Why Your Fridge May Be Leaking

Coming home to a kitchen floor covered in water can be alarming. It can be downright scary as you try to determine what part of your home has revolted, and it may come with some surprise when you find out it isn’t your dishwasher or your sink causing the minor flood. Sometimes, a malfunctioning refrigerator is the reason why you find yourself mopping up at 12 o’clock in the morning. There are several reasons why your fridge might be leaking. Whatever’s behind your leaky fridge, it will need immediate attention from one of our expert appliance repair technicians.

Before you pick up the phone, examine your refrigerator first to see if it’s level. Normal operation of the fridge allows water to run down a drain hole and into a drain pan, where the water collects to evaporate. If one or more legs of the refrigerator is unbalanced, it can cause the entire appliance to tip. In which case, the water may have difficultly flowing in the drain and a leak can result. This is the best case scenario as it won’t require a phone call to our offices. Remember to unplug your fridge and call for help from your partner or family members as you adjust the legs and restore balance to your appliance. Check your work with a level just to be sure.

If this hasn’t fixed the problem, then you may have a bigger problem with the drain hole itself. Sometimes food can fall into the drain hole, where it will fester and mould. Water can also freeze in this section if temperatures aren’t regulated properly. Both can create a backup of water. To clear the drain hole, one must be comfortable running pipe cleaner and a mild ammonia solution through the drain to remove the blockage and destroy any bacteria that has started to form.

If it’s not the drain hole, it can be the pan that collects the drippings that’s caused your floors to be the next Lake Ontario. Located at the bottom of your fridge, this pan is usually filled with a small amount of water until it evaporates under the heat of the machine. Unfortunately, the pans aren’t impervious to cracks and a small fracture in its material can cause water to escape and seep out onto your floors. If this is the case, then your drain pan will need to be replaced.

When you call one of our expert appliance repair technicians, they’ll give your refrigerator a thorough inspection to identify the source of your leak. Sometimes it has nothing to do with the drain hole or pan and has everything to do with its connections. Ice making and water filtration systems rely on hoses to supply water from your water line to the fridge. If any of these hoses, sealants, or connections is damaged, water will leak and cause a mess of your floors.

Only through a systematic look at your appliance will our fridge repair technicians identify the issue. Once they do, they’ll provide an in-depth report of their proposed method of repair. That way, you’re never surprised by their technique, materials, or overall cost. If everything’s to your liking, they can provide same-day repairs on your refrigerator.

Whatever it is that caused your fridge to leak, our pros will stop it – for good. So get us on the line if you ever encounter a leaky fridge. We can help you make sure it never happens again.