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Does a gas dryer have a heating element? Find out in this article..
Here is a question many people ask: Do gas dryers have heating elements?
And if not, how exactly do they dry clothes?
Well, here is your answer..
Do gas dryers have heating elements?
Short answer: Yes. Gas dryers have an ignitor- and it functions the same way a heating element does in an electric dryer- so it’s safe to say there’s a heating component in a gas dryer.
In short, just as the electric dryer uses heat to dry your clothes completely, a gas dryer uses heat-from the ignitor- to dry your clothes.
To be clear, the igniter glows white hot during the ignition process to light the gas.
Consequently, if the ignitor doesn’t glow or fails to get hot enough to light up the gas, the air in your dryer won’t heat up- and that means your clothes may come out damp.
Where is an igniter in a gas dryer?
Now, that you know that a gas dryer has an igniter, let us find out where the igniter (which acts as an electric heating element) is located in your dryer.
Now, for the most part, the igniter in your gas dryer is found on the side of the gas burner funnel.
If you have no clue what it looks like, below is its image…
Just know that there are both flat and round-style igniters so yours might be a bit different.
How the igniter works
When you put clothes in your gas dryer and start drying, an electric current flow through the gas dryer’s ignitor.
After the gas flows, the ignitor then produces heat to ignite a gas flame inside the burner assembly.
What follows after this is that the flame heats the air that then travels through the blower housing into the dryer drum and dries your clothes….
In a nutshell, the gas ignitor role is to light the gas burner-to heat your dryer- during the drying cycle.
Can the gas dryer igniter fail?
Just like other parts of a dryer, the igniter can also fail- and it does fail occasionally.
Below is how you can quickly tell if the ignitor in your dryer is bad (and it’s the reason why your dryer is acting up):
- Your dryer tumbles but won’t heat
- The flame goes out after initial light (after about 10 seconds) then the flame will come back on for around a few seconds then again go out and then come back on for some seconds – the pattern keeps on repeating
Remember: If the igniter won’t glow (or is not getting hot enough), the air(in your dryer) doesn’t subsequently heat up so you might be looking at a broken igniter.
How do you know if the ignitor in your gas dryer is faulty or not?
Use these simple steps to check the gas igniter in your dryer:
Peeking through a hole located in the back of your gas dryer
- On the timed dryer, select a high temp setting then start your dryer.
- Now observe the burner assembly by peeking through the hole to see if the ignitor is glowing (not immediately but shortly after you start the dryer).
Here is what you need to know: If the igniter is bad, it will not glow (or even spark) and there will not be heating in your dryer.
If this is the situation, you will need to replace it.
Shop gas dryer ignitor replacement part
Run a continuity test
An alternative way of telling if the part is defective is by performing a continuity test…
Here is how:
- First, you will have to disassemble the dryer.
- Then, using your gas dryer owner’s manual, locate the igniter then take it out.
- Using a multimeter, test for it for continuity.
Bear in mind that this test determines if a continuous electrical path is present in the igniter.
And if there is continuity, then the igniter should be functioning properly.
Otherwise, if you get no continuity(meaning the electrical path is broken), then the igniter could be burnt out.
Again, replacing it will be your only option.
Quick Tip: Be aware the ignitor is typically very fragile so you must handle it carefully when swapping it out.
How to replace the gas igniter in your gas dryer
- Unplug your gas dryer from power and disconnect the gas.
- From there, as hard as it might be, you will have to take the dryer apart (disassemble).
- Then, using the owner manual, locate where the igniter is.
- Now gently take it from your gas dryer.
- Next, install the new one
- After installing the ignitor (it is super easy to put in), reassemble the dryer.
That’s all!
Do gas dryers have heating elements? -FAQs
How much does it cost to replace an igniter on a dryer?
Between, buying a new gas dryer and replacing the igniter, replacing the igniter in your gas dryer is way more inexpensive.
You see, though having a technician replace it for you will set you back between $100 and $250 depending on the model, the part is pretty cheap (Prices start at about $20 on Amazon) so doing it yourself is significantly cheaper.
What would cause your gas dryer not to ignite?
If you do not see any flame, chances are it could be the solenoids (they may have failed), a problem with the gas line, or even gas valve coils.
Do gas dryers have heating elements? -Recap
Anytime you hear of an ignitor in a gas dryer, keep in mind that it is essentially a heating element.
Don’t forget that if your dryer is not heating, the culprit could be your gas dryer igniter –and replacing it is the best course of action, once you’re sure it has malfunctioned(you know how to test it).
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