Your dryer may be one of the most commonly used appliances in the house. So much so that if your dryer won’t heat, piles of laundry seem to appear in minutes. To keep the pileups to a minimum, we’ll discuss some common causes for a Samsung dryer not drying from a clogged vent to a defective heating element.

Believe it or not, the most common causes for a dryer not heating, Samsung or otherwise, don’t always involve a repair. Our Samsung dryer troubleshooting is universal to all dryers and can start with changing your dryer practices.

One of the most common causes for a Samsung dryer not drying clothes sufficiently is a clogged vent.  The dryer’s vent system enables moist air from wet clothes to escape outside the house.

Though cleaning the lint filter after each drying cycle helps prevent clogs, lint and debris can still find their way through the vent. When this happens, moist air isn’t able to escape, and items remain wet at the end of a cycle.

To help diagnose a clogged vent, some Samsung dryers have a vent blockage test that can be run from the control panel. You can also test for a blocked vent by disconnecting the vent and running the dryer for 30 seconds.

If the dryer drum is hot, you likely have a vent clog. We recommend cleaning your dryer vent 1-2 times a year to prevent blockages.

A sign that you’re guilty of overloading is if your pile of wet laundry reaches close to the top of the dryer drum. When filled to this capacity, the dryer’s heated air won’t adequately circulate and clothes can be left damp at the end of a cycle.

You can refer to your owner’s manual to specify your model dryer’s capacity. However, we suggest only filling your dryer ¾ of the way to allow for the proper circulation of hot air. Separate large loads into two smaller ones to speed up drying times.

Sometimes a Samsung dryer not drying really is due to a malfunctioning component, most commonly a blown thermal fuse. We’ll break down what this component does and how to diagnose a problem below:

What it is : a dryer’s thermal fuse is a protective feature that trips if the dryer is in danger of overheating. This protects against dangerous dryer fires as well as motor malfunctions.

What causes it : If a thermal fuse has blown and the dryer isn’t overheating, the fuse has likely malfunctioned.

How to diagnose : To determine if a thermal fuse is faulty, it needs to be tested for continuity with a multimeter.  The fuse can be accessed by unplugging the dryer, removing the rear panel, and locating it near the blower or heating element. If multimeter testing reveals no continuity, then the fuse needs to be replaced.

A common malfunction for an electric dryer not heating sufficiently can be a defective heating element. Here’s a rundown of the heating element’s function and how to determine when it goes wrong:

What it is : Electric dryers produce heat through wires that are enclosed in a metal coil. During a drying cycle, heat is produced when an electric current runs through these wires and heats the air inside the coil.

What causes it : Typically, a heating element can burn out over time. Other causes include a power surge or insufficient airflow inside the coil.

How to diagnose : Refer to your owner’s manual for the exact location of your dryer’s heating element. Unplug the dryer and examine the element for signs of damage. If multimeter testing demonstrates a lack of continuity, the heating element requires replacement.

If your Samsung dryer not drying continues or another dryer malfunction occurs, it may be time for a professional eye to have a look. Need a dryer repair expert? Look no further than the team at Reliable Appliance Service.