Why is the refrigerator leaking? How to find and eliminate the causes of leakage

Refrigerators have become an integral part of life, and its breakdown causes a lot of trouble. One of the most common breakdowns is when the unit begins to leak. A puddle may form under or inside the device. If it continues to function normally, you need to figure out why the refrigerator is leaking. Most often, the problem is not too serious and can be easily fixed on your own or with the help of a specialist.

Reasons for the appearance of puddles under the refrigerator

Before taking any measures, you need to establish that the water under the refrigerator appeared precisely because of its breakdown. After all, it may be caused by factors not related to this technique. Perhaps the pipes, boiler or dishwasher are leaking. Or someone just spilled the water.

But it happens that these reasons are excluded, the puddle on the floor is wiped away, but after a while the water collects again. This means that the refrigerator is still leaking. If it freezes properly, there is no water inside, you need to figure out why a puddle may appear and what to do. Most often, you can cope with the problem yourself, but you need to take the advice of professionals.

Refrigerator leaking

Experts identify several reasons why water leaks from refrigerators:

• breakdown of the water container;
• problems with the drainage tube;
• the door does not close tightly.

Freezer doesn't close tightly

If the door is not closed tightly, warm air gets in. This causes the refrigerator to freeze more than usual. A layer of ice freezes on the walls. It thaws and moisture accumulates in the chamber. Excess water drains through the drainage tube and overfills the tank. Therefore, it leaks little by little regularly.

The simplest solution to this problem is to level the refrigerator by adjusting its legs. Or tighten the door hinges. After this, the door should close normally.

Shifting the drain pipe

A common reason why water leaks from under refrigerators is a problem with the drainage drain. This is a tube through which moisture is removed from inside the device. If the refrigerator is moved or used incorrectly, the tube moves and water may leak past the reservoir. The upper end of the tube may also come off; putting it back in place is more difficult, but still possible. You need to move the device away from the wall and put the drainage in place, fixing it in the correct position.

Important!

The tube must run smoothly and should not be bent.

If this is done, and the refrigerator is leaking, you need to carefully inspect the tube. Sometimes it breaks and water leaks through the cracks. In this case, you won’t be able to fix the problem yourself; you need to call a technician to replace the tube.

The water tank is broken

Often the refrigerator leaks from below due to a broken container for collecting water. This problem is easy to detect: it will be dry inside, and water appears only on the floor near the back wall. Moreover, depending on the degree of damage, it can leak a little or leak heavily. The crack can be sealed with a waterproof sealant, but this is a temporary solution. You will need to replace the tank; in some models you cannot do this yourself; it is better to call a specialist.

The water tank is broken

No power at the outlet

The simplest reason is lack of nutrition. There may be a power outage, a faulty socket, or a loose plug. Without power, the refrigerator turns off, the ice melts, liquid accumulates inside and flows.

Freon leak

This problem is most familiar to owners of Atlant brand refrigerators. In general, the company has established itself as a reliable manufacturer, but this failure occurs most often with these devices.

Freon is a coolant that moves through tubes inside the refrigerator. Leaks can occur for the following reasons:

• the circuit through which freon flows has lost its seal;
• food particles got inside the tubes.

Each of these problems must be solved using different methods.

1. Freon leak. In this case, the freon does not pass through the circuit and stops freezing the refrigerator. As a result, liquid accumulates in the internal cavities of the housing, which must be removed, and then the cause of its appearance must be eliminated. Only a refrigerator repair specialist can solve this problem.
2. Circuit clogged. Usually a special filter holds food particles. However, over time it can wear out, so this part will need to be replaced.

Water under vegetable drawers

A small amount of moisture may appear inside the refrigerator on models with a drip defrosting system. Moreover, it flows down the back wall. If there is water under the vegetable drawer, this is not normal. But in many cases, the problem can be fixed on your own. Advice from professionals will help.

Why does water accumulate under the vegetable drawers in refrigerators?

• the drainage hole is clogged;
• The thermostat is broken;
• the compressor burned out;
• There was a freon leak.

Clogged drain hole in the refrigerator compartment

One of the reasons why refrigerators leak is due to obstruction of the drainage hole. During normal operation of the device, moisture flowing down the walls is collected into it. When it's clogged, water will leak down and pool under your fruit and vegetable drawers. The drain is usually clogged with crumbs, food particles or pieces of ice. There are several ways to clean it:

• use a cotton swab to remove the crumbs that have accumulated at the entrance;
• take a syringe and blow out the hole;
• Fill a syringe without a needle with warm water and inject it into it.

The best way to clean the drain is to flush it with warm water under pressure. Do not use knitting needles or other sharp objects for cleaning.

Important!

To avoid this problem, place food away from the walls and check the opening regularly.

Check the drain hole in the refrigerator

Water in the freezer

Water can also accumulate in the freezer compartment of a two-compartment refrigerator. This melts the ice due to the warm air that enters when the door is opened. This happens all the time, but the moisture should drain into the drainage hole. If it becomes clogged, liquid accumulates at the bottom. Water from the freezer may leak out and form a layer of ice around the door. This happens for several reasons:

• due to improper storage, food particles and crumbs get into the hole;
• if during defrosting it is difficult to rinse the freezer compartment;
• Increased water hardness leads to the accumulation of salt deposits.

Attention!

It is unlikely that you will be able to clean the drainage hole yourself; it is located deep, so it is better to call a professional.

Faulty thermostat

If water not only collects inside the refrigerator, but also flows onto the floor, the thermostat may be broken. It is responsible for the timely switching on and off of the compressor and maintaining the desired temperature in the chambers. Only a specialist can fix this breakdown, so you will have to contact a specialist. The refrigerator leaks for this reason if the engine is running constantly or it is too warm inside.

Sealing problems

Sometimes the cause of liquid appearing under the vegetable drawer or on the floor is the door seal. This strip of rubber is necessary to ensure the seal of the device when closed. With improper care or over time, the seal dries out, cracks, and therefore does not fit tightly. The only solution is to replace it. You can buy a rubber seal at any hardware store, and you can easily replace it yourself.

Check the seal on the refrigerator door

Freon leak

Water can accumulate in the refrigerator and leak out if there is a freon leak. This is the coolant that circulates through the tubes. If a crack occurs, cooling efficiency is reduced. Therefore, the refrigerator gradually defrosts. This also happens due to food crumbs getting into the cooling system. To prevent this problem from leading to equipment breakdown, you need to call a specialist.

Compressor burned out

The most serious breakdown that leads to leakage is a compressor malfunction. The problem can only be fixed at a service center.

Common causes of leaks and ways to solve the problem can be found in the table.

Prevention of leakage

To avoid water accumulation under and inside the refrigerator, you need to:

• clean the refrigerator regularly;
• place products at a distance of 2−5 centimeters from the walls;
• defrost when a characteristic ice coat forms; refrigerators with dry freezing and no-frost functions also need defrosting at least once a year;
• place only cooled foods in the refrigerator;
• Close the device door tightly.

If the refrigerator does start to leak, you need to determine the cause of the breakdown as quickly as possible and fix it yourself or with the help of a technician.

In most cases, the problem is related to violations of operating rules. But if the refrigerator leaks too often, despite regular cleaning and defrosting, you need to contact a service center. Also be sure to call a specialist if:

• the leak occurs in a refrigerator with a dry freeze function;
• the hole inside the freezer is clogged;
• The thermostat or compressor is broken;
• The pan needs to be replaced.

Pay attention to the operation of the refrigerator in a timely manner, because even a small malfunction, such as a door that does not close tightly, can lead to increased load on the main parts and lead to complete failure of the unit.

Evaporator failure

Sometimes it happens that a refrigerator with a no frost system leaks. The peculiarity of this technique is that the resulting moisture settles on the evaporator, forming ice. It periodically heats up and water is discharged through a drainage tube into the tank.

Thanks to this, there is no humidity inside No Frost refrigerators. If water suddenly appears under such a device, the evaporator may be faulty. For example, the heating element or fan is broken. The evaporator does not remove the resulting moisture; it freezes on the inner walls and flows out. At the same time, there will be a lot of ice in the freezer and a puddle on the floor. Only a specialist can fix such a breakdown.

Evaporator failure

Broken thermostat

The thermostat is necessary in order to turn the compressor on and off in time. If this unit breaks down, the light with the words “no frost” may continue to light, but the motor itself will not work. As a result, the ice will defrost and accumulate in the refrigerator as a liquid. The newest models are equipped with several temperature sensors, and if one of them breaks, it is unlikely that you will be able to replace it yourself. You can understand that the temperature sensor is broken by the following signs:

• the temperature in the device chambers is higher than necessary;
• Alarm icon is lit;
• the compressor works strangely - either constantly turns off, or runs constantly;
• a large thick layer of ice is frozen on the back wall.

How to avoid such problems

To prevent water from accumulating in the refrigerator and leaking onto the floor, it must be used correctly. There are several recommendations for use:

• do not leave the door open, make sure it is sealed;
• food should be in containers so that crumbs do not fall into the drainage hole;
• do not place open containers with liquid inside, as it will evaporate;
• put only cold foods inside;
• When defrosting, do not use sharp objects to break off ice, as this may damage the freon tubes;
• do not touch the door seal when opening, periodically treat it with silicone grease;
• monitor the cleanliness of the internal chambers.

If water appears in the refrigerator or on the floor next to it, you need to determine the cause as soon as possible. It is recommended to defrost the equipment and find the problem. In the event that it is impossible to fix the problem yourself, be sure to call a specialist. If this is not done in time, it will lead to more serious damage to the device.

Refrigerator drain hole clogged

As a result of such clogging, water can be found at the bottom of the refrigerator itself . The liquid collects right there, under the vegetable storage trays. The drain is likely clogged with food particles or pieces of ice. In this case, it is quite possible to cope with the problem on your own. You can try to force air into the clogged hole, using, for example, a plastic cocktail straw. Or take a syringe (after removing the needle from it), pump water into it and rinse the drain. Sufficiently high pressure can clear it of foreign impurities.

First actions

Before you start doing anything, you will need to find out what the source of the unpleasant phenomenon is.

The following options are suggested:

1. The refrigerator leaks but works.
2. The unit broke down and stopped functioning normally.

Let's start with the second one, as the most difficult. It will not be possible to solve it on your own, since one of the main components of the refrigerator (compressor, evaporator, relay) has probably failed. Repairs will have to be carried out in a specialized workshop.

The first option is not so bad: if cold is produced in the chamber, it means that the refrigerator remains operational. All that remains is to localize the source of the “leak” and eliminate it. To do this, perform a visual inspection of the bottom and adjacent space. It happens that the refrigerator itself is not “to blame” for anything, but water accumulates under it due to a break in the heating riser, dishes accidentally thrown onto the floor, or a leaky water hose.

If the initial diagnosis has been carried out, it turns out that the reason is in the refrigeration unit, we move on to the next stage.

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The liquid drain tube has come loose

Description. There is a puddle under the refrigerator that appears again as soon as you wipe it off. The reason is the failure of the drainage structure (loose attachment of the tube, its damage during transportation or during use).

Solution. The tube must be brought to the initially specified position. It's pretty simple. It will take a couple of minutes to connect it to a special container. If the problem persists, you need to inspect the device for integrity. There may be a crack in the tube. In such a situation, the part will need to be replaced. It is better to entrust this matter to an experienced specialist.

Thermostat doesn't work

Description. The refrigerator completely stops working. An impressive puddle forms under it.

Solution. This problem is classified as serious. It occurs quite often, and its elimination requires a lot of time and effort. In addition, to eliminate such a problem, significant financial expenditures will be required. Repairs are not possible here. The damaged mechanism needs to be replaced. Experts do not recommend doing this on your own. So, among other things, you will need to hire a specialist.

Problems with the seal

Over time, the door seal becomes less tight and reliable.
Whenever warm air enters the refrigerator, the water inside melts and frost forms on the walls. As a result, the food on the bottom shelf becomes frozen. Melt water accumulates mainly under the bottom drawers and under the refrigerator. In this case, the seal needs to be replaced.

The fluid reservoir is broken

Description. Assess the condition of the rear wall of the refrigerator from the inside. If water flows down it in a continuous stream, it means that the liquid reservoir is broken.

Solution. With this course of events, there will be no use for repair measures. This will require purchasing a new tank and hiring a professional to install it. But there is no need to worry too much. If you cover the hole through which moisture enters, the equipment will work properly for a couple more days.