Residential and commercial
Dryer Repair in Northern Virginia, DC & Maryland
A dryer that runs cold, needs two cycles for one load, or turns the drum with no heat is a common laundry call. FixDaddy does dryer repair on gas, electric, stacked and ventless dryers across Northern Virginia, Washington DC and the Montgomery County side of Maryland. Our technician finds the fault at your home, tells you the full repair price before touching anything, and carries the common dryer parts on the truck.
- $89 visit, credited to the repair
- 90-day parts & labor warranty
- Same-day most days
- Someone answers 24/7
What usually goes wrong
Dryer problems, in the order we see them
The symptom you notice, and what it most probably is.
- 1
Drum turns but there is no heat (electric dryer)
Most probably
- Thermal fuse blown: a one-time safety part that trips when a lint-choked vent overheats the dryer
- Heating element: the coil that makes the heat has burned through
- High-limit thermostat or thermal cut-off: safety switches on the heater box that have tripped
- Half the power is gone: the drum runs on one side of the double breaker, the heater needs both
- Cycling thermostat or a control board relay, the parts that switch the heater on, stuck open
- 2
Gas dryer heats for a few minutes, then runs cold
Most probably
- Gas valve coils: two small magnets that hold the gas valve open weaken when hot and let it shut
- Igniter cracked, or the flame sensor beside it failing, so the burner does not relight
- Thermal fuse or high-limit thermostat open: the safeties that shut the burner down when it overheats
- Vent blocked, so the burner overheats and a safety switches it off
- 3
Clothes come out damp, or one load takes two cycles
Most probably
- Vent duct or the outside vent cap packed with lint, so damp air cannot leave the drum
- Blower wheel, the fan that pulls air through the drum, clogged solid
- Lint trap housing full below the screen
- Moisture sensor bars coated with dryer-sheet film, so the dryer stops early thinking the load is dry
- Heating element partly failed, giving weak heat
- 4
Motor runs but the drum does not turn
Most probably
- Drive belt, the thin belt wrapped around the drum, snapped
- Idler pulley, the spring-loaded wheel that keeps the belt tight, seized or its spring broken
- Drum rollers or glides worn flat, so the drum drags until the belt slips or breaks
- Belt switch open: on some models it cuts the motor a moment after the belt goes
- 5
Squealing, thumping or grinding while it runs
Most probably
- Drum rollers, the wheels the drum rides on, worn down: a thump once per turn
- Idler pulley bearing dry: a high squeal that rises with the drum speed
- Rear drum bearing or front glides worn: a scrape or a grind
- Blower wheel loose, or holding a coin, a screw or a pen: a rattle low in the cabinet
- Belt frayed and slapping as it turns
- 6
Dryer will not start at all
Most probably
- Door switch failed, so the dryer thinks the door is open
- Thermal fuse open: on many models it cuts the motor circuit, not just the heat
- Start switch or push-to-start relay worn out, so pressing Start does nothing
- Control board fault
- No power: a tripped breaker, a damaged cord or a burned terminal block where the cord attaches
- 7
Shuts off mid-cycle, or shows a vent or airflow warning
Most probably
- Vent duct blocked enough to trip the dryer's own airflow sensor
- Motor overheating and cutting out on its built-in protector, then restarting once it cools
- High-limit thermostat opening because the heater is choked with lint
- Moisture sensor reading the load as dry too early
- Control board or timer fault
- 8
Burning smell, or the cabinet is too hot to touch
Most probably
- Lint built up around the heater or inside the blower housing and starting to scorch
- Vent blocked, so the hot air has nowhere to go
- Cycling thermostat stuck closed, so the heater never switches off to rest
- Heating element sagging against its metal housing
- Belt or a drum roller rubbing and melting
- 9
Ventless dryer leaves clothes damp, or water is not draining away
Most probably
- Condenser, the part that turns the steam back into water, loaded with lint
- Condensate pump failed, or its float switch stuck, so the water is not pumped away
- Drain hose kinked, or the water container full
- Heat-pump filter or evaporator caked with lint
- Heater cutting out on a condenser dryer
By brand
Dryer brands we work with
Independent repair for every major make. We are not affiliated with or authorized by any manufacturer.
Dryer repair by brand
Whirlpool dryer repair
Whirlpool's long-running design, with the lint screen on top, fails in predictable places. A thermal fuse or thermal cut-off blown by a restricted vent leaves it running cold or not starting at all. Drum rollers and the idler pulley wear into a thump or a squeal. On gas models the valve coils let the burner quit once it is warm.
Whirlpool dryer repairSamsung dryer repair
The heating element is the classic Samsung dryer failure: the coil breaks and the drum tumbles on cold air. The other is the idler pulley: a chirp that grows into a squeal and ends with a snapped belt and a drum that will not turn. A code on the display is explained in our Samsung dryer error codes guide.
Samsung dryer repairLG dryer repair
LG dryers watch their own exhaust. A Flow Sense light or a duct-blockage warning means the vent run is restricted, not that the dryer has failed, and ignoring it is what takes out the thermal fuse and the heating element next. The other LG faults are drum rollers that thump and an idler that squeals.
LG dryer repairGE dryer repair
GE carries the drum on a rear bearing and front slides rather than rollers. As they wear you hear a squeak, then a metal-on-metal scrape, and clothes can come out snagged or marked from the gap at the front of the drum. Weak heat is the other GE complaint: the element has two coils, and with one burned out every load takes twice as long.
GE dryer repairMaytag dryer repair
Maytag dryers are built by Whirlpool, so parts are shared and easy to get, and they fail in the same small ways: a thermal fuse blown by a clogged vent, worn rollers, a tired idler pulley. A squeal that is ignored ends with the belt snapped, the motor humming and the drum still. Older Maytags are simple machines and usually worth fixing.
Maytag appliance repairKenmore dryer repair
Kenmore is a store brand, so another maker built your dryer, and the first three digits of the model number say which: 110 is Whirlpool, 796 is LG, 417 is Frigidaire. That decides which faults to expect and which parts fit, so read us the whole number from the sticker inside the door when you call. Most are Whirlpool-built and fail the Whirlpool way.
Kenmore appliance repairFrigidaire dryer repair
Frigidaire dryers, including the one-piece laundry centers fitted in so many condo closets, hold the drum on a rear ball bearing and front glides. A loud squeal or a grinding from the back is that bearing running dry, and it only gets louder. A drum that turns with no heat is usually the element or the safety thermostat beside it.
Frigidaire appliance repairElectrolux dryer repair
Electrolux owns Frigidaire and its dryers share that platform, so they wear in the same places. The drum support bearing at the rear and the glides at the front go first, with a squeal or a scrape on every turn. A drum that turns cold is the heating element or one of its safety thermostats. Tell us if the dryer is stacked on its washer.
Electrolux dryer repairBosch dryer repair
Today's Bosch dryers are compact ventless machines, the kind fitted where a condo has no outside wall. Nothing is blown outdoors, so fine lint settles in the heat exchanger, and the first sign is a full cycle that still leaves clothes damp. The other Bosch faults are a condensate pump that stops sending water to the drain and a heater that cuts out partway.
Bosch appliance repair
The visit
What happens when the technician comes
You get a 2-hour arrival window, and our technician calls about 15 minutes before arriving. Shoe covers go on at the door and the floor is protected before the dryer moves.
It does have to move. Most dryer parts are reached from the front or the back of the cabinet, so the machine slides out from the wall a couple of feet, and a stacked unit may come forward out of its closet. Before the visit, empty the drum and clear the top of the dryer and the floor in front of it. If it is gas, ventless or stacked, say so on the phone.
You hear what failed and the full repair price before any work starts, and the $89 visit fee counts toward it. Most dryer repairs are finished in that one visit, in an hour or two. If a part has to be ordered, the technician comes back to fit it.
What waiting costs you
A dryer that needs two cycles a load uses twice the power or gas, and each long, hot run packs more lint into a duct that is already part-blocked. That trapped heat is what blows thermal fuses and burns out elements, so a vent problem becomes a parts problem. It is also the fire risk: failure to clean is behind about a third of home dryer fires, so learn how to clean your dryer vent.
A squeal is the cheap stage. Keep running on a dry idler or flat rollers and the belt snaps, the drum sags onto its glides, and one part becomes three.
$89 visit, credited to the repair. 90-day parts-and-labor warranty.
Repair or replace
Repair your dryer, or replace it?
Repair it when
- The fault is a small part: belt, idler pulley, drum rollers, thermal fuse, thermostat, igniter or gas valve coils.
- It stopped heating. An element or a blown fuse is a routine fix on any dryer, gas or electric.
- The dryer is well short of the 13 years or so a dryer usually lasts, and the drum, motor and cabinet are sound.
- It is a stacked or closet unit sized to its space, where a new machine means new hookups, venting and a tight fit.
- It is a Whirlpool-built design (Whirlpool, Maytag, most Kenmore), with parts that are easy to find.
Replace it when
- It is past about 13 years old and needs a motor or a main control board.
- The repair would cost more than half the price of a comparable new dryer.
- The drum is cracked or its rear support is worn through, or the cabinet base has rusted out.
- This would be its second major repair in a year or so.
- The control board it needs is no longer made, and no replacement fits.
A new dryer does not fix a vent. If yours runs hot, smells scorched or keeps blowing thermal fuses, the duct is the fault, and a new machine on the same run fails the same way. More on age in how long a dryer lasts.
What you can safely check before you call
Pull the lint screen, clean it, and shine a light down the slot: a wad of lint below the screen is common. Look at the breaker panel. An electric dryer sits on a double breaker, and with one half tripped the drum still turns but nothing heats. Then go outside while it runs. The vent flap should lift and push out warm air. If the top of the dryer is hot and the flap barely moves, the duct is restricted whatever else is wrong.
If loads go in dripping, the dryer is not the fault: the washer is not spinning out, and that is a washer repair. Stop using a dryer that squeals, smells hot or quits mid-cycle.
Gas or electric: how to tell, and what it changes
Look behind the dryer. An electric dryer has one heavy three- or four-prong cord into a 240-volt outlet. A gas dryer has an ordinary plug plus a flexible gas line with a shut-off valve. Tell us which when you call, because the heat is the only real difference. Electric heat is a coiled element that burns through, or goes cold when half the breaker trips. Gas heat is a burner lit by an igniter, with a gas valve held open by two small coils, and those coils tend to quit once warm, which is why a gas dryer heats for a few minutes and then runs cold. Belt, rollers, blower, fuses and venting are the same on both.
Stacked, ventless and laundry-center dryers
A laundry closet holds one of three machines. A stacked pair or a one-piece laundry center puts a vented dryer at chest height over the washer, often on a long duct run. Most are repaired where they stand, some have to come forward, and both halves are covered under stacked washer-dryer repair. A ventless dryer, condenser or heat-pump, has no duct at all, so its lint ends up in the heat exchanger and damp clothes after a full cycle are the first sign. Heat-pump models dry cooler and slower by design, so a long cycle on one is not always a fault.
Recent repairs
Some dryer repairs we have done
GE dryer repair in Vienna
In Vienna, a GE dryer ran but put out no heat at all. Our technician traced it to a blown thermal fuse, the safety part that shuts the…In Vienna, a GE dryer ran but put out no heat at all. Our technician traced it to a blown thermal fuse, the safety part that shuts the heat down when the dryer runs too hot.
Whirlpool dryer repair in Falls Church
Heat had stopped coming from a Whirlpool front-load dryer in Falls Church, and clothes were coming out of it wet. Our technician was on-site to find the cause.
GE dryer repair in Arlington
A GE laundry center in Arlington was tumbling but running cold. The dryer side made no heat on any setting. That is the complaint we get most on…A GE laundry center in Arlington was tumbling but running cold. The dryer side made no heat on any setting. That is the complaint we get most on stacked units, and it comes in with two others: a thermal fuse that keeps blowing and venting restricted enough to choke the airflow.
Samsung dryer repair in Washington, DC
One normal load, two full cycles. That is what a Samsung dryer in Washington DC had come down to. It is the complaint we hear most on these,…One normal load, two full cycles. That is what a Samsung dryer in Washington DC had come down to. It is the complaint we hear most on these, along with a vent that comes back hot and cycles that shut off early.
Frigidaire dryer repair in McLean
A stacked Frigidaire dryer in McLean was running cold and shutting off before the load was dry. Three complaints cover almost everything we see on these units: no…A stacked Frigidaire dryer in McLean was running cold and shutting off before the load was dry. Three complaints cover almost everything we see on these units: no heat, cycles stopping early, and a squeal coming from the drum.
Google reviews
What people said after a dryer repair
- GH
Gary Hauler
June 2026 · dryer
Very professional service. Quick to respond to request and came when they said. Though I didn't have them fix my issue (I realized I should probably just buy a new dryer as there were some unknowns) there was no hard sell of any extra service.
- MP
Michael Pender
May 2026 · dryer
I had my dryer repaired today and was very satisfied with the service. The technician arrived right on time and brought the necessary parts to complete the repair immediately. The parts and labor fees were both reasonable and I don't…I had my dryer repaired today and was very satisfied with the service. The technician arrived right on time and brought the necessary parts to complete the repair immediately. The parts and labor fees were both reasonable and I don't have to buy a new dryer now.
- DU
Dorian Ugarte Arce
February 2026 · dryer
My dryer suddenly stopped producing heat, and I thought it was done for. FixDaddy proved me wrong. The tech was friendly, efficient, and clearly experienced. He fixed the issue, cleaned up after himself, and gave helpful maintenance tips. Excellent appliance repair company.
- SD
Stuart Dornfeld
August 2026 · gas stove
The is my 2nd time using FixDaddy. The first time was to repair my LG washing machine. This time it was to repair my Creda gas stove. Scheduling was easy. They showed up on time. Provided excellent service. I will use them again.
5.0109 reviews
Every review on this page is copied from our public Google profile, word for word.
Guides
Dryer guides: what to check before you call
Some of these will save you the visit.
Dryer
Dryer Not Heating? Here Are the Most Common Causes
A dryer that tumbles but produces no heat is one of the most common appliance problems. Your clothes come out just as wet as they went in — or barely damp after a long cycle. The good news is…
Read the guideDryer
Dryer Taking Too Long to Dry Clothes? 6 Reasons Why
When a load of laundry takes two full cycles to dry — or comes out still damp after 60+ minutes — something is wrong. Extended drying times waste energy, wear out your dryer faster, and signal…
Read the guideDryer
How to Clean Your Dryer Vent (And Why It Matters)
Cleaning your dryer vent is one of the most important — and most overlooked — home maintenance tasks. A clogged dryer vent doesn't just slow your drying. It's a leading cause of house fires.…
Read the guide
FAQ
Dryer repair: frequently asked questions
Why does my dryer run but not heat?
On an electric dryer it is usually one of four things: a blown thermal fuse, a burned-out heating element, a tripped thermostat, or half of the 240-volt supply gone dead, which lets the motor run while the heater sits cold. On a gas dryer it is the valve coils, the igniter or the flame sensor. Our visit fee is $89. The technician finds exactly what's wrong and gives you the full repair price at your home, and if you go ahead the $89 counts toward the repair.
My dryer is old. Is it still worth repairing?
InterNACHI's life-expectancy chart puts a clothes dryer at about 13 years, but the fault matters more than the birthday. A belt, a fuse, rollers or an element on an older dryer is a normal repair. A motor or control board on a dryer near the end of that span is where we talk it through with you honestly. Either way you hear the full price at the visit and decide then.
Do you do dryer vent cleaning, or do I need someone else for that?
Yes. We do dryer vent cleaning as well as dryer repair, so you do not need a second company. On a repair visit we also clear the lint out of the dryer itself: the blower, the heater box, the base and the connection behind the machine. If the vent is the real reason your dryer runs cold or needs two cycles, we clean it rather than just replace a fuse that would blow again. Long runs are the rule where the laundry sits in the middle of an older rowhouse, a familiar part of appliance repair in Alexandria.
Can you work on a stacked dryer or a laundry center in a closet?
Yes. Most stacked units and one-piece laundry centers can be serviced where they stand, and some need to be pulled forward for access. Tell us on the phone that it is stacked and what brand it is so the technician arrives ready for it.
Do I still pay the $89 if I decide not to repair?
Yes. The $89 covers the trip and the diagnosis, and it is charged on every visit. If you go ahead with the repair it counts toward the repair price, so you are not paying for the diagnosis twice. The repair itself carries a 90-day warranty on parts and labor.
How long does a dryer repair take?
Most dryer repairs are finished in one visit when the part is on the truck, and the common dryer parts are. If your model needs a part we do not carry, we order it and the technician comes back to fit it. Payment is on completion, with the invoice by email or text.
Do you repair ventless and heat-pump dryers?
Yes. Condenser and heat-pump dryers are common in condos across the area because they need no outside vent, which makes them a regular part of appliance repair in Arlington. The faults are different from a vented dryer: lint in the condenser, a failed condensate pump, a blocked drain path. We work on them, and every repair has a 90-day warranty.
Near you
Dryer repair, town by town
- Dryer repair in Alexandria Northern Virginia
- Dryer repair in Arlington Northern Virginia
- Dryer repair in Bethesda Maryland
- Appliance repair in Annandale Northern Virginia
- Appliance repair in Ashburn Northern Virginia
- Appliance repair in Burke Northern Virginia
- Appliance repair in Centreville Northern Virginia
- Appliance repair in Chantilly Northern Virginia
- Appliance repair in Chevy Chase Maryland
- Appliance repair in Fairfax Northern Virginia
- Appliance repair in Fairfax Station Northern Virginia
- Appliance repair in Falls Church Northern Virginia
- Appliance repair in Great Falls Northern Virginia
- Appliance repair in Herndon Northern Virginia
- Appliance repair in Leesburg Northern Virginia
Dryer not doing its job?
Someone answers now. The visit is $89, credited to the repair, and most days we are out the same day.