What this actually means
Understanding the fault
When a dryer tumbles normally but produces no heat, the motor circuit is fine and the heating circuit is not. On electric dryers that circuit runs on 240V across two legs; lose one leg and the drum still turns on 120V while the element does nothing at all. That single fact explains a large share of no-heat calls, and it costs nothing to rule out before opening the cabinet.
Try these first — they cost nothing
Free checks before you buy any part
Work down the list in order and stop when the symptom clears.
- 1
Check both halves of the breaker
An electric dryer uses a double-pole breaker. One tripped half leaves the drum turning with no heat. Switch it fully off, then back on — a partially tripped breaker can look seated.
- 2
Clear the lint screen and the vent run
Restricted airflow makes the dryer overheat, which opens a thermal fuse or cutoff and kills heat entirely. Pull the screen, vacuum the housing beneath it, then disconnect the duct at the wall and check for compacted lint.
- 3
Verify the exterior vent flap opens
Run the dryer and go outside. If the flap barely moves, the duct is blocked — often by lint at a bend or a bird nest. Blocked venting is also a leading cause of dryer fires, so this is worth doing regardless.
- 4
Confirm gas supply on gas models
Check that the shutoff behind the dryer is open and other gas appliances still work. A dryer that clicks repeatedly without igniting usually has an igniter or flame sensor issue rather than a supply problem.
No code on the display?
When your appliance shows nothing at all
Many dryers throw no code for a no-heat condition, especially older models. The lost-leg check and the vent check cover most of them. If both pass, a blown thermal fuse is the next most likely single part.
Where to look
Common causes to check
- 1One leg of the 240V supply lost at the breaker or outlet
- 2Restricted or blocked exhaust vent causing thermal cutoff
- 3Blown thermal fuse
- 4Failed heating element on electric models
- 5Failed igniter or flame sensor on gas models
- 6Open thermistor or cycling thermostat
- 7Control board relay failure
Know where to stop
When to call a professional
Gas dryers involve a live gas valve and combustion. If the igniter glows but no flame establishes, or you smell gas at any point, stop immediately and call a licensed technician.
Read the full safety disclaimerMatch your code
6 related Dryer error codes
If your appliance displayed a code, find it here for the diagnostic sequence specific to your brand. Codes vary by model, so confirm the full model number before ordering any part.
Diagnostic search
Find the exact guide you need
Search by brand, appliance, error code, symptom, likely cause, or replacement part.
6 guides found
Code d95
d95 means the dryer has detected an extremely severe exhaust restriction of about 95 percent through Flow Sense monitoring.
Code C90
C90 indicates that the dryer vent-blockage test detected a severe restriction of more than roughly 90 percent.
Code HC / hE / HC4
The dryer is detecting an abnormal heating condition, commonly excessive temperature caused by restricted airflow.
Code HC2
Samsung identifies HC2 as a gas-ignition error on compatible gas dryers.
Code tC / tE / tE3
These codes indicate an abnormal dryer temperature reading or a problem in the temperature-sensing circuit.
Code E1 F3
E1 F3 error indicates an open electrical circuit in the dryer thermistor temperature sensor.