When a dryer tumbles but the clothes stay damp, most homeowners assume the heating element has burned out. In our service calls across the Houston area it is the vent line about three times out of four.
Why the vent fails first in this climate
Gulf Coast humidity makes lint pack more densely than it does in dry regions. A vent that would stay clear for two years in Arizona can restrict in one season here.
What a technician checks
Airflow is measured at the exhaust before any part is removed. If airflow is low, the element is rarely the cause — and replacing it would leave the real fault in place.