What this usually means
A conventional vented dryer holds no water at all, so water on the floor beside one is either coming from the machine next to it, from condensation in a cold duct, or — on a condensing, heat-pump or steam model — from the water the machine genuinely handles. A full condensate tank or a blocked condenser filter on a condensing model is the first thing to suspect on a Criterion, because a value-tier build puts the cheap wearing parts — filters, hoses, seals, screens — in the path of everything the machine does, so they are where the fault usually is. Identifying the source and emptying a condensate tank are owner work; a blocked condensate pump or a leaking steam valve is not.
What you can see and hear
- Water pools under a condensing or heat-pump cabinet — That machine really does collect water, and its tank, filter or pump is the place to look.
- A steam model wets the drum or leaves water at the rear — The steam inlet line and its valve are a genuine water connection at the back of the cabinet.
- NEAR MISS — The laundry comes out wetter than it went in — That is not a leak; it is a drying fault and it belongs on the performance page.
The causes and their order
- A full condensate tank or a blocked condenser filter on a condensing model — First on this brand: a value-tier build puts the cheap wearing parts — filters, hoses, seals, screens — in the path of everything the machine does, so they are where the fault usually is. These machines collect the water they take out of the laundry; when the tank is full or the pump cannot lift it, it overflows into the cabinet.
- A steam inlet connection weeping at the rear — Second: A steam dryer has a real water supply, and its inlet hose and valve fail in exactly the way a washer inlet does.
- The washer, its drain hose or the standpipe next door — Third, and the last to suspect: A drain hose that lifts out of the standpipe during the pump-out, or a standpipe that backs up, puts water exactly where a dryer leak would appear. A store-brand unit is usually carried home and set up by the owner rather than by a delivery crew, and setup errors survive for years.
Where to start and what follows
- Pull the condensate tank and check the condenser filter — A tank that was already full and a matted condenser unit answer the question immediately. It leads because a value-tier build puts the cheap wearing parts — filters, hoses, seals, screens — in the path of everything the machine does, so they are where the fault usually is, so proving or clearing it immediately narrows everything below.
- Feel the inlet connection at the back with a dry tissue — A tissue shows a weep that a hand will miss, and it tells you whether the fault is at the tap, the hose or the valve.
- Dry the floor, run the washer alone and watch — This single test resolves most dryer leaks in one cycle and costs nothing.
What an owner can safely check
- Empty the tank and rinse the condenser filter — Rinse under a tap until water runs through it freely, drain it and refit it squarely — a filter refitted at an angle leaks past its seat.
About 15 min
- Close the tap to the dryer and check whether the leak stops — If closing the tap stops it, the fault is on the inlet side; if it does not, the water is coming from somewhere else entirely.
Tools: tissueAbout 10 min
- Stop here if the next move needs a meter on live terminals — That is where an owner check ends and a service call begins.
The hazards on this appliance
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Lint is the fire hazard here, and a dryer is never run with its vent disconnected.
When this becomes a service call
Call once you have proven the water belongs to the dryer rather than its neighbour, and emptying the tank and cleaning the condenser filter have not stopped it — the pump, the sump and their seals are inside the cabinet.
Nearest pages of this class
What is deliberately not here
This page covers Criterion dryers as a class, not one family or model line. No family- or model-specific page exists beneath it yet; when one is published it will be linked here and it will outrank this page for a named model. Deliberately not here: wiring colours, resistance values, torque figures and part numbers, which differ between families.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
