HC: Heater / high-temp error (hE)
- Heating Element
- Thermistor
- Restricted Vent
- Thermostat
The Tools to Test + Fix With
You don't need a shop full of tools — you need these. The multimeter is the one that pays for itself the first time it stops you buying the wrong part on a fault code.
Digital multimeter
Test a suspect part for continuity BEFORE you buy — the single best way to avoid replacing the wrong thing on a fault code.
🔎 On Amazon →Nut driver set (¼" + 5⁄16")
Most appliance panels are held on with ¼" and 5⁄16" hex screws.
🔎 On Amazon →Screwdriver set (Phillips/flat/Torx)
Covers the odd panel screw and the Torx fasteners many brands use.
🔎 On Amazon →The Fix — Free Checks First, Then the Part
Work top-down: the free checks before you spend a dime, and test to confirm the part is actually bad before you buy. When it is a part, you get both options — the genuine OEM part sourced through us and shipped to your door, or a budget aftermarket part on Amazon. Your call.
No part — clear the lint screen & vent
A packed lint screen or blocked vent traps heat and trips HC. Clean the screen and the whole duct run to the exterior flap. The #1 free fix.
✅ No part needed — try this firstThermistor (temp sensor)
If airflow's clear but it still faults hot. A cheap sensor swap — test with a multimeter first.
Heating element
If it overheats/underheats and the thermistor checks out. Match your model.
Prices shown are typical aftermarket ranges and vary by brand and model — genuine OEM is priced by quote when you request it. Amazon links open a search so you can match your exact model number; as an Amazon Associate, Appliance Ant may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Always confirm the part fits your model.
Safe to Try · Know the Risk · Call a Pro
General guidance, not professional advice. Always unplug the appliance (or shut off the gas/water) before you check anything. If it feels beyond you, that's exactly when to get a pro.
✅ Safe to try yourself
- Clean the lint screen every load, and clear the full vent duct to the outside flap.
- Feel the exterior vent flap during a cycle — weak/no airflow means a blockage.
- Give the dryer room to breathe; don't push it tight to the wall crushing the vent.
⚠️ Doable — know the risk
- Thermistor or heating element replacement — moderate; UNPLUG the dryer (240V) and open the cabinet.
🛑 Call a pro — don't touch this
- The 240V wiring/terminal block, or a control board not reading the sensor.
The Honest Call
Worth it — the free vent clean fixes many HC codes, and the thermistor/element are $15–90 versus $500+ for a new dryer.
In Middle Tennessee or Louisiana?
Don't want to DIY it? Our own family of technicians will come clear that HC for you — honest flat pricing, usually same-day, 4.5★ from 1,000+ neighbors.
🔧 Get it fixed by our techs →