Why does water leak from a refrigerator?
My Whirlpool refrigerator is leaking water. I was using the the highest setting #5. My landlord said I probably froze something behind the unit (it is not a freezer that ice builds up in and you have to defrost); he claimed that the temp should be 50F-55F. As I see it, this is not true; 35F-40F is a safe temperature. We are going to defrost the unit for 24 hrs, then adjust the setting so it is 40F degrees and see if water keeps leaking in the fridge. Does anyone have any advice for me? Does anyone know why water would be leaking in the fridge part?
Best Answer
Internally there are evaporator coils that produce the cold. Condensation will build up on them. There is a drain to the bottom. Often so little water is built up that it evaporates and you never need to empty the drain pan. That drain pipe/tube may be blocked. If the drain is blocked the water will drip into the refrigerator (by design). A fan may have gone out and the coils are iced up. Defrost the whole unit is worth a try - the drain could iced over or the tube could be iced.
A freezer with defrost cycle would not eliminate chance of a drain tube icing.
Pictures about "Why does water leak from a refrigerator?"
Why would a refrigerator leak water?
A clogged defrost drain is the most likely cause of your fridge leaking water. The defrost drain prevents the fridge from freezing. The fridge automatically defrosts itself and drips water down into a pan. Sometimes, food particles or other debris will clog the defrost drain.How do I get my fridge to stop leaking water?
How to Fix a Leaky FridgeRefrigerator Leaks water. Try This Easy Fix
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Karolina Grabowska, Karolina Grabowska, Karolina Grabowska, Jill Burrow