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Refrigerator Leaking

Refrigerator Leaking

Is your refrigerator leaking? Leaking refrigerator can cause irreversible damage to your floor. It is vary important that you fix this immediately. Fortunately for you this refrigerator repair guide can walk you through the steps it takes in repairing your refrigerator. These are the same steps I take when repairing appliances professionally. So if you follow these steps your problem will be solved in no time. Take the time to read each section carefully until your refrigerator is repaired.

LEAKING FROM BACK

If the water is coming from the back of the refrigerator its most likely from the icemaker water valve. To check this you have to remove the back cover and inspect the valve. If it’s leaking replace it. But it might not leak unless its running water. To make it run water you must jump-start the icemaker. If you’re unclear on how to jump-start an icemaker click here jumping icemaker Once you jump the icemaker it should start to turn and when it gets to the fill cycle it turns on the valve for about 5 sec. You need to be looking at the valve when this happens (this may take a while because first the ice has to dump but don’t miss it). If the leak comes from the valve just replace the refrigerator water valve.

If it comes from the inlet tube (where the water goes into the freezer) replace the valve but first you need to clean out the tube because it’s full of ice. To do this you have to take the tube out. Some twist out, some have screws, and some don’t even come out but if they do it needs to. Once you have it out you can get the ice out with hot water then put it back (note if you just clean out the tube and don’t replace the refrigerator water valve then it will happen again)

If it still doesn’t leak after you jump the icemaker, then you will need to watch for leaks while someone runs water through the door (if you have water through the door). If the valve leaks then replace it. Sometimes the line going to the door leaks, if this is so then you can cut the line past the leak and install a coupling then a new length of 5/16 of line.

LEAKING FROM ICEMAKER

If it’s leaking from inside the freezer then it’s coming from the icemaker or the drain. Let’s start with the icemaker. If it’s the icemaker there will likely be an ice hanging from the icemaker or just a big block of ice in the ice bin. In any case, it will be obvious.

There are a few reasons this will happen: one is the icemaker will stop turning when it gets to the fill cycle. This will happen when the gears in the icemaker break. On GE icemakers that were made before the year 2000, you can see the gears by taking off the cover on the front of the icemaker. However, if the small gear is broke you can’t buy it as far as I know. I have been taking them off of junk icemakers for years. So this part may be hard to find. But if the big gear is broke replace it. Another reason icemakers leak is the fill tube is stopped up and I already discussed this earlier (replace water valve and clean out tube).

Another reason icemakers leak is that the water comes in too fast so it over fills the first cube mold. When this happens you will get a few drops of water when it fills. To fix this you have to take the icemaker out and remove the piece on the side of the icemaker. I don’t know the name of it so for this we’ll call it cube separator because that’s what it does (most of them just snap off others have a screws). Now take silicone (RTV) and put a small amount around the first cube mold only under the cube separator. Now reinstall the cube separator and wipe off excess silicone and it shouldn’t leak anymore.

Another reason that icemakers leak is that the refrigerator water valve sticks after the icemaker goes out of the fill cycle. When this happens the valve stays on and the icemaker keeps on turning, in which case, replace the refrigerator water valve.

LEAKING FROM DRAIN: SIDE-BY-SIDE

If it’s coming from the drain, ice will be build up around the drain. If you have a side-by-side refrigerator and the drain is stopped up, ice will build up in the bottom of the freezer and water will come out the door. To repair this is easy: first you get all the ice out. I do this by hitting it with a pair of pliers or a small hammer and a screwdriver. Once the ice is out, take a turkey baser and draw hot water into it and shoot it down the drain (you may have to do this a few times). This will force whatever is blocking the drain down. Now take some baking soda, mix it with water, and pour it down the drain. Now your problem should be fixed.

LEAKING FROM DRAIN: TOP FREEZER

If you have a top freezer and the drain is stopped up, water will build up under the vegetable bin (in fresh food compartment). The repair for this is a little more difficult. First, look to see if it has a drain down the back (a ¾ tube in the middle of the back refrigerator) of the refrigerator. If it does take it off and see if its stopped up. If it is, clean it out and reinstall it. Most likely your problem is fixed. If not, follow these next few steps as well.

Now if you don’t have a drain going down the back of your refrigerator then you’ll have to access the drain from inside the freezer. First, take off the evaporator cover (the back or bottom of freezer). Now there will be ice build up around the drain melt it. Next, take a turkey baser, draw hot water into it and shoot it down the drain. You may have to repeat this several times until the water goes down freely. Now take some baking soda, mix it with water, and pour it down the drain. This should fix your problem.

LEAKING FROM WATER RESERVOIR

If you have a side-by-side refrigerator and water is leaking from the fresh food door, the water reservoir (a big container or a length of water line coiled up to store water) may be leaking. This is where water is stored to cool down. Then when you get water through the door, it’s cool. You will need to take the vegetable bin and maybe the bottom shelf to access it. Once you accessed it, you can look for leaks. It may not leak until you run water, so get someone to run water through the door while you check for leaks. You need to look hard because it may just be a small stream of water. To fix this, you will need to replace the reservoir. If you can’t get the reservoir for your refrigerator then you can use 100ft of 5/16 plastic water line and 2 couplings. The 100ft of water will hold enough water to serve the same purpose.

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.

 

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Microwaves – Display / Clock

Description

Display showing a blinking colon ” : ” or “PF” (on built-ins)

There has been a power failure or the clock time has been turned off.

See “Display”section below to clear display.

See “Clock” section below to reset the clock or to turn it on.

 

Display showing an error code; a letter followed by a number (F# or E# or F#.T#)?

See “Display” section below to clear error code. If it reappears, then schedule service for technician to diagnosis.

 

Display

When power is first supplied to the microwave oven, a colon ( : ) will blink in the display. Touch Cancel Off or Cancel (depending upon model) to stop the blinking. If the colon ” : ” blinks in the display at any other time, a power failure has occurred. Touch Cancel Off or Cancel, and reset the clock as needed.

If an invalid value has been entered, the invalid entry tones will sound and the input prompt will reappear in the display. Retry your entry.

When the microwave oven is in use, the display shows cooking power, quantities, weights and/or prompts. When the microwave oven is not in use (standby mode), the display shows the time of day or Timer countdown.

 

Clock

This is a standard 12-hour clock (12:00-11:59) and does not show a.m. or p.m.

To set:

The microwave oven and timer must be off.

  1. Touch Clock.
  2. Touch the number pads to set the time of day.
  3. Touch Clock or Start.

To remove:

  1. Touch Clock.
  2. Touch 0 (zero).
  3. Touch Clock.

The time will disappear, and colon  ” : ” will appear on the display.

 

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Ice droplets in the freezer compartment – Side by side with Ice Bin in Door

Description

Generally, ice droplets on the freezer walls and back panel are normal. This is generally noticed under the following conditions.

  • Opening the door frequently can cause ice droplets to accumulate in the freezer compartment. When the door is opened, humidity from the room air enters the freezer. The more often the door is opened, the faster the humidity builds. Opening the doors less often will help but may not completely eliminate ice droplets.
    NOTE: Microprocessors in the refrigerator gather information tracking the number of door openings and how long the door has been open to take the guesswork out of temperature management. Even if the door is ajar, the temperature adjusts immediately.
  • Frost or ice is likely to appear if the door was left open for a period of time. Make sure that both doors are closing completely.
    NOTE: The Door Ajar Alarm feature sounds an alarm when the refrigerator or freezer door is open for 5 minutes and the product cooling is turned on. The alarm repeats every 2 minutes. Closing both doors will turn it off.
  • During months of high humidity (especially if a home is not air-conditioned), it is normal for some sweating or moisture to build up inside the freezer when the room air is humid.
    NOTE: Temperature sensors placed close to the front of the refrigerator help ensure that food stays cold, no matter where the food is placed.
  • Make sure that the air vents between the freezer and refrigerator compartments are not blocked. Cold air enters and exits the refrigerator compartment from the freezer compartment through vents near the top shelf and crisper drawer.
    NOTE: There are six evenly distributed vents to create better circulation within the refrigerator and freezer compartments. This reduces the potential of decreased air flow that can cause temperature and moisture problems.

The illustration shows the 6th Sense™ system airflow ensuring it keeps foods cool in the most efficient way possible. The system is always on when your refrigerator is operating, so there is nothing to activate.

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Front loading washer Display shows an error code

Description

The following list of codes indicates an electronics communication problem with the washer:

Duet HT® washer – F01, F03, F06, F11, F23, F24, F27, F28, F29, F30, F31, F32, F35, F42, F61, F62, F63, F64, F65, F70, F71, and F99

Duet® washer – F05, F07, F09, F10, F11, F13, F14, F15, F21, F22, and FdU

Duet SportTM washer – F01, F11, F23, F24, F27, F28, F29, F30, F31, and F33

To remove the error display, press Pause/Cancel twice.

 

If Pause/Cancel does not work:

  1. Unplug washer or disconnect power for one minute.
  2. Plug in washer or reconnect power.
  3. Re-select the cycle and press Start.

 

 

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Front loading washer – Cycle time is not correct

Description

Does the displayed Estimated Time Remaining differ from real cycle time? Does the time displayed show one number for a long time? Does the number jump to zero?

During conditions of excessive suds or unbalanced load, the Estimated Time Remaining on your washer may differ from the actual cycle time. The Sensing indicator light will glow while the washer is revising the Estimated Time Remaining. The Estimated Time Remaining is based on: detergent type, size and type of load, cycle selection, and household water temperature and pressure. If excessive suds or an unbalanced load occurs, then the Estimated Time Remaining may stay at one value for a long period of time, or jump to zero at the end of the cycle. To avoid long cycle times due to additional rinsing caused by over-sudsing, always use only HE High Efficiency detergent.

NOTE: The panel shown above may be different than that of your model.

Is “Sud” or “Sd” displayed?  Do you see excessive suds in the window?

The display indicates too much suds, and the washer is not able to spin out water. When “Sud” or “Sd”  is displayed, the washer automatically extends the rinse time to remove the excess suds. During this time the washer pauses the tumbling and adds water for additional rinsing. This pause allows the bubbles in the suds to break. This pause and rinsing is necessary and may occur several times to eliminate the suds. If you see “Sud” or “Sd” with the Rinse status light on, the washer is in the process of removing suds. Let the cycle continue.  If you see “Sud” or “Sd” and the Done status light is on, the washer detected too many suds during the cycle and your load may not be fully rinsed or the water may not be fully removed. Always use only HE High Efficiency detergent to avoid this problem.

Does this occur with a single item or bulky item load?

Unbalanced load conditions are more likely to occur with a single or bulky item. Consider adding additional items to the load to aid in balancing the load. If an unbalanced load is detected, then the washer will make several attempts to redistribute the laundry load in the drum. This adds time to the cycle.

Are you using a cycle, temperature or option that heats the wash water?

If the Whitest Whites cycle, Heavy Duty cycle, Sanitize temperature, or Deep Clean option are selected, the heater in the washer may be turned on. The heating time depends on the incoming water temperatures, load size and type. The Estimated Time Remaining does not adjust for the conditions listed above, so the actual time required may be shorter or longer than that displayed.

Are you washing a large load in a Delicate, Wool, Silk, Hand Washables or Quick Wash cycle?

When using the Delicate, Wool, Silk, Hand Washables or Quick Wash (on some models) cycles, wash small loads to provide your garments with a gentle wash without increasing cycle time. If larger loads are washed in these cycles, wash time will increase.

 

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Built-In Wall Ovens – Normal Operating Sounds, Cooling Fan Noise

CONCERN:

The cooling fan:

  • Runs and/or is noisy when the oven is in use and/or after cycle completes
  • Continues to run after every oven function such as BAKE, BROIL or CLEAN is complete

MODELS AFFECTED:  Any wall oven

NORMAL OPERATION:

It is normal for all wall ovens (any manufacturer) to have an automatic cooling fan that runs when the oven is in use and/or after cycle completes.

It is normal:

  • For the automatic cooling fan to run when the oven is in use and/or after cycle completes
  • To hear the automatic cooling fan move air when the oven is in use and/or after cycle completes

The automatic cooling fan:

  • Helps to cool the enclosed oven cavity and the electronic controls when the oven is in use and/or after cycle completes
  • Keeps the electronic controls cool during every oven function such as BAKE, BROIL or CLEAN
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Why is my washer leaving oil spots on my clothes?

 

The oil type spots and streaks on your clothing could be caused by several different problems. Here are some tips to eliminate and prevent these types of stains:

  • Using too much fabric softener will result in oily spots on clothing. Also, adding the softener directly to the tub instead of the dispenser will result in this problem. Fabric softener can build up in the dispenser hose to the tub as well. I recommend that you clean your dispenser drawer and wipe out deposits that may have built up in the housing. There may also be a buildup of deposits in the hose from the dispenser to the tub. You may be able to clear these deposits by running an empty cycle with just bleach being dispensed through the detergent dispenser.
  • You should be using HE (High Efficiency) detergent. Failure to use this type of detergent can cause deposits in the dispenser as noted above. It can also build up deposits in the washer tub. A new product named AFFRESH can be used to eliminate deposits in the washer tub. If you cannot find this product locally, you can order it through Sears Parts by calling 1-800-252-1698. You can also order the Affresh online by clicking the Parts link on Sears.com. The part number for this product is W10135699.
  • The spots may be coming from the door boot seal. Certain conditions can cause this boot to deteriorate. It can cause the oily spots and streaks that you describe. Try rubbing a moist paper towel over the entire door boot seal. If you get residue on the paper towel, you should try to clean the entire boot. Try using diluted white vinegar to wipe down the entire door seal. Rinse it with plain tap water. Run an empty cycle with one cup of chlorine bleach added to the wash tub (no other detergents added). After the cycle, leave the washer door slightly ajar and allow the boot to dry. Test for residue again. If you are still getting residue from the door boot, you may need to replace it.
  • Overloading the washer can cause clothes to be forced up against the door boot and streaks can result on garments.
  • Certain plants or chemicals can cause deposits on clothes when laundered. Wisteria sap can cause brown spots on clothes. The sap will appear to be clear until the garment is washed. The same result will occur with certain types of weed killers and other chemicals.
  • This washer has a belt drive system that turns the wash basket. There is not a source of grease or oil that can leak into the washer tub from this type of belt drive system. It is not likely that your oil spots are caused by mechanical lubricants in the washer.

The above tips should help you find and eliminate your problem. If you continue to have this problem and cannot find the cause of the spots, you will probably need a service technician to diagnose and repair your washer.

The procedure for accessing the water seal and bearing in the outer tub at the back of the washer is a complicated process. It involves the disassembly of the cabinet and the tear down of many internal parts of the washer. To see the parts breakdown, you can click on the Parts link on Sears.com. The parts diagrams will illustrate the drive system and the tub assembly. The bearing that you are seeking to access is on the rear shell. To get to it, you must disassemble the outer cabinet, remove the drive belt, drive motor and related components, remove the shocks and suspension springs, remove the 23 screws that hold the 2 halves of the outer shell together and remove the inner basket. Reassembly will require the replacement of the gasket between the two tubs. It also requires precise tightening of the 23 screws that hold the 2 outer shell parts together. Failure to properly tighten the screws will result in leaks. I recommend that you contact a service technician if you want to check this bearing as a source of your oil spots. If you are completely confident that you can safely complete the complicated procedure that I described above, resubmit your question for help in accessing the shell bearing.