Dryers are one of the appliances that provide more convenience and relaxation. Imagine the appliance responsible for drying your clothes is the same one responsible for the water puddle on your floor.
I can see how frustrating this can be; the water leak can cause a lot of damage to your dryer. Water and electricity don’t mix. We all know that; therefore, if you face this issue, you will have to stop using your dryer for your and the dryer’s safety.
However, you don’t have to worry because, in this article, I will discuss all the possible causes of why your dryer leaks water. As well as how to fix each cause and avoid it easily in the future.
Why is your Dryer Leaking Water?
The main issue behind the problem of your dryer leaking water is an issue with the ventilation exhaust. Whenever there is an issue with the ventilation exhaust, it results in condensation.
The consistent condensation forms a water puddle on your floor, so I will discuss the issues that can happen to your ventilation exhaust and how to fix them.
1- Blocked Ventilation
The ventilation system is responsible for distributing the warm air in your dryer; whenever there is a blockage in your ventilation, there will be leaking water.
In the drying process, the warm air flows through the drum in your dryer to dry the clothes; if the ventilation system is blocked, the warm air will condense and form water.
The first part of your dryer ventilation system is the ventilation hose. If the hose is kinked or something is stepping on it, it will block the airflow. Consequently, the warm air condenses.
If your dryer is from the models with a lint screen connected to the ventilation hose, the issue might be in it. The lint stray accompanied by fabrics and damp air can block the ventilation hose and prevent the warm air from flowing.
2- Ventilation Duct Not Insulated
The dryer exhaust duct is responsible for releasing warm air, so it must be insulated, especially in cold areas. If the ventilation duct is not insulated correctly, the warm air will condense or form ice around the exhaust duct.
When the ice around the dryer exhaust duct starts to melt, it will form a water puddle under your dryer on the floor; therefore, insulation of the exhaust duct is a must.
3- the Ventilation Duct Has Holes
If the ventilation duct has any holes, it can be why your dryer is leaking water. The damaged pipe will be the source of the condensation, and it will end up in your machine.
Any point in your ventilation as a contact point between warm air and the surrounding environment, like cracks and holes, can be a source of air condensation.
4- Faulty Vent Flap
The ventilation duct passes through your house wall and ends up on the other side of the wall. The duct side out of your house has a part called the dryer vent flap.
The dryer vent flap is designed to prevent anything from entering your ventilation duct, like snow, tree leaves, or water. The only job of the vent flap is to allow the warm air from your dryer to get out.
If the vent flap is faulty, it will stay open after letting the warm air out, allowing water to enter your ventilation duct. If the vent flap is faulty and doesn’t open, the warm air will be condensed inside the duct and end up in your dryer machine.
5- Leaky Condenser Dryer
The condenser dryer is considered a great alternative if there is no room or availability for an external duct. The condenser dryer consists of a container where the moisture is collected after being removed from the warm air.
So the container is used in the condenser dryer instead of the exhaust vent. If you are facing a leaking problem with your condenser dryer, it’s probably due to an issue in the condenser system.
The condenser tank could be responsible for the leakage, and the hoses or condensate pump might be damaged.
6- Vent Exhaust Located Indoors
The vent exhaust removes the warm air from your dryer, usually outside your door. If the vent exhaust is indoors, it can result in a water leaking problem.
The air from the vent exhaust will condense, forming a water puddle on the floor.
7- Ventilation Duct Bad Configuration
The condensation can build up in your ventilation duct if it’s poorly configured. You can tell if your ventilation duct has a lousy configuration or a lot of bends; it’s not straight or horizontal enough.
The material of your ventilation duct also plays a vital role in preventing the condensation issue; if your duct concealed part is made out of plastic ribbed ducting, it will help the condensation to build up.
The recommended material for the concealed part of your ventilation duct is aluminum, metal, or galvanized steel.
8- Defective Door Seal
The door seal is supposed to prevent the entrance of any cold air or water leaks out of the dryer. If you have a defective door, seal it to allow water out of your dryer.
Even if the dryer is not turned on, a small amount of water might be accumulated in the spaces in the dryer. When the door seal is not closing properly, the water will leak out of your dryer.
How to Stop a Dryer from Leaking Water
I have discussed every possible cause for the leaky dryer problem, so now I will guide you through the steps to fix each cause. I know it’s frustrating to find a water puddle every time you go into the laundry room, but after these steps, you get rid of this problem.
1- How to Fix a Blocked Ventilation?
It’s advised that you clean your dryer’s ventilation system at least once a year, decreasing the chances of your ventilation getting blocked.
To clean your dryer ventilation system, you must start by disconnecting your dryer. Then, remove the panel where the ventilation hose goes through.
Disconnect the ventilation hose and start cleaning it; you can use a vacuum extension or buy a dryer vent cleaning kit from any local hardware store.
If your model has a lint screen, clean it because it collects all fabric pieces. Therefore, after time it can get blocked by excess fabric and cause this leaking issue.
After you finish cleaning the dryer vent, you must reinstall the panel and the ventilation hose. When installing the ventilation hose, ensure it has no kinks or bends to avoid airflow blockage.
2- How to Fix a Ventilation Duct that is Not Insulated?
The best solution to this issue is to ensure your ventilation duct is insulated properly. You should call an expert or technician to help you insulate the duct.
If you notice ice forming around the ventilation duct, you can try warming the area around the duct. The warm air, when exposed to cold temperatures, will start condensing.
So, the right solution is to eliminate this cold temperature around the ventilation duct; this can happen if your duct is in the attic or the basement. You can hire an expert to help heat the walls around the ventilation duct and solve the problem of a leaky dryer.
3- How to Fix the Ventilation Duct Has Holes?
If you notice that your ventilation duct has holes, you will need to act immediately, as the holes will be a point of contact between the warm air in your duct and the surrounding environment.
If the holes in your ventilation duct are large, unfortunately, you will need to replace the whole duct because it can not be fixed.
The heavy-duty cooling and heating tape method can be a solution if the holes in the duct are small in size. However, if you notice that the water is still leaking, you will need to replace the ventilation duct.
4- How to Fix a Faulty Vent Flap?
The vent flap is supposed to open and close automatically, but if something is blocking its way, it will not function properly. Therefore, if you can access the vent flap, you will need to check if something is blocking it or causing it not to open.
If the vent flap way is clear and nothing prevents it from doing its job. Then, the vent flap is faulty, and unfortunately, the only suitable solution is to replace it.
5- How to Fix a Leaky Condenser Dryer?
A leaky condensation dryer means there is an issue in the condensing system, so you will need to check the condensing system step by step.
First, start by powering off the dryer and wiping any water around or underneath it to ensure dryer safety. Grab your user manual and check if you can access the filter inside the machine.
If you have access check the filter to ensure it’s not blocked, next step is to check the tank in the condenser. You have to look for if the tank is overflowing or if there is a crack in the tank that is the source of the leakage.
The next part to check is the piping and the pump; if there is any damage, see if you can fix it. If the damage is irreparable, you must replace the damaged parts.
Notice that you must also check the piping between the tank and the condensation pump. There might be holes or something blocking the piping, which causes the tank to overflow.
The condensation tank must be upright; the bit’s tilted, which can result in water leakage inside the dryer. It’s recommended that the dryer be adjusted to allow the water to drip into the condensation tank; you can do this by adjusting the front feet.
6- How to Fix a Vent Exhaust Located Indoors?
Well, this fix depends on the available space in your household. If you relocate the vent exhaust outside your door, it will solve the issue.
If you cannot change the location of the vent exhaust, you can try warming up the area around the vent exhaust to decrease the chance of warm air condensing.
7- How to Fix a Ventilation Duct Bad Configuration?
It has a lousy configuration if your ventilation duct has too many twists and bends. Because as I discussed earlier that the bends could serve as collection points for the lint and air condensation.
Therefore, you must ensure that your ventilation duct is straight and fixed in a horizontal position. The maximum length for dryer ducts is 25 feet; this includes any bends or elbows if there are any.
The elbows installed in your ventilation duct must be calculated in your duct length. For example, if the elbow has a 45-degree bending, it should be calculated as 2.5 feet; meanwhile, if the elbow has a 90-degree bending, it should be calculated as 5 feet.
If your ventilation duct is too short or is not 25 feet, the solution here is to make a hole in the duct at the point it leaves your house. Then, install a drainage system to collect the condensed air.
8- How to Fix a Defective Door Seal?
If your dryer door seal is defective, you will need to replace it, don’t worry; it’s an easy process; you can do it yourself. Kindly follow the following steps:
- Check if your seal can be removed without taking down the door.
- Disconnect your dryer from the electrical outlet for your safety.
- Inspect the seal to determine how it’s mounted. The seal could be installed into a continuous channel or using rubber hooks.
- Remove the seal after determining the way the seal is inserted. Pull the seal gently to avoid tearing it because it will be a problem while installing the new seal.
- Start installing the new seal after you have eradicated the old seal. The seal can be installed in one of two ways: hooks or seaming into the channel or the slots.
- Reinstall the dryer door if you have taken it down in the beginning.
- Reconnect your dryer, and you have successfully finished.
A helpful tip when removing the sealing and it gets torn, you can use small needle-nosed pliers to remove any stuck seal parts. When buying the new seal, it’s recommended to purchase the seal suitable for your dryer model and make it to ensure efficiency.