Why is the refrigerator leaking

A puddle on the floor near the refrigerator is evidence of a problem. Worst of all, if the equipment has stopped freezing, then the breakdown is really serious. But you can establish why the refrigerator is leaking by discarding unsuitable options. Let's consider all the possible causes of this phenomenon and figure out the possibility of eliminating them.

puddle by the refrigerator — We will show you how to determine why the refrigerator is leaking.

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Why is there a puddle under the refrigerator
What to do if the refrigerator leaks
Reasons why the refrigerator may leak
General rules for the care of the refrigerator
Video: how you can eliminate the accumulation of water inside the refrigerator

Why is there a puddle under the refrigerator

There may be other sources of water in the kitchen, next to the refrigerator. For example, a sink, dishwasher, or washing machine. The water could simply be spilled. Therefore, you should not panic prematurely, barely noticing a fresh puddle under the refrigerator. Equip yourself with a flashlight and try to identify the source of the leak.

what is the reason for the leaks — Make sure the refrigerator is the source of the puddle on the floor.

In the event that the refrigerator is leaking, and not the contents in it, we proceed to the next stage: determining the causes and methods of their elimination.

What to do if the refrigerator leaks

As a rule, a visual inspection reveals a leak. But figuring out what the reason is is sometimes more difficult.

refrigerator inspection — First, you need to carefully examine the refrigerator.

Much depends on the type of refrigerator compartment. There are two main ones, namely:

Drip defrost system. Representatives of this type are characterized by a common problem - the accumulation of fluid on the back wall. The principle of their operation looks like this: the evaporator is located behind the back wall of the chamber. When the refrigerator is in operation, this element, like the back wall, is covered with frost.
Once the set temperature is reached, the cooling cycle is terminated and the evaporator and rear wall heat up, which causes the mold to melt. Formed at this moment flows into a special hole located at the bottom of the chamber. After that, all the liquid enters a special reservoir through a hose. It is here that its complete evaporation takes place. It is located above the compressor (most often) or next to it.
No Frost system. The evaporator in such systems is located in the freezer. A special fan forcibly circulates the air from the freezing and refrigerating chambers.
Passing through the evaporator, the air is cooled and fed through special channels to the products. The temperature regulation process takes place with the help of a damper that is triggered automatically when the desired degree is reached.

freezer type — Dealing with a leak is easier if you know the type of freezer.

Knowing the type of system, it is much easier to understand the question of why the refrigerator is leaking.

Above

With a drip defrosting system, water can indeed flow from the top (or rather, from the back of the refrigerator). The reason may be a banal blockage or disconnection of the drain tube. Check if it is firmly attached.

Inside

Often, due to improper location of the refrigerator or a seal that has lost its properties, warm air can enter the chamber. This leads to increased operation of the cooling system, defrosting of food and the appearance of moisture at the bottom of the chamber. And since she has nowhere to go, she flows down to the floor.

Inside and under the refrigerator

For the same reasons that water accumulates inside the chambers, it can be seen under the refrigerator itself. Having noticed a puddle and making sure that the reason is in the refrigerator, you need to check a number of possible causes of the breakdown, which will be discussed below.

accumulation of water under the refrigerator — Most often, water is noticed when it has already accumulated under the refrigerator.

Reasons why the refrigerator may leak

Among the mass of reasons, there are the most common. Alas, even expensive models of these household appliances are prone to breakdowns. Some of them can be easily eliminated on their own, without resorting to the services of specialists. Especially if you have a good understanding of the principle of operation of the equipment.

why is the refrigerator leaking — You can try it yourself to figure out why the refrigerator leaked.

Let's figure out what causes most often can arise, their symptoms and methods of elimination.

Drainage tube disconnected

This is a common reason why water flows from the bottom of the refrigerator. The symptoms are as follows: there is no ice or frost in the chamber. The refrigerator compartment is also dry. But moisture (puddle) forms under the refrigerator. Most often, the tube comes off when the refrigerator is moved, in other words, mechanical disconnection by negligence.

drain tube — Disconnecting such a tube often causes leakage.

Try moving the handset with your hand. For convenience, you can slide the refrigerator. If the problem is eliminated, and the water has stopped appearing, then there is no need to call the master. Otherwise, read on.

fix the drainage tube — In this case, simply replace the tube.

Broken fluid reservoir

Finding out that this is the problem is quite simple. The main signs are dryness inside the refrigerator and water outside at the bottom. To fix the problem, move the equipment away so that you can get as close as possible to the fluid reservoir and inspect it.

reservoir for liquid in the refrigerator — Examine the sump or fluid reservoir carefully.

Cracks and other mechanical damage will be visible immediately. In this case, it is best to seek qualified assistance to replace the reservoir.

Broken evaporator heater

Among the main signs of this breakdown is significant icing inside the refrigerating and freezing chambers. Most of the water accumulates under the appliances. A breakdown in the evaporator heater will cause an excessive amount of water to accumulate underneath. The tanks in No Frost systems are not designed for a large volume of liquid, and therefore residues will flow down. A master is indispensable here.

refrigerator evaporator heater — A breakdown of this element is the likely cause of a refrigerator leak.

Freezer compartment drain plugged

Detecting the problem is quite simple: copious icing inside the freezer. And the water flows directly from the chamber onto the floor. The hole itself is inside, under the body. And although cleaning it does not imply special skills, you have to get to it. And this can be done only by removing the case.

freezer icing — A clogged freezer drain is characterized by icing.

The drain hole in the refrigerator compartment is clogged

In this case, the accumulation of liquid occurs in the refrigerator, mainly under the boxes for storing fruits and vegetables. Ignoring the problem leads to significant accumulation of fluid, which as a result seeps through the seal.

accumulation of water under the fruit crates — With such a blockage, water will collect under the fruit crates.

The clogging is eliminated using a syringe.We sharply inject water into the drainage hole to push through dirt particles or other blockages. In the future, try not to store unwashed food in the refrigerator.

The door is loose

In this case, water can appear both outside and inside. This happens because air seeps through the opening in the seal. Due to the difference in temperature, excess moisture is formed, and since the system freezes more intensely, the condensate quickly turns into frost. With the next ingress of warm air into the chamber, the reverse process occurs.

loose refrigerator — Leaving the refrigerator not completely closed can also cause a leak.

You need to adjust the door hinges and set the refrigerator level. But sometimes you need to replace the seal. It can be purchased separately, and glued with a sealant in place of the old one.

refrigerator door — You need to set the equipment so that the door closes tightly.

The refrigerator is not properly installed

The floor is not always perfectly flat. That is why the legs of the refrigerator can be adjusted. Otherwise, the door will not fit tightly enough and problems with moisture accumulation and energy waste will appear. To align it perfectly, you need a building level. It should be exactly in all positions of the level: crosswise, along the width and length of the top cover.

correct installation of the refrigerator — The refrigerator must be installed so that it stands perfectly level.

The seal on the door is damaged

The seal can be compressed in places during operation. For example, if you close the refrigerator and do not notice that a foreign object has fallen between the door and the frame at the bottom. In this case, the door will close, because the seal will be compressed.

refrigerator door seal — If damaged frequently, the seal can come off the door of the seal.

But with frequent repetition of the above action, the rubber of the seal may not fully return to its previous position. In this case, there is only one way out - a complete replacement of the seal.

You will need:

eliminate traces of glue after removing the old seal (you can use fine-grained sandpaper);
degrease the surface, wipe it dry for better adhesion;
apply sealant to the surface of the new seal and the place of its future fixation;
press firmly and fix for a few minutes.

replacing the door seal in the refrigerator — If necessary, you can replace the seal yourself.

It is better to eliminate the remnants of the sealant immediately, in the future you will have to clean them for a long time with a clerical knife, while there is a risk of damaging the door paint.

Freon leak

This phenomenon is ubiquitous in refrigerators. It manifests itself in the fact that it simply cools worse and worse. There is a characteristic hiss, as if compressed air is coming out. It will be impossible to pump freon yourself and eliminate the crack through which it escaped. This requires special equipment and skill.

Broken thermostat

The thermostat activates the compressor when certain temperatures inside the chamber are reached. If it does not fulfill its function, then the compressor will not turn on at all.

breakdown of the thermostat — If the thermostat breaks down, the compressor will not turn on.

You can check it with a special tester. But it is better to turn to professionals, since this service is not expensive and is quickly corrected.

check the refrigerator with a tester — The master can check its serviceability with a special tester.

How to fix the problem

The methods listed above for identifying and fixing problems are relevant in most cases. But sometimes you need the help of a qualified specialist, since you need to use special equipment.

refrigerator repairman — With some breakdowns, a specialist is indispensable.

Serious breakdowns imply the replacement, as a rule, of a complete, broken part. But sometimes everything is done with cleaning, repairing, restoring. If a brown liquid is leaking from under the refrigerator:

Check it by touch.This could be remnants of molten sealant or debris from the filter. In this case, the liquid will be sticky.
If the liquid looks like oil, then call the master. After all, this can occur due to the appearance of microcracks in the compressor housing.

replacement of parts in the refrigerator — Professional replacement parts may be required.

More serious breakdowns are immediately visible: loss of cooling capacity, engine failure, heavy knocking and noise in operation. Here you need to call the master, call to fix the problem.

General rules for the care of the refrigerator

In order for your refrigerator to serve for a long time, you need to adhere to some, perhaps obvious, rules. Among them:

defrost and clean the refrigerator every few months;
do not put dirty products in it, because this can lead to clogging of the drainage in the refrigerator;
always close the door tightly;
Pay attention to malfunctions, even if they are minor.