Is there always a puddle of water on the floor near your fridge? There may be several reasons your fridge is leaking water onto the floor. It may be something simple, or it can be something more complex.
Your fridge is leaking water onto the floor because it is sitting in a level position. The problem may also be a broken or clogged supply line, a clogged drain, or even a broken water filter. If you can’t figure out what’s wrong, and the owner’s manual does not help, consider calling a technician.
In this article, we will go over various things that may be causing your fridge to leak water onto the floor. We will also explain what you need to do to fix the leak, depending on its cause.
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It Is Sitting in a Level Position
Sometimes, a leak may happen because the fridge is sitting in a level position. If you are in a new home or moving your fridge to a new place and notice a leak, this may be the cause. Your fridge is not supposed to be sitting in a level position; in fact, it is best if the front is a bit higher up than the back. This way, coolant can drain.
If the fridge is in a level position, condensation will build up in the pipes. Since the fridge is in a level position, this condensation can not drain and has nowhere to go, which can cause a leak.
You can use a level to check if your fridge is completely level. If it is, you can raise the front of the fridge by unscrewing the front legs a few turns. Don’t remove the screws, of course. Just unscrew them a bit to slightly raise the front part of your fridge.
Blocked Defrost Drain
A blocked defrost drain is another top cause of a leaking fridge. The defrost drain can get blocked by ice or even food particles. When that happens, water will get backed up — the water from the defrost cycle will not drain and will instead end up on a puddle on the floor. You can simply unblock the drain by using hot water to flush out any ice particles or small food particles.
Another way to flush out the drain is to use a soapy water solution or a drain-unblocking solution that you can buy on Amazon. Drano Max Gel Drain Clog Dissolver is one such product you can use, but it is very acidic and can damage your fridge if you use too much, so be careful with it.
If that does not work, consider taking a metal hanger and making a snake to fish out any large food pieces that block the drain.
Broken or Wrong Water Filter
If your fridge has a water filter that is broken or installed incorrectly, it can cause a leak. The same applies if you installed the wrong water filter that does not fit your fridge, which can cause water to seep down from the water supply and eventually end up on your floor. If this is the case, installing a new water filter designed for the model will usually fix the problem.
Broken Water Supply
Of course, the problem might not even be the fridge itself but your water supply line. If you notice that the ice production in your fridge is not working properly, this also points to a water supply line problem. You may notice a leak from the water supply pipe that is in the back of your fridge.
There may be a few different water supply line problems. It might be clogged, causing a leak. Alternatively, it may be frozen, not allowing water to go through the pipe. In either case, a water buildup in the supply line can lead to a puddle on the floor.
Another problem may simply be a break or tear in the line, causing water to leak on the floor.
If the problem is with your water supply line, it is recommended to call a technician. A water supply line problem is already a more complicated problem and usually not one to fix yourself. A technician will pinpoint the problem and fix the water supply line so that it stops leaking water onto the floor.
If you decide to fix it yourself, buy a new pipe or tube if the problem is due to a broken pipe or a tear. If the problem is because the pipe is frozen, you can unplug your fridge and let it stand for a few hours without being plugged in, which will give the water in the supply line a chance to defrost. Once the water defrosts and the supply line is clear, you can plug your fridge back in.
Loose Ice Maker Pipes
Another common problem can be the pipes that connect to the ice maker. Like all other pipes and hoses, they may get broken and cracked. Alternatively, they may become loose, allowing water to drip onto the floor. You can replace broken pipes or fasten pipes that have become loose to stop the flood.
What to Do if You Can’t Figure Out the Problem
If you can not figure out what is wrong with your fridge, consider calling a professional technician. Various reasons may cause a leaking fridge, and the reason may not always be readily apparent, even if you have some experience dealing with fridges and repairing them. A technician will assess your fridge, figure out the problem, and stop the leak.
If you try to play around with your fridge, and you do not know what you are doing, you may end up breaking something or damaging your fridge.
Another thing you can try doing before calling a repair technician is to look at your owner’s manual. Your owner’s manual may mention some solutions, perhaps in the troubleshooting section.
Other Fridge Problems You Might Experience
Not Keeping Food Fresh
One of the most common problems fridges experience is an inability to keep food fresh or stay cool enough, which is usually due to a problem with the fan or condenser coils.
There may be dust or dirt on the coils, or there may be something blocking the evaporator fan, which is preventing hot air from escaping from the fridge. There may also be things on top of the fridge blocking the heat from escaping. If the heat can’t escape, the fridge will not be cold.
Not Working
If the fridge simply does not work, it may be a problem with the electrical system in your house. If your fridge is sharing a circuit with other appliances, there may not be enough electricity for both. Usually, you can fix this rather easily.
An electrician will be able to figure out what is wrong with your electrical system and/or install another circuit for your fridge so that it does not have to share a circuit with other appliances.
Going Through a Lot of Cycles
If it seems like your fridge is cycling all the time, dirty condenser coils may also be the source of this problem. If they are dirty, the fridge will have to work overtime to cool down your food.
Another reason for this can be if you set the temperature too low. That will also force the fridge to work too hard. If that is the case, simply raising the fridge’s temperature will help fix the problem.
Not Freezing
If the food you put in the freezer section is not freezing, it can be because the door is not closing all the way. There may be something blocking the door from closing. Alternatively, there may be a leak in the seal of the door. Resealing the door can help with this problem.
When Is It Time to Buy a New Fridge?
If you call a technician and they say that it is time to buy a new fridge, consider getting a new one. If you always have to call a technician frequently to fix problems with your fridge, whether that is a leak or the fact that your fridge is not working properly, it might be time to buy a new fridge as well.
You may also want to buy a fridge if it is more than ten years old. Fridges do not last forever, and buying a new fridge can help you save money over time, which is because new fridges are more energy-efficient and will help you conserve energy, thus reducing your gas bill.
Conclusion
As you can see, there may be many reasons your fridge is leaking onto the floor. Sometimes, you will be able to figure out what the problem is yourself and fix it without calling a professional.
At other times, it is best to call a professional to help you out. When you call a professional, you can be sure that they will fix the fridge entirely and that you won’t have to deal with this problem again.
