Fridge Drain Blocked (2024)

You might think a piece of plastic broke off, or that your fridge is just "old." But the actual cause is far grosser (and more organic). The three main causes of a blocked drain are:

Every three months, pour a cup of hot (not boiling) water down the drain. If you want to be proactive, use hot vinegar. This keeps the biofilm from ever building up. fridge drain blocked

This is the most effective method.

If the defrost heater fails or the defrost timer gets stuck, ice builds up around the drain. If the drain line passes too close to a cold surface, the water inside the tube freezes before it can reach the evaporation pan. Ice expands, creating a solid plug. You might think a piece of plastic broke

If your fridge is set too cold, water may freeze inside the drain tube before it can escape. This keeps the biofilm from ever building up

Small crumbs or vegetable scraps can fall into the hole.