Clogged fridge drain: what to do?

If the drain is clogged, water will collect in the fridge. Fortunately, once the cause is identified, the problem is easy to fix. Everyone should know these tips.

Possible causes

A clogged refrigerator drain can have several causes. In order to be able to correct the defect in a targeted manner, it is important to determine the exact cause. Therefore, those affected should first check the following factors:

• Drain channel or drain hole clogged
• damaged check valve
• Dirty compressor above the water collection tank
• defective heating element of the drainage channel
• defective thermostat
• defective control board

Measures

There are various reasons and causes, some you can fix yourself and for others you should get professional help.

Clogged gutter/drain hole

The drain channel is located on the back wall of the refrigerator. This forms a good breeding ground for germs, food leftovers and dirt particles, especially because 'housekeepers rarely clean them thoroughly due to the lack of accessibility. As a result, the drain hole clogs over time. The collected condensation overflows and forms puddles on the shelves of the refrigerator. It is best for those affected to clean the drain channel with a cloth that they dip in warm water and stretch on a thin wire. They insert this into the drain channel. This cause is quickly remedied without professional help.

Damaged check valve

If the refrigerator drain is broken, it is worth moving the device away and checking the non-return valve on the back of the refrigerator. The rubber valve is located between the compressor and the housing. When heated, the rubber sticks together. In this case, a simple cleaning is sufficient. If the person concerned finds damage, he must replace the entire valve.

Dirty compressor

The compressor is also located at the back of the refrigerator. It is connected to the drain hose. Unfortunately, dirt and dust particles often collect here and clog the hose. If the compressor is defective, it must be replaced. Regular cleaning is recommended, regardless of a clogged drain, so that it doesn't get that far and the person concerned has to call for professional help.

Defective heating element

Refrigerators with a No Frost function are a fine thing. The heating element protects food from freezer burn. In the event of a defect, however, the water contained overflows and floods the refrigerator. To check whether the heating element is to blame for the standing water, the person concerned uses a multimeter. With the ohmmeter setting, he establishes contact between both measuring tips and the connection terminals of the heating element. If the multimeter shows a value, it can rule out the heating element as the cause. If the measurement remains unsuccessful, a change is required. While the test can also be carried out without expert personnel, a professional should be consulted for the replacement

Defective thermostat

The thermostat has the function of regulating the internal temperature of the refrigerator. If it fails, the device cools down. Refrigerators that are too cold produce more water to compensate for the temperature fluctuation. However, this freezes in the drain channel, which then overflows. A clear indication is that water collects under the crisper and drips down from there. A first step to check is to turn the thermostat higher. If there is no improvement, the cause has been found. Then the person concerned has to replace the thermostat or, even better, contact the service.

Defective control board

If the thermostat is functional, the clogged refrigerator drain may be from a healthy control board. This defect causes the same damage as described above. For this reason, in the event of damage, the person concerned must also completely replace the control board or have it replaced. Another sign of a non-working part on No Frost models is the lack of a signal to defrost the refrigerator.

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