Refrigerator Leaking Water?
7 Common Causes and What to Check

1. Clogged or frozen defrost drain Inside

A frost-free refrigerator melts the frost off its cooling coil on a regular cycle, and the water runs into a drain under the coil, down a tube and into a pan beneath the cabinet. When crumbs, packaging or a plug of ice block that drain, the water backs up and spills under the crisper drawers, freezes on the freezer floor or runs out onto the floor. A blocked defrost drain is the most common reason a refrigerator leaks inside.

GE's support guide (opens in a new tab) says ice on the freezer floor or under the vegetable pans can mean a clogged drain tube, and that on most models clearing it takes a service call.

Can you fix it yourself? Often, if you can see the drain opening.

1. Unplug the refrigerator and move food to a cooler.
2. Find the drain hole, low on the back wall or floor of the freezer or the fresh-food section.
3. Push warm water into it with a turkey baster; never chip at the ice with a knife.
4. Empty the drain pan under the fridge afterward.

If the drain is hidden behind the freezer's back panel, clearing it is a technician job, and ice that keeps re-forming in it means the drain heater or another defrost part has failed. Frost on the back wall too? See freezer frosting up.

2. Loose or cracked water supply line Underneath

If your refrigerator has an ice maker or a dispenser, a thin plastic or copper line runs from a shutoff valve, usually under the sink or behind the fridge, to the inlet valve at the back of the cabinet. A compression nut that backed off, tubing split by a kink, or a line crushed when the fridge was pushed back can drip for weeks unnoticed. The water usually shows up behind or beside the fridge, not in front.

Can you fix it yourself? Partly. You can find the drip and snug a loose fitting; a split line or a leaking valve should be replaced.

1. Turn off the ice maker, then close the shutoff valve by turning it clockwise.
2. Unplug the fridge and pull it out, with a helper.
3. Wipe every fitting dry, open the valve and watch for the first drop.
4. Snug a weeping compression nut about a quarter turn; don't force plastic fittings.

If the drip comes from the copper line itself or from the household valve, that part is a plumber's repair.

3. Cracked or shifted drain pan Underneath

The defrost water ends up in a shallow pan under the refrigerator, where warm air from the condenser fan evaporates it. If the pan cracks, slides out of position when the fridge is moved, or the drain tube slips out of it, the water lands on the floor instead, usually at the front of the fridge.

A pan close to overflowing is a clue too: extra water is coming down the drain, often from a door that isn't sealing.

Can you fix it yourself? Usually yes, on models where the pan slides out from the front.

1. Unplug the fridge.
2. Remove the bottom grille (the kick plate).
3. Slide the pan out, empty it and check it for cracks.
4. Make sure the drain tube ends over the pan before you slide it back.

On some models the pan is reached only from the back or is fixed in place; a cracked one is replaced with the part for your model.

4. Water filter or dispenser line Inside

A refrigerator water filter that isn't locked into its housing, a cartridge not made for the model, or a cracked housing lets water seep out around the filter. Water that appears only after someone uses the dispenser points to the filter connections or to the tubing that runs through the door hinge.

A few drips from the spout right after you dispense are normal and not a leak.

Can you fix it yourself? Yes, for the filter.

1. Remove the filter and reinstall it until it locks, following the arrows or the manual for your model.
2. Use the cartridge listed for your model number.
3. Run two to three gallons through the dispenser to clear the air from the line.

A cracked housing or a drip from the door tubing needs a part. If the dispenser also gives little or no water, see refrigerator water dispenser not working.

5. Ice maker spilling or overfilling Inside

The ice maker's mold should catch every drop, but it can miss. When the refrigerator isn't level, water sloshes out of the tray as it fills; when the fill tube is bent or crusted with scale, the stream is deflected; and a cracked mold drips into the bin. That water freezes, so the first sign is usually cubes fused into a solid block or ice on the freezer floor, not a puddle.

Can you fix it yourself? Partly. Leveling is a homeowner job: level from side to side, with the front slightly higher than the back so the doors close by themselves. A cracked mold or a frozen fill tube means taking the ice maker out.

If the ice maker has stopped making ice altogether, see ice maker not making ice.

6. Water inlet valve that won't close Underneath

The inlet valve at the back of the refrigerator opens to fill the ice maker and the dispenser, then shuts. When sediment or scale keeps its seat from closing fully, or its plastic body cracks, water gets through all the time. The ice maker overfills and ice builds up in the bin and on the freezer floor, or water seeps out at the back of the cabinet.

Can you fix it yourself? No. Testing the valve's coils takes a meter and the model's wiring diagram, and the valve is where house water pressure and the refrigerator's wiring meet.

7. Door seal leaks and condensation Inside

A torn, flattened or sticky door gasket lets warm, humid kitchen air in around the door. That moisture condenses on the cold walls and shelves, drips to the bottom of the compartment, and speeds up frost on the coil, which sends even more water down the defrost drain. Doors left ajar, or a fridge that tilts forward so the doors don't swing shut, do the same thing.

Can you fix it yourself? Usually yes. Clean the gasket with warm, soapy water, make sure nothing is holding the door open, and level the fridge so the doors close on their own. Gaskets are model specific, so order by part number.