Ice Maker Leaking Water? 8 Simple Solutions

Most modern refrigerators have a built-in ice-making machine that saves you lots of time by keeping you from having to constantly refill the ice trays. Unfortunately, sometimes the ice maker starts to leak water into your freezer or onto the floor. When this happens, either your ice maker or your refrigerator unit needs to be fixed. In this guide, we cover all the main reasons an ice maker leak could be happening and what you need to do to fix it.

1. Check the fill valve

The best place to start is to check the fill valve. The fill valve opens  to supply water to the ice maker. If the fill valve gets out of alignment, water may leak out of your ice maker.  To check the fill valve, you need to:

• Locate the fill valve.
• Check that the fill valve is correctly aligned. If not, adjust the valve until it is properly aligned. 
• Check if the leak has stopped. If the leak hasn’t stopped, check the next possible solution.

2. Check the ice maker dispenser

Another common cause of a leaking ice maker is when the dispenser gets jammed with ice. When this happens, water may leak out of your ice maker because of the faulty dispenser. To clean the jam out the ice maker dispenser, you need to:

1. Place a bucket or bowl underneath the ice maker dispenser.
2. Open the fridge door and locate the top of the dispenser chute.
3. Pour warm water down the chute. This will defrost and dislodge any ice blocking the chute.
4. Test that ice can come out of the dispenser and that the leak has stopped. If the leak hasn’t stopped, check the next possible solution.

3. Check the water supply pipe

The next possible solution to fix a leaking ice maker is to check the water supply pipe. This pipe is responsible for delivering water to the ice maker unit and if it gets damaged, a leak may occur. Here’s how to check the water supply pipe:

• Locate the water supply pipe.
• Make sure the pipe isn’t kinked, bent, or damaged. If it is, repair or if necessary, replace it.
• Check if the leak has stopped. If not, check the next possible solution.

4. Check all the ice maker connections

The next possible solution to find the cause of a leaking ice maker is to check all of the connection points where the water supply pipe connects to the ice maker. If any of these connection points are loose, a leak may occur. Here’s how to check the connections:

• Visually inspect all of the connections along the water supply pipe and the points where they attach to the ice maker unit.
• If any connections are loose or damaged, repair or replace them.
• Check if the leak has stopped. If not, check the next possible solution.

5. Replace the water filter

The next solution is to replace your water filter. The water filter should be changed at least a couple of times a year as it can wear out or be moved out of place, which can cause a leak to occur. If you haven’t changed your water filter for a while, replace it and then check if the leak stops. If the leak hasn’t stopped, check the next possible solution.

6. Check your fridge is sitting level 

If your refrigerator isn’t sitting level on the floor, your ice maker may leak. Checking if your fridge is level is simple. All you need to do is:

• Place a bubble level on top of your fridge.
• If the bubble level shows your fridge isn’t level, adjust the legs on your fridge until the bubble level shows that it’s sitting level.
• Once your fridge is level, check if the leak has stopped. If it hasn’t, check the next possible solution.

7. Clean the condensation drain

The next solution is to clean the condensation drain. The condensation drain is there to drain any water in your freezer that’s caused by condensation. If you have water leaking out of your freezer, it could be caused by a blocked condensation drain. The condensation drain is easy to clean. All you need to do is:

• Locate the condensation drain.
• Pour hot water down the drain to melt any ice that is blocking it.
• Wipe the drain to soak up any water to stop it from immediately freezing the drain again.

8. Check the dispenser switch

Another solution to fix a leaking ice maker is to check the dispenser switch with a multimeter. If the switch becomes defective, your ice maker may start leaking. Here’s how to check the dispenser switch:

• Unplug your fridge.
• Locate the dispenser switch. (Check your user manual if necessary.)
• Test the switch for continuity with a multimeter.
• If the test shows the switch doesn’t have continuity, replace it. 
• Once you replace the switch, check if the leak has stopped.