Here is Why Your Freezer Is Leaking Leave a comment

Here is Why Your Freezer Is Leaking: A leaking freezer gives cause for concern. Though, it’s not strange because nearly everyone who owns a freezer must have had this experience at some point or the other.

You move to your freezer to take out an item or drop something there and then you notice the appliance is dripping water from the bottom.

In all honesty, it can be one of the most annoying and frustrating things you can ever experience because regardless of how professionally you clean up the water, it never stops dripping. You might even spend the whole day doing that.

Fortunately, there is a solution to this kind of problem. One thing is sure, certain factors are causing your freezer to leak, and thus, they have to be attended to.

You can always call a handyman, or an expert repair service to come to your aid. However, if you know a thing or two about appliances or you intend to personally show that leaking freezer who’s the boss, then you can do it yourself.

First, find out where the leak is coming from. It could be a defrosting item in the fridge or not. A lot could be responsible for a leaky freezer and we are going to discuss them in this article.

What Causes Your Freezer To Leak

As we mentioned earlier, there are quite a number of factors that can cause your freezer to start dripping water from the bottom. Here are some of them;

Ice Maker

If you are certain the issue is not the defrosting, then consider another possible cause. The ice maker could be the root of the problem.

Quickly run a check on the ice maker valve which is located at the back of the freezer. The ice maker pipe or valve could be broken, hence causing water to come out of the freezer. However, if you are not sure if that’s the problem, then continue reading.

Freezer Drain

A freezer drain is known to cause problems like a leaky freezer, especially when the drain hole or tube is clogged. This tends to happen most of the time as the freezer drain can get blocked due to food particles, dirt, or ice forming at the opening.

Try to reach the drain tube or hole found at the back of the freezer close to the base. You can refer to the user manual if you are having a hard time locating it. 

When you eventually find it, using a long object, a stick, screwdriver, or a long tiny pipe that can fit in the hole, remove the substance blocking the hole.

If ice is formed in the tube, dissolve it with hot water. Simply run hot water into the hole directly on the formed ice for it to melt. This is the best way to clear your freezer drain hole.

Gaps In the Seal

If your freezer seal is broken then water is likely to leak out from the gap. The cause of the gap in the freezer seal is usually when a mold builds up around the seal or inside/outside the opening.

When this happens, the cold air in the freezer escapes through the gap causing the ice to melt. Water finds an easy outlet and flows out, maybe from the broken seal. Changing the seal is the only solution to this problem and you may need a professional to handle this.

Check the Drip Pan

The freezer drip pan is one of the major causes of a leak. When the freezer defrosts, the water heads straight to the drip pan and it gets filled with water over time.

If the water on the pan isn’t poured out, it overflows and begins to drop, leaking out from the freezer. Before you take out the drip pan, make sure you put off the power switch and detach the plug from the wall outlet. Remove the pan near the bottom of the fridge and empty it.

Also, your freezer can be leaking if the drip pan is broken which results in water dripping out from the cracked area. This leak will continue unless you get a new freezer drip pan.

Check the Temperature

A damaged thermostat could affect the freezer and cause the temperature to switch from cold to hot air. If this occurs, the freezer defrosts as a result of the decline in temperature.

The fault could be from the device that keeps the temperature in check (temperature monitoring device), or the user board.

Sometimes you would notice the frequent rise and fall in temperature, it freezes up and melts back, which is a sign that your freezer needs urgent repair. If overlooked, it can degenerate into bigger problems.

How To Fix A Leaking Freezer

Seeing water dropping from the bottom of your freezer should tell you something is not right and whatever it is must be fixed as soon as possible.

Manufacturers designed the freezer in such a way that water formed from defrosting is channeled to the drain hole to prevent leakage.

Thankfully, freezer makers tend to include some information about the freezer including how to fix the minor leaking problems in the manual. Mentioned below are some of the basic ways to fix a leaking freezer:

1. First thing to do if you want to drain out water manually from the freezer is to pull out the plug from the switch. You will have to drip the pan which is overflowing with water or remove debris from the drain tube.

2. Using a screwdriver, detach the panel on your freezer to reach the drip pan and drain hole, then empty the pan. Defrost water gets into the drip pan via the drain hose.

In a short time, the pan becomes filled with water and needs to be emptied, else it drops to the ground. This routine should be carried out every week.

3. Most times water leaks even when the drip pan is empty. When you notice this, check the drain hose if it is properly fixed to the coupler or cut open. If the hose is loose at the point of attachment, simply tighten it back, but if it is cut open, clinch it using a hose coupler.

4. Drain your freezer regularly by removing the drain plug, thus, allowing the water to go into the tube. If you let the water pile up in the freezer, it gradually leaks out.

When you disconnect the drain plug, make sure you put a bowl under to collect the water draining out. This method is commonly used on old freezers, but the latest freezer features a drain hose.

5. To free the drain hole, mix bleach with hot water in a small container. Pour the mixture into the hole (you can use a funnel or a syringe for better aim). The solution expels dirt clogging the hole causing defrost water to build up in the freezer. This enables free passage of water through the drain hole.

Conclusion

Having a freezer that leaks water from the bottom can be quite disturbing. Aside from the fact that it messes up your floor, it poses a hazard especially when you have kids in the house.

Freezers begin to leak when something is amiss. It is either the drain hole is clogged or some parts are broken. If that is the case, there are guides on how to resolve it, but if it is a major problem, contact a professional or better yet, get it replaced.