Should you repair or replace your dryer?
Updated August 2026
← Every repair-or-replace call
Repairing a dryer wins in almost every case under 10 years, because the parts that fail most cost $50–350 while a new machine runs $600–1,300. A burned-out heating element is $150–300 installed, a thermal fuse $50–150, and a belt, roller, or gas igniter lands in the same territory. Measured against a dryer's 10–13 year service life, none of those are close calls. What changes the answer is a drum, bearing, or rear-seal failure on an older machine, since reaching those parts is deep labor on a unit that owes you nothing. Whichever way you go, clear the vent first: a packed duct is what burns out elements and starts fires.
The short version
A dryer is a motor, a belt, a heat source, and a thermostat, which is why the repair side stays strong for so long. Through year 10, swap the element, fuse, thermostat, belt, or igniter and expect several more years of drying; a $200 fix on a $900 appliance barely needs thinking about. From year 11 the 50% rule starts to bite, and any quote over roughly $300–650 on a machine that age is money into a finished dryer. Bearings, a cracked drum, and a failed rear seal are the classic triggers, because the labor to reach them can run several times the part. Two habits decide which side of that line you land on. Lint restricts airflow and cooks elements, and cramming the drum strains the belt and bearings, which is the quiet way an overloaded dryer loses years off its life.
Your situation, decided
| Situation | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| No heat, blown thermal fuse or heating element, dryer under 10 years | Repair | A $50–300 part on a machine with years of drying left |
| Squealing from a worn belt, drum roller, or idler pulley | Repair | Ordinary wear parts at $100–250 installed |
| Gas dryer will not ignite, bad igniter or flame sensor | Repair | A $150–350 fix, far under half a $600–1,300 dryer |
| Drum bearings or rear seal failed, dryer past 10 years | Replace | Deep teardown labor on an old machine clears the 50% line |
| Cracked or rusted-through drum | Replace | The drum is the machine; a swap costs near a new dryer |
| Element burned out twice, vent never cleaned | Repair and clear the vent | The duct is the real fault; a new dryer fails the same way |
| Control board dead on a 12-year-old dryer | Replace | A $250–500 board on a machine past its 10–13 year life |
What each path costs
Repairs typically run $50–350; a replacement is $600–1,300 installed. A dryer lasts 10–13 years. Repair freely through year 10, since most faults are $50–350 parts; past 10, drum, bearing, or board failures clear the 50% line. Price your own number on the home maintenance cost calculator before you commit either way.
The repair-or-replace call is easy when you know the unit's age and service history. OnOtto keeps both, plus the maintenance that delays this decision for years.
Start your home's service log, freeFrequently asked questions
Is it worth replacing a heating element in an old dryer?
Up to about 10 years, yes, and without much debate. The element is $150–300 installed while the dryer costs $600–1,300 to replace, so the repair pays for itself in a season of laundry. Past 12 years the answer softens, especially if the drum already rumbles or the machine has eaten a control board. Before you spend either way, find out why the element died. Restricted airflow from a lint-packed duct overheats elements again and again, so an ignored vent will take out the new part too.
How do I tell a bad thermal fuse from a dead heating element?
Both look identical from the laundry room: the drum tumbles and the clothes stay cold. They are different bills, though. A thermal fuse is a one-shot safety device that opens when the dryer overheats, and it costs $50–150 to replace. An element fails from age and cycling and runs $150–300. A technician tests each for continuity in minutes. The follow-up matters more than the diagnosis. A blown fuse means the machine overheated, and the vent is the usual reason.
Which dryer repairs can I do myself?
More than most people expect. Thermal fuses, thermostats, belts, and drum rollers sit behind a handful of screws, and the parts run $20–120 from an appliance supplier against $150–350 for the same job with a service call. Unplug the dryer before you open it, and shut the gas valve on a gas model. Leave burner and gas valve work to a pro. The dryer maintenance checklist covers the cleaning that prevents most of these failures.
Should I replace the washer and dryer together?
Only if both are genuinely old. Laundry pairs get bought together but they rarely fail together, and an 11-year-old dryer with a sound drum can easily outlive a washer that has ground out its bearings. Buy as a set when you stack the units, switch from gas to electric, or move between 27-inch and compact sizes, because venting and dimensions have to line up. Otherwise replace the one that quit and keep the survivor running.