Leaking Iron Followup: Mystery Finally Solved!!!

Nearly two years ago, I reported that I had a lot of problems with leaking irons. After ironing a couple items, the iron would leak large amounts of water right from the holes. There would be so much water that the water penetrated the ironing board cover and would get the article wet whenever I moved it to iron a new area. I lost track of how many different irons I tried but was unable to find one that did not leak. It was a nightmare. And I finally gave up and stopped using steam altogether, assuming that some change had occurred in iron production that was causing the problem--- though I had no idea what it might have been.

At first, I dampened the clothes before ironing. Then later I switched to just spraying most of them with a spray bottle. And then a really weird thing happened. Even though I had dried the steam iron out completely, it was still leaking! I even accused my family of pouring water into the iron! No matter what I did I could not get the iron to stop leaking, even though I was not putting any water in it at all.

And then after many months, I started sewing again (I had been quite ill for a year) and I used a different ironing board (it's a Polder) for sewing. The ironing board I had previously been using was one of those shorter ones mounted in the wall in my laundry room. It's one of those pull-down types in a flat cupboard that came with the house. I had never given any thought at all to the ironing board. Well guess what..... I had no leaking problems when I used the Polder. I was shocked to say the least. I tested it out for a few days, poured water back into the iron to use steam, and even tried my other two irons. And none of them leaked whatsoever.

Then I inspected the ironing boards and discovered that the Polder is a kind of very strong mesh with more holes than structure really. Taking apart the laundry room board (Nutone), I discovered that it is nearly solid enameled steel with just a few small scattered holes.... and I mean just a few! This is speculation but I am guessing that with the Nutone, the steam generated by any dampened article was somehow getting trapped back up in the iron (and then condensing) because too much of the board was solid steel and it was impossible for the steam to penetrate the fabric and board. Since I switched over to the Polder, I've never had another problem. The steam just shoots right through the fabric and then the board. Sorry this was so long but I wanted to give the details in case anyone else ever has this hugely aggravating and mysterious problem.

Phae

Reply to
Phaedrine
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Thanks for the report about the iron that wasn't leaky or leaking and hadn't leaked. (vts for future searchers)

I had a drying rack that sliced holed in clothes, only sometimes. But I chopped it up and threw it out.

Reply to
cycjec

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