Refrigerators use the defrost drain to eliminate water from the defrost cycle. This guide will show you how to identify and unclog the defrost drain in different refrigerator brands.
Frigidaire Refrigerator – Where Is Defrost Drain?
The cold water will flow down towards the drain pan. Therefore, you should look at the back, below the evaporator coils. You will find the defrost drain if you can locate the rear panel near the evaporator coils. You access this component by unscrewing the rear panel.
Although, you should unplug the appliance before you take this step. Frigidaire fridges are dangerous.
How To Unclog It?
- Check the drain heater. Make sure this component is working. The drain heater prevents the defrost drain from freezing. You can fix, replace, or reposition the heater.
- Remove the rear panel and use hot water to thaw the ice in the tube. Many homeowners use turkey basters to squirt water into the drain line.
- Hair dryers and heat guns are decent alternatives to hot water.
- Use a thin but stiff stick to knock ice and debris out of the tube.
- Inspect the drain strap. The drain strap keeps the ice from accumulating by conducting heat from the defrost heater into the tube. Make sure the strap is in its proper place.
- Use baking soda and hot water to clean the line thoroughly afterward.
LG Refrigerator – Where Is Defrost Drain?
You should look for the defrost drain near the bottom at the back because water from the defrost tube drains downward to the drain pan. Look for a plastic panel at the back. Use a screwdriver to remove it.
How To Unclog It?
- Disconnect the power. Remove the plastic panel at the back and check the drain for blockages. Remove any debris you can reach.
- If the tube is clogged with ice, you can let it thaw out.
- You can expedite the thawing process by flushing the tube with hot water. Keep rinsing the line with hot water until water starts to drip into the drain pump at the bottom.
- Check the drain heater for defects and damages. Make sure the component is positioned correctly.
Whirlpool Refrigerator – Where Is Defrost Drain?
Look behind the whirlpool refrigerator. The drain takes water to the pan at the bottom. This is why water appears beneath the appliance when the drain tube clogs. Therefore, you should look at the lower back wall of the fridge.
It looks like a slight indentation running along the refrigerator and freezer compartments. Although, refrigerators can also leak because the drain pan is cracked. The tube isn’t always at fault.
How To Unclog It?
- If the fridge has a drain heater and strap, but the tube is still clogged with ice, inspect the drain heater and strap for faults. Sometimes, these components fail to perform their functions because they are not positioned or aligned correctly.
- Flush hot water down the tube to dislodge the ice.
- You can also use water to remove conventional debris.
- Find a stick or rod you can push down the drain pump to force the debris out.
Kitchenaid Refrigerator – Where Is Defrost Drain?
If you know how the automatic defrost system works, you can follow it to the drain pan under the refrigerator, revealing the defrost tube. You can also check the rear wall. Kitchenaid Appliance Repair Professionals will encourage you to look under the fruit and vegetable bins.
Some people start by identifying the drain pan and then following the system upward until they locate the panel hiding the drain tube.
How To Unclog It?
- Disconnect the appliance from the power source.
- Pull it away from the wall and find the panel on the lower rear wall.
- Remove the panel and check the defrost line for debris.
- If it has ice, use a hair dryer to thaw it. Maintain a lower setting that is unlikely to cause harm.
- Find a flexible rod or tube and force it down the defrost line to unclog stubborn obstacles.
- Pour water down the drain using a turkey baster. If you succeed, the drain pan below should fill with water. Empty it before you move on.
- Replace a damaged or leaking drain tube.
Kenmore Refrigerator – Where Is Defrost Drain?
The drain pan is located at the bottom. It collects the water from the automatic defrost process. Therefore, you can expect to find the defrost drain at the back but near the bottom. Home Guide Info expects to see it behind the back panel. Although, that only applies to the side-by-side models.
Hunker has found drain tubes beneath a false floor. They encourage consumers to check the manual, especially if they have failed to find the drain tube at the rear bottom.
How To Unclog It?
- The manufacturer hides the drain tube behind a plastic panel. Remove the screws with a screwdriver to access this component.
- Look for debris and remove the obstructions you can reach with a screwdriver.
- You can tackle tough obstructions by pouring a solution of baking soda and water into the tube.
- Many owners create a mixture of bleach and water, which they pour into the drain using a turkey baster.
- Clear the mess that has accumulated on the drain pan before you leave.
Samsung Refrigerator – Where Is Defrost Drain?
Water collects in the pan at the bottom because of the activities of the defrost cycle. Check the rear wall for the drain tube in a leaking appliance. You typically find this line under the evaporator coils.
It is common practice to hide it behind a plastic or metal panel. But you can access it by removing the screws and pulling the panel aside.
How To Unclog It?
- Remove the debris you can see using manual tools such as a screwdriver or any tube you can push into the drain.
- Flush the tube with warm water to remove debris you cannot reach manually.
- Don’t leave the ice and debris on the pan. Samsung encourages consumers to remove the pan and wash it.
Maytag Refrigerator – Where Is Defrost Drain?
The manufacturer positions the drain tube at the back near the bottom, which allows the line to guide water to the drain pan. You must pull the appliance away from the wall to access the drain tube. Check the manual if you can’t find it.
How To Unclog It?
- Get a screwdriver and dislodge the debris. If the screwdriver’s length is insufficient, get a strong wire. The goal is to push the obstructions out without harming the tube.
- A safer approach involves pouring warm water into the tube with a basting syringe. In the absence of a syringe, use a funnel to avoid making a mess.
- Use a hand-held blow dryer to thaw the ice in the tube. People use dryers to melt the ice covering the opening before flushing hot water down the drain with the turkey baster. Don’t stop until you hear water dripping onto the pan below. Be sure to replace tubes with rips and tears. Otherwise, your appliance will continue to leak.
Haier Refrigerator – Where Is Defrost Drain?
Pull the Haier fridge forward and look at the rear wall. The drain is at the center point in that section, where the floor of the appliance begins to slope upward. Depending on the model, the manual may encourage you to look below the evaporator coils.
How To Unclog It?
- Pull the refrigerator plug from the outlet to make the appliance less dangerous.
- Remove the panel protecting the drain.
- Pour hot water into the tube to thaw the ice and remove debris.
- Push a drain snake into the line to clear stubborn blockages.
- If you can’t reach the debris because the tube is covered with ice, use a dryer to thaw the ice.
GE Refrigerator – Where is Defrost Drain?
Look for a plastic panel in the center of the wall. This is the section where the floor slopes up. Removing the screws and panel will reveal the drain line.
How To Unclog It?
- Flush water down the tube. It is more common to use hot or warm water, especially if the drain has ice.
- Disconnect the refrigerator and wait for the ice to thaw naturally.
- Pour a mixture of baking soda and hot water down the drain using a turkey baster once or twice annually to prevent further clogging.
Westinghouse Fridge – Where Is Defrost Drain?
Find the drain trough behind the freezer panel of a Westinghouse appliance to locate the drain tube. Following the tube will show you the drain pan at the bottom. A panel or basket may occasionally obscure it.
How To Unclog It?
- Push a cord down the tube and twist it a few times before pulling it out.
- Pour hot water down the drain.
- Use a turkey baster to flush a mixture of soapy water and ammonia down the drain. This will kill the bacteria.
Magic Chef Refrigerator – Where is Defrost Drain?
Check the rear of the appliance, specifically on the left side at the bottom.
How To Unclog It?
- Unplug the refrigerator
- Remove the basket protecting the drain and look into the hole.
- Use a dryer to eliminate the ice.
- Squirt hot water into the rube with a turkey baster.
- Push a speaker wire into the tube to knock obstacles out.