# Getting a gas dryer connected -- all done, but no heat (dryer is mechanically fine) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 25, 2022, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-gas-dryer-connected-all-done-but-no-heat-dryer-is-mechanically-fine/966860 "2022-06-25T21:51:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-gas-dryer-connected-all-done-but-no-heat-dryer-is-mechanically-fine/966860/41 "2022-06-28T19:05:51Z")
You may have dislodged dirt and lint moving the dryer. Make sure the service tech cleans inside the dryer. Built up lint is a fire hazard. A dryer should be throughly cleaned at least every 5 years. The tech is already there. They can clean it pretty quickly. ---
**Author:** ![gnarator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gnarator/32/8266_2.png) [@gnarator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarator)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-gas-dryer-connected-all-done-but-no-heat-dryer-is-mechanically-fine/966860/42 "2022-06-28T20:37:42Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I see a flame sensor in the circuit. It could be dirty. That would cause the burner to light and then go out. > > The gas valve can’t stay open unless there’s a burner flame. A dirty flame sensor is a common problem in gas furnaces. I would assume its true in gas dryers. Different kind of sensor. In a gas dryer, the sensor senses when the ignitor is hot enough, and it opens the circuit to the ignitor and allows current to run through the gas valve coils. The sensor could go bad, but the ignitor would never heat, or get hot and not shut off. Furnaces have Hot Surface Ignitors and usually a separate flame sensor, which senses flame through flame rectification to the ground. It’s common for sensors to get dirty, in which case the furnace will light and shutoff after 5 seconds as it’s not sensing a flame. Here’s a dryer flame sensor: [![](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/21Ug-YMS3lL._AC_.jpg) ](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/21Ug-YMS3lL._AC_.jpg) Here’s a furnace flame sensor: [https://horeco.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/furnace-flame-sensor.png](https://horeco.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/furnace-flame-sensor.png) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-gas-dryer-connected-all-done-but-no-heat-dryer-is-mechanically-fine/966860/43 "2022-06-28T21:33:10Z")
> [@gnarator](#): > > Different kind of sensor. In Thank you. I didn’t know gas dryers were that different. Its always good to learn the differences in servicing equipment. I took classes and learned HVAC. A couple summers in 115 degree attics changed my career. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-gas-dryer-connected-all-done-but-no-heat-dryer-is-mechanically-fine/966860/44 "2022-06-28T21:34:31Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > A couple summers in **115 degree attics** changed my career. If you get nostalgic … there are plenty of those around here 😁 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-gas-dryer-connected-all-done-but-no-heat-dryer-is-mechanically-fine/966860/45 "2022-06-28T21:40:58Z")
No thanks. My knees can’t handle attics anymore. Let us know what they find with your dryer. You have us curious now. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-gas-dryer-connected-all-done-but-no-heat-dryer-is-mechanically-fine/966860/46 "2022-06-29T02:34:31Z")
Sometimes the sites that sell appliance parts have feedback from people with appliance issues. Here’s such a site, it may give you onsite to possible problems: [https://www.appliancepartspros.com/repair-help/general-electric-dryer-dvlr223gg7ww-repair/dvlr223gg7ww-no-heat-or-not-enough-heat.html](https://www.appliancepartspros.com/repair-help/general-electric-dryer-dvlr223gg7ww-repair/dvlr223gg7ww-no-heat-or-not-enough-heat.html) ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-gas-dryer-connected-all-done-but-no-heat-dryer-is-mechanically-fine/966860/47 "2022-06-29T02:55:06Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > Thanks for the tip. I let the dryer run for about three hours tonight, listening to the solenoid click open and closed (?) over and over again My gas furnace did this in February. It was my bad luck that it took them five days to locate a replacement for a bad ignitor. Then the gas dryer stopped working a couple of weeks later - belt broke, so a complete coincidence ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2022, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-gas-dryer-connected-all-done-but-no-heat-dryer-is-mechanically-fine/966860/48 "2022-07-05T01:56:00Z")
Any answers available @bordelond? ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2022, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-gas-dryer-connected-all-done-but-no-heat-dryer-is-mechanically-fine/966860/49 "2022-07-05T02:40:32Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Any answers available @bordelond ? Not yet. Repairman spoke with me Tuesday morning about coming by that evening. He was supposed to contact me that afternoon to let me know he was coming. Never heard from him. We’ve just been air-drying clothes for the nonce. I will attempt to arrange a repair again, but will have to wait a bit. It would help a ton if I could get a firm repair cost up front and be able to budget accordingly, but that doesn’t seem to be possible. The gas repair knocked us for a loop as it was. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2022, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-gas-dryer-connected-all-done-but-no-heat-dryer-is-mechanically-fine/966860/50 "2022-07-05T16:02:12Z")
The most expensive repair would be the gas valve. It requires at least an hour labor to replace plus the part. I can’t say for sure that’s the problem. It is a possibility. It would be the first thing I check during a service call. There’s also the dryer flame sensor discussed earlier. ---
**Author:** ![gnarator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gnarator/32/8266_2.png) [@gnarator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarator)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2022, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-gas-dryer-connected-all-done-but-no-heat-dryer-is-mechanically-fine/966860/51 "2022-07-05T16:10:23Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The most expensive repair would be the gas valve. It requires at least an hour labor to replace plus the part. You can replace the coils. They come as a kit. Very common repair. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2Z0eoTBn0gE/maxresdefault.jpg "GE Gas Dryer Gas Valve Solenoid Replacement #WE4X693") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z0eoTBn0gE) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2022, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-gas-dryer-connected-all-done-but-no-heat-dryer-is-mechanically-fine/966860/52 "2022-07-05T16:16:09Z")
I forgot. That’s a very good savings. Less labor too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-gas-dryer-connected-all-done-but-no-heat-dryer-is-mechanically-fine/966860.md?page=2)