Nothing upsets more than a Whirlpool Duet dryer not heating. That means the appliance can’t get your clothes dry, and a dryer that can’t do that fails in its only job.
Generally, a Whirlpool Duet dryer won’t heat up because of a power supply, temperature setting, laundry loading, airflow, or heating component issue.
If any of the five issues affect your duet dryer, the dryer won’t get hot. In the long run, it’ll fail to dry your clothes.
Note that there are several considerations under each issue which I’ll help you check and fix. So, even if you’re not that handy, you can try to troubleshoot your non-heating duet dryer and save money.
Some of these fixes may require you to take down a dryer panel. So you should have your toolbox ready, especially the screwdriver set.
Let’s jump in!
In a hurry? Below is a quick troubleshooting guide for a Whirlpool Duet dryer that won’t get hot.
Troubleshooting A Whirlpool Duet Dryer Not Heating – Quick Guide
| – | Likely Issue | What to Check (Likely Cause) | Recommended Fix |
| 1. | Power Supply Issue | Power blackout, use of an extension cord, dryer off, loose or damaged power cord, tripped breaker, or defective power outlet | Ensure there’s power, plug into the wall socket (not the extension cord), turn on the dryer, and firmly plug in a working power cord. Reset a tripped breaker and ensure the power outlet is working. |
| 2. | Temperature Setting Issue | Less Dry, Delicates, Fluff, Wrinkle Control | Select the correct dryer setting to match the laundry |
| 3. | Laundry Loading Issue | Overloaded or dripping wet laundry | Only fill up the dryer to ¾ full and wring out the excess water or run the drain/spin cycle on a washer before transfer to the dryer |
| 4. | Airflow Issue | Dirty lint trap or blocked dryer vent | Clean the lint trap and dryer vent. And if the vent is kinked, stretch it out, and if it’s collapsed, replace it |
| 5. | Heating Component Issue | The burnt heating element or defective gas valve (solenoid), igniter, or flame sensor | Replace the faulty heating component |
But Why Is My Whirlpool Duet Dryer Not Heating Up?
Your Whirlpool Duet dryer isn’t getting hot due to one of the five issues discussed below:
1. Power Supply Issue
Don’t expect your Whirlpool Duet dryer to get hot and dry clothes without power. So, naturally, this comes as the first check.
Electric Whirlpool Duet Dryer Not Heating – No Power
For a non-heating electric Whirlpool Duet dryer, consider checking these power supply issues:
- Power blackout – The dryer and every other appliance and light fixture won’t work without power. So, first, check if there’s power.
- Extension cord – An extension cord does not allow maximum power delivery to the dryer. So, it could disrupt the dryer’s power supply.
- Dryer not turned on – Your duet dryer won’t turn on until you press the power/start switch, and you may need to hold it for about 3 seconds.
- Loose or damaged power cable – If the power cord is loosely plugged in or damaged, it’ll not deliver enough power to the dryer, and then the dryer will fail to power up.
- Tripped breaker – During a power surge, the circuit breaker trips off to protect the dryer. In the end, that cuts off the dryer’s power supply.
- Blown thermal fuse – The thermal fuse in the blower housing is a safety feature that protects the dryer from overheating. It blows up and cuts off the dryer motor power supply when there’s a power surge, so the dryer doesn’t run.
- Defective power outlet – The dryer won’t run if the power outlet is blown up or under voltage (under 240v).
Fix
First, check if there’s a power blackout. If there’s, wait for the power restoration before starting your dryer. If you are using an extension cord, plug the dryer out and plug it into the wall socket and turn it on.
Ensure the power cable is neither loose nor damaged. If it is the latter, replace it. And while at it, ensure the replacement cable is either 3-prong or 4-prong.
Reset the breaker if it’s tripped and replace a blown-up thermal fuse (if it won’t show continuity on a multimeter).
You can also use a multimeter to check if the power outlet is working (if it has continuity). Replace it if it doesn’t. Remember, the total power output by the outlet should be 240v. It won’t be enough to power the dryer if it’s less.
Whirlpool Duet Gas Dryer Not Heating – No Power
If a gas duet dryer won’t get hot because of a lack of power, the gas supply valve is likely off/closed. If so, the gas burner won’t get any gas to burn and produce heat.
Fix
Check the dryer’s gas valve and turn it on if it’s off.
2. Temperature Setting Issue (Low Heat or No-Heat Setting)
Your Whirlpool Duet dryer won’t heat if you select a no-heat setting, and its heat effect may be almost unfelt if it’s on a low heat setting. So, it’s essential to check the setting you are using.
Here are some low-heat and no-heat settings that could explain why your dryer won’t get hot:
- Fluff/No-Heat – This setting air dries the items in the dryer, thus best for heat-sensitive options like rubber and plastic.
- Less Dry/Delicates – This is a low-temperature setting for drying shrinkage-susceptible items like athletic wear and lightweight shirts. The low heat prevents shrinkage.
- Wrinkle Control – Wrinkle Control works the same way as Less Dry. It uses low heat to prevent shrinkage.
Fix
Don’t use Fluff, No-Heat, Less-Dry, or Wrinkle Control unless you are drying heat-sensitive or wrinkle-susceptible items. Instead, choose from the other available dryer cycles, such as:
- Normal/Regular (for medium-heat drying)
- Heavy Duty (for medium-heat drying of large loads)
- Bulky Items (for medium-heat drying of bulky items)
- Towels (for high-heat drying of towels, jeans, and other heavyweights)
3. Airflow issue
Good airflow is pivotal for the optimal drying performance of your duet dryer. If there is restricted airflow, the dryer won’t get hot and will fail to dry the clothes.
Here are some issues that could restrict the dryer’s airflow:
- Lint trap clogging – Lint builds up over time on the lint screen, enough to restrict airflow. If the hot air doesn’t go out, that stresses the dryer’s heating system and prevents it from heating properly.
- Dryer vent blockages – If the dryer vent has kinks, crushes (due to poor material), or accumulated lint clog, the dryer will have poor air circulation. So, it won’t heat up as it should.
Fix
If the lint screen is dirt-clogged, clean it. Do the same for a clogged dryer vent. And if the dryer vent has some pronounced kinks, stretch them out. However, consider replacing a crushed dryer vent, preferably with rigid metal.
4. Laundry Loading Issue
Sometimes the reason your duet dryer won’t dry has nothing to do with the dryer failing but with the laundry load. Here are the laundry loading issues that could stop the dryer from getting hot:
- Laundry overload – Ideally, the duet dryer, like every dryer, shouldn’t be more than 3⁄4 full. If it is, there won’t be proper airflow, which lengthens the dryer’s heating and drying time.
- Dripping wet laundry – If the clothes are dripping wet, there’ll be too much moisture in the dryer which may stop the dryer from getting hot.
Fix
Don’t load the dryer more than 3⁄4 to avoid an overload, which will restrict hot air circulation and prevent the wet laundry from turning.
In the meantime, ensure the clothes are not dripping wet when transferring them to the dryer. If soaking wet, run the drain or spin cycle to drain the extra moisture or wring them out by hand before loading them into the dryer.
5. Heating Component Issue
Lastly, the duet dryer may fail to heat because one of its heating components has failed. It, however, depends on whether it’s an electric or gas dryer.
For Electric Dryers – The Heating Element
The heating element’s job is to heat cold air entering the drum. Over time, the heating element wears out, making it susceptible to overheating and burning out.
A burnt heating element won’t heat the in-drum air, and that stops your duet dryer from getting hot.
Fix
Use a multimeter (continuity checker) to determine if the heating element is faulty. The absence of continuity proves that, and in such a case, replace the heating element.
For Gas Dryers
Regarding a gas-powered duet dryer, you should check multiple heating components. The priorities are, however, the following three:
- Gas valve (or solenoid) – The solenoid adjacent to the flame igniter allows gas to go through and ignite at the igniter. If it’s defective, the dryer won’t get hot.
- Igniter – The flame igniter located on the gas burner side ignites the gas in the dryer to enable it to get hot. Once defective, the igniter cannot ignite the gas, which stops the dryer from getting hot.
- Flame sensor – The flame sensor, which you’ll find near the flame igniter, senses when the flame igniter wants to ignite the burner. If it’s broken, the dust dryer won’t heat.
Fix
Use the multimeter to check if the flame sensor and igniter have continuity. If any of them doesn’t, replace it. But if they’re okay, and the gas dryer still won’t heat or heats intermittently, replace the solenoid.
Troubleshooting a Whirlpool Duet Dryer Not Heating After Power Outage
A power outage may result in two events that prevent the dryer from heating up. They include:
- Tripped-off breaker – The power breaker sometimes goes off during a power outage to protect the dryer when the power is restored, and there is a surge. If so, you’ll need to go to the breaker box and reset the breaker.
- Burnt fuse – The thermal fuse responds to a power surge by burning up in place of the dryer. A surge is likely to occur after an outage. You can tell a burnt fuse visually or using a multimeter (where it’s faulty when it lacks it).
People Also Ask
1. Why Is My Electric Whirlpool Duet Dryer Not Heating Up?
Your electric Whirlpool Duet dryer is not heating up because it lacks power, there’s poor airflow, the laundry load is soaking wet or too big, or due to a burnt heating element.
However, don’t forget to check the settings, as options like Fluff, Less Dry, and Wrinkle Control result in low or no heat.
2. How Do You Check the Heating Element On a Whirlpool Duet Dryer?
You can check a Whirlpool Duet dryer heating element using a multimeter. If the heating element is burnt, it won’t display any continuity. The effect is a non-heating duet dryer.
3. Why Is My Whirlpool Dryer Getting Hot Not Drying?
Your Whirlpool dryer might get hot but fail to dry clothes because of a wrong cycle, such as Timed Dry, which only allows the dryer to dry for some time. It could also be due to partial blockage of the lint screen or dryer vent.
4. How Do I Test My Whirlpool Duet Thermal Fuse?
You can test your Whirlpool Duet thermal fuse with a multimeter. Just probe the multimeter into the fuse and observe if it has electrical continuity. If it doesn’t, then that proves it’s defective.
Closing Remarks On a Whirlpool Duet Dryer Not Heating:
As shared, you must check five important issues when your Whirlpool Duet dryer won’t get hot. That includes ensuring the dryer has power, the correct cycle or setting is selected, the laundry is not overloaded or soaking wet, and good airflow.
Don’t forget to check heating components like the heating element (for electric options) and gas valve, igniter, and flame sensor (for gas-powered options). These components should be working for the dryer to get hot.
But still, you can put your Whirlpool Duet dryer on diagnostic mode to identify any hidden fault which could be stopping the dryer from heating – just in case you can’t find any through visual inspection.
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