6 Reasons Your Freezer is Leaking Water

It can be very frustrating to open your freezer door only to discover a pool of water and spoiled groceries inside. Whether your appliance is experiencing occasional dripping or extensive pooling, you can troubleshoot the cause to help prevent further damage.

If your freezer is leaking water and you’re stuck trying to find an easy fix, here are six possible reasons with solutions that can get your appliance operating again:

• Reason 1: Broken drain pan
• Reason 2: Food not stored correctly
• Reason 3: Too much freezer defrosting
• Reason 4: Faulty door seal
• Reason 5: Clogged drain hole
• Reason 6: Defective temperature control

Reason 1: Broken Drain Pan

The most common reason why a freezer leaks water is a broken drain pan. Your freezer produces condensation as it works to keep your food frozen at the right temperature. The drain pan collects this water to prevent leakage.

If there is a crack in the drain pan, however, this could cause a leak to develop underneath the freezer.

How to fix it: First, check your manufacturer’s manual to see where the drain pan is positioned — it’s usually located at the bottom of most appliances. If you’ve spotted a crack, you must replace it. We recommend a call to your local Mr. Appliance to schedule a repair.

Reason 2: Food Not Stored Correctly

Thankfully, not every freezer leaking water will need an extensive repair. The culprit to your water woes, for instance, can be as simple as your food not being properly stored.

If most of your food contains a lot of moisture, it can increase the amount of condensation in the inside of your appliance. Or, if a lot of your goods are sitting against the back wall of your freezer, moisture could start developing on the back of the appliance. This can cause water to build up, flow down the wall of your freezer, and leak out the back.

How to fix it: There’s an easy fix to this problem — just rearrange the way your items are placed in the freezer to prevent moisture from building up inside.

Reason 3: Too Much Freezer Defrosting

Keep in mind that defrosting your freezer from time to time is not a bad thing to prevent a backlog of ice. However, all that water has to go somewhere, so you need to take the proper precautions to prevent leakage.

How to fix it: We recommend placing towels underneath the freezer anytime you defrost your appliance. This can help to soak up any water pooling underneath your fridge. Be sure to promptly remove the wet towels to prevent damage to your floors.

Reason 4: Faulty Door Seal

Another common reason a freezer leaks water is a faulty door seal. The rubber seal around the door edge works to stop warm air from entering your appliance. If your seal is broken, warm air will get trapped inside and cause everything in your freezer to melt.

It boils down to this: water needs somewhere to go, and if your seal is faulty, you’ll end up with a pool of water underneath your fridge.

How to fix it: First, try wiping the freezer door seal with a soft cloth and mild, soapy water.If that doesn’t work, you’ll probably need to replace the seal.

Reason 5: Clogged Drain Hole

Your freezer may also be leaking because there’s an issue with the drain hole, or defrost hole. This device is located on the back of your appliance and is responsible for taking water out.

Over time, it can become clogged due to food, debris, and grease — causing a leak to form.

How to fix it: Fill a basting syringe with warm water and place the end of it into the drain hole before squeezing it to force water out. This will help remove any ice from the drain. Then, wash the drain pan with soapy water and a sponge. Make sure to thoroughly rinse it out with water.

Reason 6: Defective Temperature Control

The temperature control in your appliance works to keep the food in your freezer cold. Your appliance may not be at the right temperature if the freezer is too warm, causing a leak to form.

How to fix it: Locate your freezer’s temperature control to see if it’s set at the right temperature. We recommend keeping it at -18°C (0°F). If adjusting the temperature doesn’t work, we advise calling your local Mr. Appliance.

FAQs about Leaky Freezers

Why is my freezer leaking water from the bottom?

Your freezer may be leaking water from the bottom for a number of reasons, whether it’s due to a broken drain pan, faulty door seal, or one of the other reasons listed above.

How do you fix a freezer leak?

Fixing a freezer leak depends on where the problem is stemming from. We recommend trying one of the solutions above or calling your local Mr. Appliance if you’re having trouble identifying the source of the leak.

Where is the freezer drain hole?

The freezer drain hole is located on the back of your appliance.

Let Mr. Appliance Fix Your Freezer Leaking Water

It’s definitely not ideal to be surrounded by a pool of water from a leaky freezer. Thankfully, our service professionals can accurately pinpoint and fix the issue.

We’re backed by decades of experience troubleshooting and resolving freezer leaks of any kind! Learn more about our freezer repair services.

Brands we service

We service many appliance brands such as:

• Whirlpool
• Samsung
• Frigidaire
• LG
• Kenmore
• KitchenAid

Tired of a leaky freezer? Not to worry, our team can arrange a consultation and identify the source of the problem. Give us a call or schedule an appointment to get your freezer running smoothly again.