The Top Reasons Your Kenmore Dryer No Longer Heats

Faulty Heating Element

• The top cause for a dryer that doesn't heat is most likely a defective heating element. Kenmore dryers either use gas-valve coils or electric coils, depending on the model. However, these heating elements could simply break over time from use or degraded wiring. They must be replaced if that is the case. Most heating elements can be unbolted from the back of the dryer and replaced with a new one specific to your model.

Thermal Fuse

• Fuses are little devices designed to prevent circuits from overheating. They go between circuits and will explode when the temperature gets too high, which cuts power through the circuit. This is known as a "blown fuse." Kenmore dryers have these, as well, and they are designed to keep the machine from overheating and possibly even catching fire. Check your specific Kenmore owners manual for instructions on how to access the fuse box and check to the thermal fuse to ensure it is still intact. You will have to replace it if it has blown.

Faulty Thermostat

• Dryers use thermostats to help regulate the temperature within the dryer chamber. This ensures that your clothes do not get too warm or too cold. The dryer will not heat up at all if a thermostat is busted since it has no way to monitor and regulate the temperature. Kenmore dryers may have multiple thermostats, which look like discs about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and are usually found on the back of the washer. The dryer will not heat up if even one of these thermostats is faulty. Have a professional technician use a digital multimeter to test the thermostats and replace if defective.

Faulty Igniter

• An igniter is only used on Kenmore dryers that use gas as their primary mode of heating. The igniter looks like a small ceramic disc and provides an initial spark that heats the gas within the gas-valve coils. The coils then heat up and thus heat the inside of the dryer chamber and your clothes. Have a technician check the igniter -- they are very fragile and easy to break if you handle them yourself -- and replace it if necessary.