Does your fridge dispense ice and water? Where do you think it gets the water? A line runs from your home’s water supply to the refrigerator.
It is through this line that the appliance gets the water it needs. Technically speaking, you have two water lines. One line provides a dedicated water supply to the refrigerator. The second tube brings the water to the ice and water dispensers.
Some internal lines are copper (sturdy and long-lasting but vulnerable to denting). Others are plastic (flexible but not as durable). The water will only flow through the main line if it maintains optimal temperatures. Low temperatures will encourage the water line to freeze.
What Causes Samsung Refrigerator Water Line To Freeze?
1). Settings – Coldest Temperature
The line will freeze because you lowered the temperature to the coldest setting. Some temperatures are low enough to freeze the water reservoir. You can confirm your suspicions by checking the water reservoir.
This component is usually situated behind the drawers in the food section. A frozen water reservoir is typically connected to a frozen water tube.
2). Insufficient Content
How much food do you have in the drawers and compartments? The water line and reservoir can survive the coldest settings if you have plenty of food in the fridge. This is because the food can absorb the cold air. But if you have insufficient contents, the cold air will flow to the water tank and reservoir.
Keep in mind that cold air settles at the bottom of the compartment. You typically find the water tank at the bottom area of the food section.
3). Poor Insulation
The water line can freeze because poor insulation exposes the tubing to excess moisture from outside. Inspect the fridge for gaps in the insulation. Compromised insulation will affect the Samsung refrigerator’s efficiency.
4). Low-Quality Pipe
The quality of the pipe matters. Thinner, cheaper pipes are more likely to freeze because they have inadequate insulation.
How Do I Unfreeze My Samsung Refrigerator Water Line?
The ice and water dispensers won’t work until you unfreeze the water line. After all, they need the water from the line to perform their functions. Try these fixes the next time your water line freezes:
1). Start By Getting A Decent Line
Many people settle for inferior PVC lines because of their friendly price tags. You are better off buying the steel braided option. It costs more, but you get plenty of value for your money. The line will last much longer.
This assumes that you recently replaced the water line. The water line that comes with your Samsung refrigerator is strong enough to stand the test of time. If the ice damaged that original water line (or you damaged it while trying to thaw the ice), get a decent replacement. Otherwise, the line will freeze again.
2). Cut The Power And Wait For The Line To Thaw Naturally.
This is the slowest option. It works, but there’s no telling how long it will take for the ice to thaw. You can’t leave your food in an inactive refrigerator. What if it goes bad before the ice on the line melts?
3). Just Thaw The Ice
You cannot afford to wait for the ice to melt. You have a few options at your disposal:
- Start by disconnecting the plug from the outlet. You don’t want to tamper with an energized fridge.
- Place some towels on the floor. You don’t want to stand on a wet floor while handling an appliance as powerful as a Samsung refrigerator. Some people worry about falling, completely forgetting the threat of electrocution.
- Pull the refrigerator away from the wall and find the water line. SFGATE wants you to place a bucket underneath before disconnecting the tube from the reservoir. Check the manual if you have questions about the location of the water line and the best way to remove it.
- Get a hair dryer. This is another reason why you don’t want to stand in a pool of water. Hair dryers can electrocute you. Unfortunately, you need one to thaw the line. Position the dryer in front of the line. This allows you to force the heat into the tube. The plastic body of the line won’t survive unless you use the lowest heat setting.
- Keep adjusting the dryer. Concentrating on a particular location for too long can damage the plastic material even at the lowest heat setting. It will also take longer to thaw the ice. Move the dryer back and forth along the tube’s body.
- You will see the water drip into the bucket (or the towels) below until all the ice melts. Once the tube thaws, you can reconnect it.
What if you don’t have a dryer, or the dryer’s cord is too short to reach the refrigerator? The best alternative is a turkey baster. Use the baster to squirt warm water all over the tube. The water line buddy is even better.
This syringe will force hot water directly into the tube. People use this tool to clear water lines clogged by debris.
4). Raise The Fridge Temperature
This goes without saying. Raise the temperature. Place a thermometer inside the refrigerator to confirm that the temperature is too low. Adjust the settings accordingly. Check the manual. It will tell you the recommended temperature settings.
5). Fill The Compartments
You can adjust the temperature to the lowest setting if you want, but only after filling the compartments and drawers with food. Raise the temperature if the fridge is half full. An empty refrigerator can survive in the warmest setting.
6). Adjust Kitchen Temperature
Adjust kitchen temperature because turning the thermostat too low on a cold day can cause the water line to freeze.
7). Improve the Samsung Refrigerator’s Insulation.
Fix tears and gaps in the seals. Otherwise, the water line will repeatedly freeze.
How Do I Know If My Refrigerator Water Line Is Frozen?
Find the water line and disconnect it. Blow air through the tube. You will know that something is wrong if the air can’t pass through. Some people base their assessment on the Samsung fridge’s inability to dispense ice or water.
They are not entirely wrong. The appliance cannot make ice or dispense water when it doesn’t have access to your home’s water supply. However, various factors can affect a refrigerator’s ability to dispense ice or water. You must rule out those other factors before blaming the water line.
One such factor is air in the water line. According to Samsung, you can fix this issue by pressing the dispenser lever for a minute.
The other major consideration is the water inlet valve. It allows the water to enter the dispenser. Check for defective valves and low water pressure.
One other consideration of note is the water line itself. Do you see kinks and folds in the tube? What about obstructions? Ice is not the only element that can block a water line. Thawing the water line won’t help you if it has other blockages.
Call a technician if you’ve thawed the water line, but the water has still refused to flow. They can either fix the line or install a replacement.
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