Gas commercial dryers rely on an igniter to light the burner at the start of every heating cycle, and because that igniter fires dozens of times a day in a busy laundry operation, it's one of the components most prone to wearing out. When the igniter fails, the dryer typically still runs — the drum turns, the timer counts down — but no heat is produced because the gas burner never actually lights.
How to Tell the Igniter Has Failed
The most obvious sign is a dryer that tumbles normally but produces cold or barely warm air throughout the cycle. If you can safely observe the burner assembly, a failed igniter often won't glow at all when the dryer calls for heat, whereas a working igniter glows a visible orange-red before the gas valve opens.
Some commercial dryers will attempt to ignite a few times before giving up and locking out the heating cycle for safety, which can look like the dryer clicking or cycling briefly before settling into a no-heat pattern. This behaviour is a strong indicator that the igniter is either weak or has failed outright.
Why Igniters Fail
Igniters are typically made of a ceramic or silicon carbide element that heats up rapidly to ignite the gas, and that rapid heating and cooling on every single cycle causes gradual material fatigue. In commercial settings running many cycles a day, that fatigue accelerates dramatically compared to a home dryer used a few times a week. Physical damage from cleaning or maintenance work near the burner assembly, and voltage irregularities in the ignition circuit, can also shorten an igniter's working life.
Our Repair Approach
Because a no-heat gas dryer can point to several different faults — igniter, gas valve, flame sensor or control board — we test the ignition system as a sequence rather than assuming the igniter is guilty by default. We check for voltage reaching the igniter, confirm whether it's glowing and reaching the correct resistance, and verify the gas valve opens in response.
If the igniter itself has failed, we replace it with the correct part for your dryer's make and model — igniters vary significantly between manufacturers, and using a mismatched one is a common cause of a repair not lasting. We also inspect the flame sensor at the same time, since a dirty or faulty sensor can prevent the burner staying lit even with a perfectly good igniter, and the two faults often get confused.
A Note on Gas Safety
Any work on a gas dryer's ignition system involves handling live gas components, and we treat every igniter repair with the safety checks that come with that — confirming no gas leaks at connections, and testing that the burner shuts off properly when the cycle ends or the door opens.
Why Choose Washing Machines Tech
Our technicians are experienced with the gas ignition systems used across commercial dryer brands in Kenya, and we carry commonly needed igniters so most repairs are completed in a single visit. If a gas dryer at your property is running without producing heat, contact Washing Machines Tech for a same-day inspection — a faulty igniter is a quick, affordable fix once properly diagnosed.