Fridge problems
Fridge Leaking Water Inside or Onto the Floor
Water under the vegetable drawers, a puddle in front of the fridge every morning, or ice forming at the bottom of the freezer all point to the same thing: melt water that is not going where it should. Harare Fridge Repairs finds the source and fixes it at your home, usually in one visit.
- Blocked or frozen defrost drains cleared and the cause fixed
- Door gaskets that let humid air in and cause heavy condensation
- Water dispenser lines, valves and filters on side by side fridges
- Drain pans and compressor trays checked and cleaned
- Fridges and freezers only, nothing else
- Mobile across Harare, no need to transport the unit
- Open 24 hours, 7 days a week
- Price agreed before any work starts
Why is my fridge leaking water?
Every fridge makes water. Frost forms on the evaporator, the defrost cycle melts it, and the water runs down a drain tube to a tray on top of the compressor where it evaporates. When that path is blocked by food debris, ice or mould, the water backs up into the cabinet, collects under the crisper drawers, and eventually runs out of the door onto the floor. On combi and bottom freezer fridges it freezes into a sheet of ice in the lowest drawer instead.
The second common cause is a door gasket that no longer seals. Humid Harare air gets in, condenses on every cold surface, and the fridge produces far more water than the drain was designed for. Often the gasket is the reason the drain froze in the first place. On side by side and French door fridges with water dispensers, a split water line, a leaking inlet valve or a cracked filter housing adds a third possibility, and that water is clean rather than cold.
Clearing the drain is only half the repair. We find out why it blocked or froze, which may be a failed drain heater, a defrost system that is running too long, or a gasket, so the problem does not come back.
Common causes of a fridge leaking water
These are the faults behind this symptom, roughly in the order we find them in Harare.
- 1
Blocked defrost drain
Food debris, mould or ice in the drain hole at the back of the fridge section stops melt water reaching the tray. Water collects under the drawers.
- 2
Frozen drain on a freezer
On combi and upright freezers the drain freezes when its heater fails, leaving a sheet of ice in the bottom drawer that eventually melts onto the floor.
- 3
Door gasket not sealing
Humid air condenses inside the cabinet and overwhelms the drain. Also causes heavy frost and higher running costs.
- 4
Cracked or overflowing drain pan
The tray on the compressor is cracked, has slipped, or cannot evaporate the water fast enough because the compressor is not running warm.
- 5
Water dispenser or ice maker line
A split tube, a leaking inlet valve or a cracked filter head on a side by side fridge leaks clean water inside or behind the fridge.
- 6
Fridge not level
A fridge tilted forward lets condensate run to the door instead of the drain, and the door may not self close.
Quick checks before you call
None of these need tools, and the answers help us arrive with the right parts.
- Is the water inside the fridge under the drawers, at the bottom of the freezer, or outside on the floor?
- Is the water cold and appearing after the fridge cycles, or clean and continuous from a dispenser model?
- Can you see a small drain hole at the back of the fridge section above the drawers, and is it iced or dirty?
- Does the door gasket seal all the way round, or is there frost or sweating at one corner?
- Is the fridge level, with the front slightly higher than the back so the door swings shut?
Please do not
Things that make it worse
Do not poke the drain hole with a sharp object; the evaporator pipe sits just behind it.
Do not pour boiling water into the drain of a running fridge.
Do not ignore a leak that reaches a socket or an extension lead; switch the fridge off and call.
How we fix it
The services that deal with this problem, each explained on its own page.
FAQ
Fridge leaking water: your questions answered
Why is there water under the vegetable drawers in my fridge?+
The defrost drain at the back of the fridge section is blocked or frozen, so melt water collects in the cabinet instead of draining to the tray. We clear the drain and fix whatever caused it to block.
Why is there ice in the bottom of my freezer drawer?+
The freezer's defrost drain has frozen, usually because the drain heater has failed, so melt water freezes in the drawer. Clearing the ice is temporary; the heater or drain route needs repair.
My side by side fridge is leaking water behind it. Is it the gas?+
No, refrigerant does not leak as liquid water. Water behind a dispenser fridge is from the water line, inlet valve or filter housing, and all three are repairable on site.
Fridge leaking water? We can be there today.
Call 0782 886 252 or WhatsApp a photo of the fault with your suburb. Harare Fridge Repairs attends homes and businesses across Harare, 24 hours a day.