How often should you replace a dryer?
Updated July 2026
Plan on a new clothes dryer roughly every 10–13 years, though a well-kept unit with a clean vent can push past that. Before you shop, rule out the impostor: a dryer that suddenly takes two or three cycles to dry a load almost always has a clogged vent, not a dead machine, and clearing the duct restores it for nothing (that is dryer-vent neglect, not a failing appliance). A genuine replacement, gas or electric, runs $600–1,300 installed.
What changes the interval
| Your situation | Interval | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Standard vented dryer, average use | 10–13 years | The typical service life with basic upkeep |
| Heating element or igniter failed | Repair if under ~8 years | A $50–200 element is worth it on a newer machine |
| Motor or drum bearing gone | Lean toward replace | Labor-heavy repairs approach half the cost of new |
| Control board fried on a 10-year unit | Replace the dryer | A $200–400 board rarely pencils out on an old machine |
| Heat-pump / ventless dryer | 12–15 years | Fewer high-heat parts, but pricier repairs when they fail |
The cost of skipping it
What running one to failure costs: a dryer rarely dies dramatically, it just gets slow and hot, so the real bill is the wasted energy and the fire risk building in the vent while you keep feeding it loads. A worn machine that overheats can scorch clothes or trip its thermal fuse mid-cycle, and a heating element on its way out (a common no-heat cause) draws full power while drying nothing. Once repair quotes cross half the $600–1,300 price of a new unit on a dryer already near 10 years, replacement is the honest math.
How to do it (Replacement: half a day · pro delivery or DIY with a helper)
- Confirm it is really the dryer: clean the full vent and lint screen, then time a load. Fast again means the duct was the problem.
- Check the age on the model/serial plate; past 10 years, weigh any major repair against replacement.
- Apply the 50 percent rule: if a repair tops half the price of a comparable new dryer, buy new.
- Match the new unit to your hookup: electric needs a 240V outlet, gas needs a gas line plus a nearby standard outlet.
- Measure the doorway and closet, and confirm the venting direction (many models can vent left, right, down, or back).
- Buy a new smooth metal transition duct and a fresh clamp while you are back there; do not reuse old foil.
Knowing the interval is the easy half. OnOtto reminds you at the right interval, and it won't let you snooze it into next year. Tasks persist until they're done, and completing dryer replacements schedules the next one automatically.
Put this on autopilot, free for 30 daysFrequently asked questions
Is it worth repairing a dryer or should I just replace it?
Use age and the 50 percent rule. On a dryer under 8 years, cheap fixes like a $50–200 heating element, thermal fuse, or belt are clearly worth it. Past 10 years, a motor, drum bearing, or $200–400 control board usually is not, because you are pouring money into a machine near the end of its life. Match the repair estimate against the $600–1,300 cost of new and decide from there.
My dryer runs but won’t heat. Is it dead?
Usually not. No heat on a still-tumbling dryer points to a blown thermal fuse, a failed heating element (electric) or igniter (gas), or a tripped high-limit thermostat. Many of those are $20–200 parts, and the fuse in particular often blows because a clogged vent overheated the machine, so clean the duct as part of the fix or it happens again. Full breakdown in the cost of running a dryer that won't heat.
Do gas and electric dryers last the same amount of time?
Roughly, yes, both land in the 10–13 year range, but they fail differently. Gas dryers have an igniter and gas-valve coils that can go early, while electric units lose heating elements; gas costs a bit more up front and less to run. Whichever you have, the biggest lifespan factor is not the fuel, it is vent hygiene: an overworked, overheated dryer of either type dies young.
How do I make a new dryer last longer than the old one?
Clean the lint screen every load, have the full vent duct cleared once a year, and don't overload the drum (packed loads tumble poorly and strain the motor). Wash the lint screen with soap a few times a year to clear fabric-softener film, and keep the machine off the wall so the duct is not crushed. The dryer maintenance checklist has the full rhythm.