My 6-year-old Kenmore Elite gas dryer isn't heating. I hear the gas come on, and light, but it doesn't sound like it used to -- it seems to die off quickly, not stay strong. It sounds weak, or something. We had the dryer serviced about 2 years ago because of a faulty control panel, but the control panel had been beeping constantly and wouldn't kick into the selected mode. The serviceman also adjusted the thermostat.

Lately it's seemed to take longer to dry the clothes, but as of yesterday, regardless of "High heat" setting or anything of the kind, the clothes are still sopping wet.

We have an unusually long dryer vent to the outside that hasn 't been cleaned in a few years, and I've scheduled that for this week as well as a Sears repairman to come out, but wanted to hear anyone's thoughts about what the problem might be.

Cleaning out the dryer vent and all air passages where lint can build is a good place to start.

Good place to start is cleaning the lint out (take bottom front cover off) & disassemble black cover inside (1 hex screw I believe) & vacumming out. But if that doesn't work, you should clean your temperature sensors. They get covered with fabric softener from the washer or dryer sheets. They are located inside the dryer. Open the door, look down on the inside (right below the grate where the lint goes in the lint screen). They look like (2) 4inch metal rods. Clean them gently with emery cloth.