Most people in Great Falls take their refrigerator for granted. That magical box keeps your food cold, makes it possible to have fresh milk and butter at all times and keeps food costs down throughout the country. But, what happens when something goes wrong, such as a leak springing unexpectedly? Here are some quick tips to help you troubleshoot and solve your problem.

  • Door Problems – A common reason for leaks (or condensation) is a door problem. If the door or gasket for the door doesn’t seal properly anymore, condensation can build up around the door. Other problems can develop such as excess frost in your freezer.
  • Leaking Drain Pan – Your refrigerator dehumidifies while cooling, so if the drain pain that is designed to catch the condensate produced by the evaporator coil starts leaking it will make a mess.
  • Clogged Defrost Drain – Because frost builds up in the freezer on a regular basis from the humidity that doesn’t get properly removed, an automatic defrost timer is installed to defrost the refrigerator. However, if the water in the defrost drain freezes or something else clogs the drain, it can start to back up and create a leak.
  • Ice Maker – Ice makers are connected to your home’s plumbing and therefore are subject to all of the potential leak problems you might face with pipes in your home. If you notice water on the floor in front of your refrigerator or if the leak coincides with an ice maker problem, this is a very real possibility and should be checked.

A leaky refrigerator is rarely a major problem but if left unchecked it can put unnecessary strain on the device and eventually lead to bigger problems. For all of these reasons, it is important to have it inspected right away. While most of these issues are relatively easy to fix, you never know when a compressor or evaporator coil problem may be the root issue. If that happens, you want someone skilled at refrigerator repair of all types.