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Dryer Electric heating element: What It Does and Signs It's Failing

On electric dryers, the heating element is a coil of resistance wire in a metal heater housing, usually at the back of the dryer behind the drum. Air pulled through the housing heats up before it reaches the drum. Most run on 240 volts at roughly 5,000 to 5,500 watts.

How it works

Current through the coil makes it hot, and the blower pulls air across it. The control and thermostats switch it on and off to hold the temperature. Age, long hours of high heat and lint build-up eventually break the coil.

Signs it is failing

• Drum turns but the air stays cold
• Loads take far longer than usual
• Visible break in the coil
• Heat that stays on after the drum stops
• Heating code

No-heat codes can come from the element, but check both breakers, the thermal fuse and the vent first. With one breaker tripped, the drum can still turn but the heater gets no power.

Can you replace it yourself?

Turn both dryer breakers fully off and back on first, because one tripped side kills the heat but leaves the drum turning. Then unplug the dryer and take off the back panel to reach the heater housing. If the broken coil has shorted to the housing, the element can heat even with the dryer off, so keep it unplugged until the element is replaced.

Buying the right part

Match the element to your full model number. Some ship without the terminals, which you'd have to buy separately.

Error codes linked to the electric heating element

• F09 (long dry time)Loads are taking too long to dryGE
• nPNo power reaching the heaterLG
• hEHeating errorSamsung
• F4E1 / F4E2Heater system or heater relay faultWhirlpool

Last reviewed 2026-10-19.