Water Leaks Out of the Refrigerator on the Freezer Side

How the Self-Defroster Works

• Over time, frost can build up inside your freezer. The source of the frost is the humidity that is in the air inside your home. Every time you open your freezer door, humid indoor air pours into the freezer compartment. The freezer cools this air, and the water vapor in the air condenses on the coils and walls of the unit. The freezer half of your refrigerator/freezer has a defrosting element to deal with this issue. This element is similar to a heating element in an electric stove. Intermittently, through a timer, the element heats up and warms the inside of the freezer for a brief period, melting the ice.

Defrost Drain Clog

• When the defrosting element melts the ice inside your freezer, the resulting water has to be drained away from the freezer compartment. The drain is typically located in one of the back corners of the inside of the freezer. These drains have small screens or grills over them that prevent food from falling down into the drain line. Over time, food and debris can accumulate on the drain and cause clogs. Wipe out the drain with a damp sponge and remove any visible debris.

Drain Line Ice Blockage

• When water drains from the defrost drain inside the freezer, it travels down a drain line to a drain pan. Sometimes the temperature in the drain line can fall quickly enough to freeze water inside the line, and cause water backup inside your freezer. Use a turkey baster to dribble a small amount of hot water into the drain. This will free up any ice clogs, and should get the line moving again.

Drain Pan Issues

• All of the water drained from the self-defrost mechanism, and water accumulated by the unit's refrigeration system, is drained into the drain pan. The drain pan is located behind the grill on the bottom front of your refrigerator. Remove the grill and wipe out the pan. Dirt and debris from the floor of your kitchen can find its way onto the pan, and cause overflows.