Why Does My Refrigerator Leak Water?

If youve not experienced a leaky refrigerator, then its good to know why some refrigerators leak water, and the DIY procedure for fixing the problem. Nevertheless, you can call professionals from Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Pittsburgh if you think you dont have the time to implement the DIY procedure suggested in this article and for any type of plumbing services.

What causes the refrigerator to leak water?

There are various reasons why your refrigerator suddenly leaks water, and they include:

Wrong positioning of the refrigerator

If your refrigerator is wrongly positioned, the defrost water will not get to the drain, and it will flow from any available opening.

Clogged Drain

The primary function of the drain hole is to redirect or control the defrost water to prevent it from overflowing. Sometimes, the drain gets clogged with food particles, and this leads to leakages in the refrigerator.

Cracked drain pan

The refrigerator may leak because the drain pan is cracked and this mostly happens when the unit is old. Other reasons might be improper installation of the refrigerator. At this stage, you will need professional help, therefore, call our customer service center, and a specialist will be sent to evaluate the problem and probably change the parts.

DIY Procedure for Fixing a Leaky Refrigerator

Reposition the refrigerator

The first step to troubleshooting a leaky refrigerator is to make sure it is positioned in a way that will help water to pass through the drain holes. Every refrigerator is designed in this manner and should be positioned to tilt slightly backward. Depending on the size of the refrigerator, you may need a helper to check the front legs and make sure they are somewhat higher than the legs at the rare.

• Unplug the refrigerator
• Check the legs by lifting it up slightly to make sure they slightly backward
• If the legs are uneven, lift the refrigerator from the other side and place an object under the front legs to make it slant a bit.

Clear the drain hole

Sometimes, the drain hole might be blocked by food particles that flow with the defrost water. But, cleaning and unblocking the drain hole is never a big deal.

• Make sure the refrigerator is unplugged and remove all the items inside
• Use the manual to identify the drain hole in your refrigerator which is mostly at the rear
• Get a non-rigid pipe cleaner that is smaller than the drain tubes and insight it through the tube.
• After that, you can pour a little quantity of soapy water down the drain to make sure it is totally clean.

The soapy water should get to the drain pan; you can leave it to evaporate or clean it up. Assuming the refrigerator is still leaking water, then get to the next step.

Call a professional

Some refrigerators may be leaking because of cracked drain tubes, damaged drain pan and other technical issues which should be identified and fixed by a professional from Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Pittsburgh. Give us a call, and all challenges concerning your leaky refrigerator and other home plumbing problems will be resolved swiftly.