Where the water shows up tells you most of the story. Water under the crisper drawers or at the front usually means a blocked or frozen defrost drain. Water behind the fridge usually means the line or valve that feeds the ice maker. A drip from the door or filter usually means the filter or the dispenser.
First, protect the floor
- Put towels down and pull food off the bottom shelf.
- If water is anywhere near the outlet, unplug the fridge before you touch anything.
- If you have an ice maker or water dispenser, turn off the water at the supply valve behind the fridge or under the sink.
- On hardwood or laminate, wipe up and keep it dry. Callers worried about their floors are usually right to be.
Rather have a technician look at it? See fridge repair here in Lufkin.
Water inside the fridge or under the drawers
When the defrost heater melts frost off the cooling coil, that water runs down a drain to a pan under the fridge, where it evaporates. If the drain is clogged or frozen solid, the water backs up. You'll see it pooling under the crisper drawers, freezing on the freezer floor, or running out of the front onto the floor.
Callers describe it as "all of the drawers are filled with water" while "the freezer is all frozen over". A drain that keeps freezing usually has a defrost problem behind it, which is why it comes back after you clear it.
Water behind or under the back
Fridges with an ice maker or dispenser have a thin water line running to a valve at the back. A cracked line, a loose fitting or a failing inlet valve can drip slowly for weeks before anyone notices. One caller put it simply: "there's a tube on the back of my refrigerator that has a hole in it". Turn the water off at the supply valve and call. This one needs the fridge pulled out.
Water from the door, filter or ice maker
- Filter: a filter that isn't fully turned and locked will drip. "I can't get it to lock in" is a common call. Try removing and refitting it once. If the housing is cracked, it needs a part.
- Dispenser: a drip right after you use it is normal. A steady drip isn't.
- Ice maker: an overflowing ice maker, or ice building around it, can melt and leak, especially on French door models.
A puddle and a warm fridge
If it's leaking and the fridge is warming up, treat it as one problem. A defrost failure can flood the drain and stop cold air reaching the fridge at the same time. That's worth a call the same day, before the food goes.
When to call now
- Water is spreading on a wood or laminate floor
- Water is near the outlet or cord
- It's leaking and the fridge is getting warm
See emergency refrigerator repair for what to do in the next hour.
Call (936) 304-3264What happens when you call
Tell us the brand and what it's doing. A technician comes out, finds the fault and gives you the price before any work starts, and you decide. More in how a repair visit works.