Why is my dryer leaking water? Expert advice and what you can do at home

Your dryer leaking water can seem like a worrying issue, especially as these appliances are designed to be able to handle it. The water can also cause problems in your home, potentially damaging floorboards, nearby furniture, appliances and electronics.

Leaking water is likely a sign of an internal fault or a problem with how your dryer is positioned. There's a chance you may be able to fix it yourself, but be careful when troubleshooting your dryer as you don't want to do more damage than good and make any tumble dryer mistakes.

Read on for some at-home steps you can take to fix your leaking dryer, and be sure to remind yourself of ways to make your dryer last longer to prevent issues like this from popping up in the future.

Why is my dryer leaking water?

We caught up with appliance, laundry and mechanical experts to find out all the possible reasons why a dryer might be leaking. Here's their expert advice, with tips on whether you can fix it yourself.

1. Blocked ventilation

'The most common culprit for a leaky dryer is a blocked ventilation system,' explains Jason Farrell, master technician from Mechanic's Diary.

'Your dryer needs to expel all that hot, humid air as it's drying your clothes. If the air can't escape properly through the vent because it's clogged up with lint, the moisture will start condensing inside the dryer and you've got a leak on your hands.'

It may seem like a tricky fix, but finally clearing out that blockage will feel so satisfying. Your dryer will work better than before and hopefully the leaking will have stopped.

'The fix is pretty simple: give your lint trap, vent duct, and vent a thorough cleaning to get that air flowing freely again,' Jason recommends. We have step-by-step guides on how to clean a dryer and how to clean a dryer vent – but really all you'll need is a vent cleaner, such as the Gobabo Dryer Vent Cleaning Kit at Amazon, that can attach to your vacuum cleaner.

2. Duct faults and insulation issues

Another possible cause could come from problems within the vent ducts. Take a close look at your dryer's vent ducts and see if you can spot any faults. 'Any holes, cracks, or loose connections provide an easy escape route for condensation,' explains Jason.

'Insulating a cold duct is also key to keep that moisture from building up in the first place. And for those of you with condenser dryers, don't forget to empty out that condensate tank frequently and check it for damage,' he adds.

3. The dryer isn't level

Sometimes the issue isn't a case of technical faults or broken ducts, it can be as simple as your dryer not sitting level on your floor, causing water to escape from unexpected places.

Ian Palmer-Smith, appliance repair expert at Domestic & General, confirms this: 'If a tumble dryer is at even a slight angle, this can cause issues with the functioning.'

As dryer machines are so powerful, over time they tend to move, so even if yours was installed perfectly level, its position may now be altered. All you need to fix is a level tool to check and to move your machine if necessary.

4. Overloaded with wet items

Although they're designed to handle loads straight from the washing machine, dryers can only handle so much moisture.

'If you're putting laundry in that's too wet, chances are water might leak out of the appliance. Remember to only put items in the dryer that have completed a spin cycle in your washing machine,' says Punteha van Terheyden, Homes & Gardens' head of solved.

If you've explored all these steps but still are having issues with your dryer leaking water, it's always best to call a technician. Not all issues can be easily located, and you don't want to run the risk of causing more problems with your machine.

In the meantime, remind yourself of the benefits of air drying your laundry. You'll save on energy and won't have to deal with technical issues like these.