Why do irons leak

The solenoid valve is an electric valve on certain steam irons which controls the passage of water or steam to the heating element. If the solenoid valve is defective, it lets water through instead of preventing this. This water will then run continuously through the soleplate's holes. To fix this issue, you can start by descaling the circuit and then testing your iron again. If nothing changes, you may need to consider replacing the solenoid valve.

The heating element and the water circuit linked to it make up the main part of your steam iron. Over time, the water circuit can end up with limescale in it, clogging up, breaking or overheating. If this is the case, your steam iron will end up leaking.

To avoid this issue, you should regularly descale your iron. If the heating element or its circuit are defective, you should replace them. If the control thermostat is defective, the metal part of your steam iron will leak water instead of releasing steam, and then water will run out of the soleplate.

In fact, when the thermostat is no longer working or isn't working properly, the iron will be unable to reach the temperature you have set it to. The temperature then stays too low to convert the water into steam. To check whether the thermostat is indeed the cause of the issue, increase the thermostat's setting to maximum and see if the water turns into steam. Use it as often as you want, only allow it to recharge for a few seconds between bursts to build up adequate pressure, or it will drip water that has not yet had enough time to heat and become wrinkle slaying steam.

If using the iron to vertical steam curtains or hanging garments, have the heat and steam setting all the way up and avoid direct contact between the fabric and the soleplate. Use the steam burst every 10 seconds.

The regular steam generated by the iron between bursts will also help soften creases and freshen up the material. Turn off the steam function on your iron when using it at lower temperatures. In some iron designs, the heat of the soleplate may not be sufficient to convert the water to steam and this could drip through the steam holes on your soleplate.

When ironing silk, water droplets can create watermarks on the fabric, so here especially, check the steam button is in the off position. Your irons heat setting should also be on low.

As an extra safety measure, use an ironing or pressing cloth as a barrier to catch any water that may still be in the system. Steam iron manufacturers advise against using distilled water alone as it can cause the iron to spit and leak.

This is because distilled water only converts to steam at higher temperatures. You just removed an item to compare! Your compare list is full! You only added 1 product. Please add more products to compare. Kitchen Appliances Fridges and Freezers. Cooking Appliances. Small Kitchen Appliances. Laundry Appliances Washing Machines.

Washer Dryers. Tumble Dryers. Built-in Cooking Appliances. Home Care Air Care. Vacuum Cleaners. About Us Product Reviews Partnerships. Find a Retailer. Need some inspiration? Make sure the water refill lid is closed properly Water may spill from the lid if it is not closed properly. Avoid overfilling the tank Overfilling the water tank might cause your iron to leak.

Check the temperature setting Your iron may leak or drip if the temperature is set too low. Steam generator irons are better if you have a lot of wrinkly laundry or large pieces of fabric like sheets. The appliances remove wrinkles faster and greatly reduce the hours that you normally waste on ironing!

But what makes these great little helpers go haywire? You need to investigate four things when your iron suddenly starts to leak. Okay, condensation is not really that dramatic. But when those tiny droplets appear, they could make you wonder if the iron is starting to malfunction somehow. As alarming as this appears, condensation is not the worst reason why your steam generator iron could be leaking.

Get all the tips you need on how to clean a steam generator iron. When condensation is the cause, the problem lies with how you store the steam generator iron. When the soleplate faces down the whole time, steam condensation will appear and you will notice drops of water on the base station.

To avoid steam condensation, always store your steam generator iron in a vertical position. It is truly as simple as that. The good news is that there is no damage to your appliance at all! If you have overfilled the steam generator iron, small drops of water can come out while you are ironing.