How To Repair A Freezer Dripping Water Into Refrigerator – Frozen Drain Tube

The freezer drain hole and drain line in the bottom of my freezer keeps icing up. This issue causes water to drip down and into the refrigerator compartment. This causes water in bottom of the refrigerator. We have removed the cover on the inside of freezer to clean out any ice buildup. After we clean all the ice out, within a few weeks, it freezes up again and the water drips into the fridge and eventually onto the floor. There is a thin layer of ice on the bottom of the freezer. Can you tell me what could be causing this and how I can repair this myself?

repair freezer leak water into fridge

If your fridge and freezer are cooling NORMALLY, then this issue is most likely a plugged drain line. This usually means there are no issues with the defrost thermostat or defrost timer. This type of issue is common on the top and bottom style Whirlpool, Maytag, and Kenmore refrigerators.

The best way to go about unclogging the drain line is to remove the panel covering it and any ice or food particles that may be clogging it. Pour some hot water down into the drain line. The hot water will melt the ice clogging the drain line and stop water from leaking into your refrigerator. You can also use a hair dryer to defrost the ice but use caution. When the water begins to run freely and comes out the other end (into the pan), then it is clear and free of ice. This simple repair procedure should fix your problem. If however the drain line keeps freezing up, see below for how to prevent this from happening again.

drain hole in back of freezerFreezer on top of refrigerator – Location of drain hole that may be frozen over

If the issue is not resolving itself by using a hair dryer or pouring hot water into the drain line, you may have to defrost the fridge/freezer for 24 hours or so. Defrosting the complete refrigerator and freezer will melt any ice that may be clogging the drain line. If your drain line is plugged up bad enough that you have to defrost the fridge and freezer, be sure to unplug and leave the doors open for the 24 hour defrost period. Remove food and items in fridge before defrosting and put them in another fridge while your main fridge defrosts.

freezer drain hole location on side by sideSide by side refrigerator – Drain hole is located in bottom of freezer under crisper drawer

To be sure this does not happen again, there may be a small heating element that is nonfunctional in your fridge. Some refrigerators have it and some do not. Either way, you can install this part to keep the drain line from icing up. It is a genuine replacement heat probe part that can be installed on most FREEZER ON TOP STYLE REFRIGERATORS. This part will come with instructions and should be fairly easy to install. With certain models of refrigerators, you may have to bend the heating element towards the drain to get the probe into the hole.

refrigerator heat probe for drain tubeHeat probe for MOST refrigerators to keep drain line clear of ice

This part can work on most refrigerators with french doors, or top and bottom refrigerators. On most refrigerators, there is a heater for the evaporator drain line so it does not freeze up. Some people have reported that either their fridge did not have one or the one that came with the fridge did not work to keep the drain line unfrozen. This part (after defrosting your fridge or unclogging the iced up drain line) should make the issue of a frozen drain line to never happen again.

When the drain line in your fridge freezes up, it causes water to drip either into the fridge compartment or onto the floor (depending on your style of refrigerator). As we stated above, the easiest way to fix this yourself is to simply run hot water through the drain line to allow water to flow. However, if this issue keeps happening, then installing the small heater part for your refrigerator may be your best bet to solving the dripping water issue once and for all.

Many refrigerator manufacturers will add this heat probe for the the drain pipe to let water drain properly. Your part in your refrigerator could have burnt out and is not working. So if you are having the LEAKING WATER FROM FRIDGE ISSUE, then your element may be burnt out and needs to be replaced.


Here is a video to show you how to easily unclog your drain line (Freezer on top refrigerators)


DIY – How to Unclog a Refrigerator Drain Line (Side by side refrigerators)


Samsung Refrigerator Freezing Drain Problem Water Under Drawers

Have another solution for a clogged freezer drain line? Please help our other readers and leave a helpful tip below.

12 thoughts on “How To Repair A Freezer Dripping Water Into Refrigerator – Frozen Drain Tube”

  1. I have a kenmore and its does the same thing. I have ice building up in the vent that goes into the refrigerator and when it goes into the defrost mode it melts the ice build up and it drips out the vent. . My frig is a 2015 and it just started the last 6 months. My drain is clean. I can pour water down the drain and it comes out the bottom. The ice builds up at the bottom of the vent where it goes into the refrigerator section

  2. I unplugged my kenmore model# 79515252401 over night, took off freezer panel, poured water through drain tube. ran out freely to drain pan. Reconnected everything put back freezer panel back on. Congratulated myself. Next day found water under crisper drawers again. Seems to be dripping from refrigerator fan vents. What now???

  3. I have a side by side 27c ft Hotpoint refrigerator. I changed the valve but I had a lot of problems connecting the plastic tubing to the valve. It seems that the water pressure change when action in the water dispenser may be too hard and ends up dripping.
    It seems to be ok, at first, no leaks, however, a week after is leaking again. I defrosted the refrigerator completely and cleaned it and it is working fine. I opened the back panel in the freezer and there was no ice build up, at all. The problem seems to be with the valve. The ice maker works fine, the water dispenser also works fine. After the cleanup is freezing even more. Do i need to change the valve again? is brand new, if not what else do I need to do to fix the leak? I shut the water off and disconnected the water line from the valve while I figure out what to do. I also order a braided steel ice maker connector. I’m running out of ideas please help.

  4. I have an Armco fridge, medium in size,anybody knows where it’s drain hole is located? I can’t find it

  5. Nancy Bentley

    I did mine and it lasted about 3 weeks. Noticed today, water back in the frig. I guess it needs to be done on a regular basis. Such a job! :(

  6. I Have water running down the inside back of refrigerator.
    There is no water attached to the unit.
    It is a Maytag refrigerator.

  7. First, check the bottom of the drain line on the back of the refrigerator just above the pan. The drain line sometimes turns up to form a air trap. This spot easily gets clogged and it’s easy to disconnect and clean first.

  8. DIY Project Help Tips

    Bruce Decker,
    Does the Whirlpool Refrigerator at least turn ON when you plug it in or is it simply not cooling?
    Please explain in detail.
    -RR

  9. I cleaned out the drain.
    I forgot to rehook up the ground.
    It ran for a few minutes and then quit.
    After I hooked up the ground, it won’t run.
    Did I blow up something?
    I have a Whirlpool Refrigerator model ET8CHMXK005.

  10. I did everything you said.
    I put all the frozen food into coolers.
    I had a 1i/8 of an inch of ice all across the bottom of the freezer.
    When I got to the drain area it had about a 1/4 inch of ice.
    It took a lot of hot water to melt it and I kept cleaning up the water with a dishcloth.
    I finally got to the whole of the drain and used a turkey baster over and over again and kept wiping up the water.
    One thing that you didn’t mention was the metal that the water drains into as well as the back part of the freezer is razor sharp and I ended up with several cuts.
    I kept the fridge closed and the freezer door opened and unplugged.
    I even used a hair dryer when everything was wiped dry.
    After a few hours or so I tried the turkey baster with the boiling hot water.
    It finally worked!
    I’m so happy that you wrote this article and made the video!
    I live on a VERY TIGHT FIXED income and was praying I didn’t need a new refrigerator!
    Thank you so very much!
    You saved me a lot of money that I really don’t have and didn’t want to buy one on credit! Thanks, Again!

  11. DIY Project Help Tips

    miike adams,
    What is the model number of your Maytag Refrigerator?
    Does the fridge have an ice maker and a water dispenser?
    Is it possible the freezer temp is too high and items in the freezer are leaking down into the fridge section?
    When you have the rear panel of the freezer off, check that nothing is clogged, disconnected, or damaged.
    Where is the water dripping from, the back, front, or sides of the top of the fridge section?
    -RR

  12. I have a Maytag fridge and it started leaking water into the fridge and then leaks into the floor.
    It seems like it’s coming from just behind where the cold air blows into the fridge.
    I take the back of the freezer out and there was no ice build up that i could see that was clogging the drain line inside the freezer.
    Can anyone help me with this problem and maybe give me some pointers on what to do.

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