Condenser dryers do not need an outside vent. Instead, they cool the damp air inside the machine and collect the water in a tank or send it down a drain hose. That makes them a great fit for Calgary condos, apartments and basement suites where running a duct outside is not practical. It also adds a small water system that can go wrong.
If your tank fills too fast, does not fill at all, shows full when it is empty, or leaks onto the floor, the cause is usually one of a handful of parts: the pump, the float, the hoses or the tank itself. Here is how the system works, what each fault looks like, the brand codes to know, and what you can safely check.
How the water system works
As warm, damp air leaves the drum, it passes through a condenser where it cools and the moisture turns to water. That water drips into a sump at the bottom of the dryer. A small pump lifts it up to the removable tank, usually a drawer at the top or in the base, or out through a drain hose to a standpipe or sink. A float tells the control when the water level is too high. When the tank is full, the dryer stops and asks you to empty it.
Heat pump dryers use the same tank, pump and float arrangement. The difference is in how they cool the air, not in how they handle the water, so most of what follows applies to them too.
Common water tank problems
The tank fills every load
This is normal. A load of laundry holds a surprising amount of water, and a condenser dryer collects nearly all of it. Empty the tank after every cycle, or connect the drain hose so you do not have to. If the tank is full before the end of a single cycle, the clothes may be coming out of the washer too wet; a higher spin speed helps.
The tank stays empty but clothes are damp
If no water is reaching the tank, the pump may be failing or blocked, or the hose from the sump to the tank may be clogged with lint. Water then sits in the sump and the dryer cannot remove moisture properly. You may also hear the pump humming without moving water.
The tank warning shows when it is empty
This usually points to a stuck float or a float switch fault. Lint and residue can hold the float up in the sump, so the control believes the water level is high even after you empty the tank.
Water on the floor
Leaks often come from a tank that is not seated fully, a cracked tank, a drain hose that has slipped out of its standpipe, or a sump that has overflowed because the pump stopped working. A clogged condenser can also let water drip from the front of the machine.
Brand codes and quirks
Several brands report tank and drain problems with a code. Meanings can vary by model, so check your manual as well.
| Brand | Code | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bosch | E03 | Drain hose blocked or kinked | Straighten and clear the hose |
| Bosch | E01 / E02 | Lint filter blocked | Clean the filters |
| Asko | F1 | Tank full or pump / hoses blocked | Empty tank, check drain tube |
| Asko | F4 | Lint in the filter or condenser | Clean filter and condenser |
| Fisher & Paykel | Err2 | Condensate tank or pump fault | Book a technician |
- Bosch: our Bosch E01 to E03 guide covers the lint and drain codes, and the Bosch code list has the rest, including E12 for limescale in the heat pump.
- Asko: F1 and F4 depend on the model, so compare with the Asko code list.
- Blomberg and Marathon: compact condenser models from both brands use a similar tank, pump and float layout. If the tank warning will not clear after emptying, the float or pump is the usual suspect. See our Blomberg and Marathon pages.
Keeping the condenser and filters clean
Most water problems start with lint. Fine fibres that slip past the door filter end up in the condenser, the sump and the pump, where they mat together and block the water path.
After every load
Empty the tank and clean the door filter. Many models have a second filter in front of the condenser or in the base; clean that one too.
Every month or so
If your model has a removable condenser, take it out and rinse it in the tub with lukewarm water until the fins look clean. Let it drain before you slide it back in. Heat pump models usually have a sealed exchanger instead, with a foam or mesh filter in front of it that needs rinsing. Our post on ventless heat pump dryers that are not drying covers the airflow side of the story.
If you use a drain hose
Check it a couple of times a year for kinks behind the machine, especially after the dryer has been moved. Stacked units are prone to this because the hose is hard to see.
Protecting your floor and the unit below
A condenser dryer pulls several litres of water out of a full load. When that water escapes, it rarely stays put. In a condo or an upper-floor laundry closet, a slow leak can soak the subfloor and show up as a stain on a neighbour's ceiling before you notice anything in your own unit.
- Use a drain pan under the washer and dryer if your building allows one, ideally piped to a floor drain.
- Do not leave a cycle running while you are out if the dryer has leaked even once.
- Feel the floor beside the machine after a cycle. Warm, damp vinyl or swollen laminate edges are early warnings.
- Tell your building manager if water has reached the floor, so they can check below.
Many condo corporation bylaws also require that appliance leaks be repaired promptly, so it pays to deal with a drip early rather than wait for a full failure.
Safe checks before you call
Unplug the dryer before touching anything. Then:
- Empty the tank, rinse it, and slide it back until it seats fully. Look for cracks along the seams.
- If you use a drain hose, check it for kinks along its whole length and make sure the end is secure in the standpipe or sink.
- Clean the condenser or filters as your manual describes.
- Check under the dryer with a flashlight for standing water. Mop it up and note where it seems to come from.
- Plug back in, run a short cycle, and check whether water reaches the tank.
Do not tip the dryer to drain the sump or take the pump apart yourself. If the floor keeps getting wet, stop using the dryer to protect your flooring and any unit below.
When to call a technician
If the tank warning stays on, no water reaches the tank, or the leak keeps coming back, the pump, float switch or internal hoses need attention. That work means opening the cabinet, and on a stacked condenser unit often lifting the dryer off the washer. Call Fast Appliance Repair at (587) 779-6919. We repair condenser and heat pump dryers across the city and in Okotoks and Chestermere, with same-day service where we can, a flat diagnostic fee, a full quote before work starts, and a 90-day parts and labour warranty.