What To Do If Your Dryer’s Empty Water Light Stays On

If you have a condenser dryer, then there is probably a light that indicates when the dryer has been completely emptied of all water. It can be frustrating if this light turns on and won’t go away, in some cases, the light may stay on for several days, leaving you wondering what you should do next. 

There are several reasons why the empty water light may stay on even if the container is empty. One of the most likely causes is that there is a pump issue, meaning that the pump has been completely jammed by fluff. There could also be an issue with the float switch, depending on the type of dryer you have. You need to take a closer look at the appliance to figure out what is going wrong with it. 

If you are able to figure out what is wrong with the empty water light, you may be able to get your dryer working again without spending a lot of money. What do you need to do if you want to solve this problem? Learn more below! 

Clean the Lint Trap To Avoid a Jammed Pump

There is a pump that is responsible for removing water from the dryer. If the pump is not working properly, then the likely cause is that it has been jammed by a lot of fluff. If there is a lot of fluff in the pump, water is not going to be able to get through. Furthermore, if there is fluff present in the pump, then the empty water light may stay on even if the dryer is empty. 

One of the ways to prevent lint from clogging the pump is to clean the lint trap regularly. You need to clean the limp out of the trap because otherwise, the lint is going to cause a dryer to overheat. Lint can permeate throughout your entire dryer, clogging the pump. Furthermore, the lint could even cause your dryer to catch fire.

If you keep the pump as clean as possible, you can prevent the light from staying on incorrectly. What do you need to do if you want to take a closer look at the pump?

Steps To Follow To Clean Out the Pump

There are several steps you need to follow if you want to clean out the pump. These include: 

Step 1: Unplug the Appliance

Before you start to work on any part of your dryer, you need to unplug the appliance. This is an important safety measure, and it can prevent disasters from happening. You do not want your dryer to turn on while you are working on it, and you do not want to accidentally hit a wire that has power to it.

Remember that your dryer is heavy, and you may need to move it to access the plug. If you feel like you will have to stress yourself to access the plug behind the dryer, then you need to ask for someone else to help you move the dryer. That way, you do not hurt yourself in the process. 

Step 2: Remove the Rear Panel To Access the Hoses

Every dryer is different, and there is a chance you may have to remove the rear panel to access the hoses and the pump. You should take a look at the manual to see what you have to do to remove the rear panel of your dryer.

There is a good chance you will need a screwdriver to remove the rear panel. Therefore, you should have one handy. If you do remove screws to access the rear panel, make sure you put them in an area you will not lose them. You will have to put the rear panel back in place when you are done.

Step 3: Remove and Clean the Hoses

After you have removed the rear panel, you should access the hoses. There should be multiple hoses that are supplying the dryer. You may have to remove the clips in order to remove the hoses. 

To completely clean the hoses, you may want to use a vacuum. Consider using a vacuum or a blower to remove any dust and debris from the hoses. You may even want to use a soft microfiber cloth to clean out the inside when you have removed all the bigger junk. If your hoses are particularly clogged, you may want to use an auger to help you remove some debris. 

Step 4: Remove and Clean the Pump

Next, you will want to remove the pump as well. You should take a look at the manual to figure out which of the items you are looking at is the pump. Once you remove the pump, you will have an easier time cleaning it.

Take a look at the pump carefully to see what type of debris you notice. This could help you figure out why the pump has gotten clogged. Again, you may want to use a vacuum, an auger, or a microfiber to clean off the pump depending on what it looks like. You need to be thorough because you want the pump to work properly when you put it back in place. 

Before you finish, you should take a look at the pump reservoir as well. Make sure this is clean and functional before you move on. 

Step 5: Check the Float Switch

After this, you will want to take a look at the float switch. There is a chance that the empty water light might be staying on because the float switch is stuck. The float switch is responsible for telling the dryer if there is still water present. If the float switch has gotten stuck, then it may be stuck at a higher level, causing the dryer to think there is still water present. 

If the float switch is stuck, you will need to use a cleaning solution to get it unstuck again. You should take a look at the manual to make sure you will not damage the float switch during the process. Every dryer is different. 

Step 6: Take Off the Front Panel

Next, you will want to take off the front panel as well. There are usually two screws on top of the front panel. You will need to unscrew them to free the panel. After this, you should lift the front panel up and out to get take over the catches. This will help you access the condenser, which is usually located at the front of the dryer. 

Step 7: Clean the Condenser

Finally, you should clean the condenser thoroughly. The condenser is responsible for regulating the amount of water that is present in the dryer. If the condenser is clogged, it is not going to work properly.

You will have an easier time cleaning a condenser if you can take it out. You should reach into the condenser chamber as far as you can. Then, pull out any lint that might be present. This lint can be a serious problem, preventing the condenser chamber from working properly. 

After you have finished all of these steps, you should work the steps in reverse and put the appliance back together. Then, you should test the appliance to see if it works properly.

Because there are a lot of steps you need to follow, you may have a difficult time accomplishing some of them. Remember that you don’t necessarily have to go through all of this on your own. You may want to reach out to a professional who can help you. 

Should I Replace Any Parts That Are Not Working?

During this process, you are going to test a wide variety of parts. Therefore, you may be wondering if you need to replace any of the parts that are not working. It is true that you may have to replace none of the parts if you want your dryer to start working. On the other hand, this is not always worth it.

If you think you have a few parts that are not working properly, you should reach out to a professional who can assist you. A professional may be able to help you figure out which parts you need to replace. Then, he or she might be able to help you figure out if it is worth it to replace those parts or to replace the dryer entirely.

How Do I Prevent the Float Switch from Getting Stuck? 

If you want to prevent the float switch from getting stuck, there are several tips you should follow. First, always clean out the lint trap when you are done with the load. That way, you don’t have to worry about lint traveling throughout your dryer, causing a bunch of work to get stuff. 

Second, you should try to limit the amount of fabric softener you use. Fabric softener has a lot of oils present. This oil can get stuck to the float switch, causing it to malfunction. If you can limit the amount of fabric softener you use, you may have an easier time keeping the float switch functional. 

Make Sure The Pump Is Functional

Ultimately, there are a number of reasons why the empty water light might be on. Of course, it is entirely possible that there is still water present in the dryer. You should make sure the chamber is empty.

If you are sure the chamber is empty, then there is a chance the pump might be clogged by a bunch of lint. You should disassemble the dryer and take a look at the pump to see if there is anything in the pump. Then, make sure you remove all lint from the pump. 

If you are concerned that one or more of the parts might not be working properly, you should reach out to a professional who can help you figure out if it is worth it to replace the parts or the entire dryer. If you clean out the lint trap after every load, you can reduce clogging and jamming in the dryer.