrician for a dedicated circuit and a gas technician to cap the old line.
Where should the carbon monoxide alarm go if I have a gas dryer?
Health Canada says the most important place is in hallways outside sleeping areas. Choose an alarm with a Canadian certification mark, and check your province's and municipality's rules on where alarms are required.
Sources
Written by the LokalMatch editorial team. Reviewed by Zubair Afzal on September 10, 2026. How we write and check our guides