# Fridge leaking



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

My LG fridge has been like this for quite a while. Whenever we go get some food or items from the top shelf, there is a puddle of water on the item. How can I fix this?


----------



## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

There should be a condensation drain at the back of the refridgerator compartment near the top. Make certain that is not blocked.


----------



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Like this? What do I do now?


----------



## Tomken15 (Dec 7, 2011)

Defrost the fridge and try a lower setting.

Get yourself a fridge thermometer so that you can set the temp to -5°C.


----------



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Hm. We only have one fridge so that wouldn't be the ideal solution since I'd have nowhere to put the food while it would be defrosting. Any work I do must be done within 1-2 hours max while the food is still in there.

Defrosting the drain line can take several days depending on how badly it is clogged up.


----------



## Tomken15 (Dec 7, 2011)

You could do an inventory to see what you really need to keep in the fridge - allow stocks to run down or see if you can prevail upon a neighbour.

You may be able to speed things up with bowls of boiling water and/or a hair drier, but under no circumstances attempt to chip the ice away or you could damage pipes depending upon where they are situated.


----------



## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

Solidify said:


> Like this? What do I do now?


That's it. If you look on the back of the fridge, there is a hose attached to it which will drain into a pan in the base. They often clog at the point where it goes through the wall of the fridge. Use a can of compressed air to make certain those are clear.


----------



## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

As well as defrosting/drainage cleaning, carefully check that there's no air leakage around the door seals.


----------



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

gcavan, I can't access where the hose is attached in the back because there is a big steel protective grill. Is it OK to remove this grill to access where the hose begins? 



> They often clog at the point where it goes through the wall of the fridge.


Also, I don't understand at what point you're describing.



> As well as defrosting/drainage cleaning, carefully check that there's no air leakage around the door seals.


You mean the big doors that we use to open the freezer and fridge each day? Like the white plastic suction strip all around them?

I ended up lowering the knob to 5 for now and pouring some hot water down the drainage tube for several minutes. I'll see what that gives. If there's no change after 2 days, I will try to remove the grill and use compressed air or something else to clean the drainage tube better.

I read somewhere that if I'm going to be turning off the fridge (i.e. unplugging it from the wall), I shouldn't plug it back in before about 24 hours. Is this true?


----------



## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

Do not attempt to remove the grill. It is the refridgerator's radiator and is filled with refrigerant. If damaged will disable the refridgerator and mean a costly repair bill. 

If water drains down the tube and into the tray at the base, then it's clear. No need to explore further.

No need to wait to plug the refridgerator back in. If that were necessary, even a short power interruption would mean the loss of everything in it.


----------



## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

You could wait a while yet to defrost. It is getting cold outside and you could set things out in the cold

BG


----------



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

OK I won't take out the radiator, now that I know that's what it is. However, when I was pouring the hot water down the drainage spout in the fridge, I did not see any water in the pan at the base of the fridge (behind). I saw water all over the floor instead...


----------



## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

So either no pan or more likely the hose is out of place.


----------



## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Solidify said:


> You mean the big doors that we use to open the freezer and fridge each day? Like the white plastic suction strip all around them?


Yes, if they don't seal well, it allows warmer, moister air inside, as that warm air cools down, the moisture condenses into - water


----------



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Satrow, I'll check the door for any air leaks, but I doubt that's the issue.

gcavan, the pan is there. I saw it. There was just no water in it. Yes, maybe the hose is not aimed on the pan. If I find out that the hose is indeed aimed on the pan, what else can I do to troubleshoot this? If I can't remove the radiator/grill, I can't gain access to the hose.


----------



## Tomken15 (Dec 7, 2011)

You can usually test the door seals by closing the door onto a sheet of newspaper then see how easily you can pull it out.

You could try a Google for its service manual ?


----------



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

> You could try a Google for its service manual ?


I couldn't find anything on it. The model number is in the photos. You're welcome to try.


----------



## Tomken15 (Dec 7, 2011)

I can't make out the model from that - give me it in English :smile:


----------



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Frigidaire Refrigerator LW18JZARW-1


----------



## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Defrost the fridge and then use a length of automotive wire to punch any gunk out of the drain tube. If you have a compressor you can also blow it out. Clean the drain pan and run some water through to see if you have it draining OK. If you can't clear the drain tube or if it's cracked or broken then it will need to be replaced. 

This covers all the bases:

Refrigerator Leaking Repair Guide


----------



## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Nice simple guide, *MPR* :thumb:

From near the bottom, we see:


> *Refrigerator Leaking From Condensation*
> 
> If the leak is coming from the fresh food door on a side-by-side, top freezer or a bottom freezer refrigerator it can be from condensation. This can be caused by a bad refrigerator door gasket or simply by being in a high humidity environment. If humidity is the problem, then you can sometimes fix this by turning the energy saver off. If the refrigerator door gasket is not sealing properly (shouldn’t be a gap big enough to slide paper in) then you may be able to fix it by putting a small film of Vaseline around the entire gasket. But if this doesn’t work or it’s ripped then replace it. Once you do this, the leak should go away in a matter of days.


As the description in the OP refers to liquid on the top shelf and the accompanying pictures show water hanging above the shelf, I don't see this as being a leak, it's condensation IMO.


----------



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

MPR, I really appreciate the instructions but as a member of a family of 4, I can't afford to empty the fridge without a second one to store everything into. Is there a way I can do all this while the fridge is simply off for 20-30 minutes and then plug it back so the food won't go bad (or will it take longer than 30 minutes)?

I have an air compressor though and I think I can find some automotive wire lying around (or something similar) to clear the tube. I had a very hard time pouring hot water down the drainage cup (in the photo) because of how close it is to the roof of the fridge. How can I facilitate this process? Also, how would I replace the drain tube if I wasn't instructed not to remove the grill/radiator?


----------



## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Ice buildup alone will oftentimes cause condensation in top-freezer unit. Unless you want to take the unit apart, there is no way to get the ice out of a frozen drain tube without defrosting the fridge, which will take most of a day. Get a couple of ice chests to put your food in. First just try to unplug the drain tube with a wire. If you can't get it unplugged and you aren't comfortable with fridge repair then call a repairman.


----------



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

It's really out of the question. There's just too much food. The only way I'd be removing all of it is if I had another fridge. I'm really considering finding out how to remove the radiator will caution, doing it carefully and by the book so that I can just remove the drainage tube and clear it well for several minutes. That way I can just re-attach the tube no more than 15 minutes after having unplugged the refrigerator. 

Do you still discourage me from taking out the radiator to remove the drainage tube, even if I find out how to do it properly?


----------



## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Up to you, but I'd still defrost the fridge before doing anything else -- a good defrost and cleaning can work wonders. Make sure to clean the gunk from the folds in the door gaskets so they seal tightly too.

Bend any metal tubing with coolant in it the wrong way and, if it breaks, you not only will have to call a repairman, you will have to evacuate the house until the fumes dissipate and then get yourself some ice chests and ice to store your food anyway.

You can always plan a defrost session too by using up the stored frozen food and/or waiting until cool weather when you can store frozen food outside.


----------



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Yeah, I know I'm being difficult but I just can't. I did the same thing with my big chest freezer in the basement (I put everything that was in the chest freezer in the refrigetor's freezer while I let the chest freezer defrost for a day). The reason I did this is because there was frost that accumulated all over the seal where the door would shut and it was preventing the door from having a proper air-tight seal with the gasket. After the day it defrosted, I put everything back in the chest freezer and it worked well but then a week or so later, the frost came back and now it's almost as it was before (i.e.: the frost is all over the chest freezer's door so it won't close properly again). 

So not that I don't trust defrosting the refrigerator will help, I do think it will help, but after what I've seen happen with the chest freezer, I have a hunch it will all be for nothing.


----------



## Tomken15 (Dec 7, 2011)

It sounds as if the chest freezer needs new lid seals but you can also check to see if the lid is sitting square as the hinges may have become a little loose/worn over time.

For the fridge - you could try just switching it off for a couple of hours without removing the food, leaving the door closed and then see if you can get anywhere with a straightened wire coat hanger - but if it's pure ice then the only solution would be a defrost.

As two of us have said now, run the fridge right down - you could always try an alternate diet to what you need to keep in the fridge while you are defrosting.

I usually help mine along by putting bowls of boiling water onto the top shelf and then carefully work the loose ice as it begins to thaw - but I never force it - ended up having to get another fridge by doing that once because I'd kinked a pipe.

If the seals are okay on the door and you set the fridge temp to ~ -5C then the problem shouldn't return.

My fridge self defrosts but it just runs down the back wall into a channel and out through a small hole which if the fridge ends being set higher than 4-5 - that freezes over and I get the same problem with water sat on the floor of the fridge.


----------



## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

I'm beginning to wonder about the humidity level in your house. In a house with several people taking showers the humidity can really build up.

I got a neat little digital hygrometer/thermometer fro less than ten dollars from Amazon and use it to make sure that I'm not too dry in the winters here (the dry air here tends to cause wood to split, not to mention my computer to get zapped by static).


----------



## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Tomken15 said:


> ended up having to get another fridge by doing that once because I'd kinked a pipe.


I've had more than a few tenants destroy refrigerators by using ice picks to chip frost from freezers -- and these were old sheet-metal models too. It's amazing how a tiny 100 lb. girl can send an ice pick right through a metal freezer wall and into the copper tubing behind it.


----------



## bruiser (Jul 30, 2005)

Defrost timer and/or thermostat can also cause the problem.


----------



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

> It sounds as if the chest freezer needs new lid seals but you can also check to see if the lid is sitting square as the hinges may have become a little loose/worn over time.


The chest freezer seal is perfect. There are no air leaks. Whatever is causing it to keep producing froze, as far as I'm concerned, does not have to do with the door's seal.



> For the fridge - you could try just switching it off for a couple of hours without removing the food, leaving the door closed and then see if you can get anywhere with a straightened wire coat hanger - but if it's pure ice then the only solution would be a defrost.


Even if I did that, I can barely access the drainage tube without removing the radiator behind the refrigerator.



> As two of us have said now, run the fridge right down - you could always try an alternate diet to what you need to keep in the fridge while you are defrosting.


My friend, I live with 3 women. That won't go well lol



> I usually help mine along by putting bowls of boiling water onto the top shelf and then carefully work the loose ice as it begins to thaw - but I never force it - ended up having to get another fridge by doing that once because I'd kinked a pipe.


Wouldn't the bowls of boiling water method still require me to unplug the fridge, since it'd be counter-intuitive to have the refrigerator cooling bowls that are supposed to be thawing the frost?



> If the seals are okay on the door and you set the fridge temp to ~ -5C then the problem shouldn't return.


That's assuming the problem doesn't lie within the drainage mechanism (or anything else). But you may be right, considering the fridge had always been at 9 (as you can see from the pictures) and I just recently put it to 5.

MPR, my home is 23.8°C with a 43% humidity reading.



> Defrost timer and/or thermostat can also cause the problem.


Would you mind elaborating on how I can troubleshoot that?


----------



## bruiser (Jul 30, 2005)

Here are a lot of links.

https://www.google.com/search?q=How...:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=fflb


----------



## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

Have you ever looked at the owners manual? It could have info on defrosting and condensation.

BG


----------



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Basementgeek said:


> Have you ever looked at the owners manual? It could have info on defrosting and condensation.
> 
> BG





> I couldn't find anything on it. The model number is in the photos. You're welcome to try.


Frigidaire Refrigerator LW18JZARW-1


----------



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Thanks bruiser, I'll check out the timer.


----------



## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

What is your issue with defrosting the fridgerator? Time the job for just before grocery day. Use up or toss any leftovers. Everything out. Toss anything stale dated or hosting a culture. Move anything in the freezer compartment to the deep freezer. Use a portable ice chest to temporarily store everything else, or just leave it on the counter; it isn't going to spoil in an hour.

Unplug it and open the doors. Remove the shelves and bins; those to be washed in the sink. Use the pan of hot water method; one or two in each compartment. Close the doors and leave it for ten or 15 minutes (long enough to wash the removed parts). The ice should have softened enough to fall away; if not repeat. Thoroughly clean the interior of both compartments and you're done.

If you feel you need to remove the radiator, do so carefully. Have a helper with you to hold the radiator in place as you work on it. Do not let it drop and move it out of place no more than necessary.


----------



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

> it isn't going to spoil in an hour.


gcavan, I'm going to advise my family that we will do that. However, if there is something in the fridge or drainage tube that is seriously pure frozen, someone else on this thread (maybe MPR) told me that it would take a good day to let it defrost properly.


----------



## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

As I said earlier, wait a couple of months until the temps drop outside. There is your cooler.

BG


----------



## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Basementgeek said:


> As I said earlier, wait a couple of months until the temps drop outside. There is your cooler.
> 
> BG


It shouldn't be a very long wait for colder temps. I keep my beer and soda in the garage in the winter. Never had the garage freeze (attached) and I hang the bags of potatoes and onions from the door opener supports.......keeps 'em away from rodents. 

You may want to really check the defrost timer......I've had them go out. 

My son just went through the same thing you are going through. Water on the floor.......but the bad part was the fridge wouldn't stay cold. 24 hour thaw with a fan circulating the air did the trick. He just put the perishables in a cooler with plenty of ice.

No AC and the house will be more humid.....unless you have a dehumidifier. The extra moisture in the air can cause the fridge to freeze up even with a working defrost system.


----------



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

That's a good idea, sorry I missed it the first time; I'll defrost the fridge sometime in the winter so we can use the cold-room as a temporary refrigerator.


----------



## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Could be worse......I was pretty much forced to defrost the fridge and chest freezer a few years ago. Hurricane Ike made it all the way up to ohio and I was without power for 4 days. Still don't have a generator but I fill milk jugs with water and fill the vacant areas of my freezer with 'em. If I need the freezer space I remove as many as I have to. IMO it's always best to keep the freezer full even if it's only ice.


----------



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

> IMO it's always best to keep the freezer full even if it's only ice.


Why is that?


----------



## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

The scientific concept involves thermal inertia. Energy transfers as heat from warmer to cooler objects. The more massive and dense an object is, the slower it will be to either heat up or cool down. Therefore, the more frozen stuff you have in your freezer the slower it is to warm up and the faster it will be to cool down other stuff you put in the freezer.


----------



## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

^^^^ What MPR said.

The more frozen mass you have the longer the unit will stay cold. Kinda like putting ice in your cooler......your food and drinks won't stay cool for very long without the addition of ice.


----------

