The appliance manufacturer play these dirty little trick to get you into thinking that you need to go out and buy a new fridge. Thanks to people and videos like yours the power is going back into the peoples hands !
I have the same refrigerator, same problem. Your fix may just do the trick. So many people are having the same problem, seems like a bad design issue. You may have saved me some money. Thanks.
Protect this man at all costs!! I was losing my mind every 2 weeks or so. Sad thing is that I oversee 5 hotels engineers and was to lazy to figure it out!! Awesome video
This was exactly what was going on with our fridge for the past several years. We've just been chiseling out the ice every 3 months. THANK YOU. Commented, liked, and subscribed.
Hi, saw a rather large pool of water under my French Door Whirlpool. My wife called a repairman and was quoted (over the phone) $169/to start. Then I got on UA-cam and saw your video. With my sons help we fixed the problem and within 45 minutes the fridge is running normal again. Thank you so much for the help.
Thanks so much for this information my fridge has been leaking for months could not afford to call for repair. I can do this myself.Thanks too you.YEA!!!
Thanks for the video. Our refrigerator was out of warranty and didn't want to pay for a repair. We watched your video and the instructions were spot on. Repaired in about 45 minutes from start to finish.
Your video and advice did the trick. Thanks! The big takeaway for me was your advice about not underestimating just how much boiling water is needed to melt the ice. I almost gave up thinking it was another issue and then I heard the water flowing down in to the tray in the back.
This is a great temp fix but you need to order the replacement p trap kit as mentioned on other posts. When you take that nasty grommet off you’ll feel the cold air rushing out of the freezer. The new p trap kit will fix that. Happy fridge! Now I can put the hammer back in the garage!
Great video, thanks. I made the mistake of not completely thawing the drain hole with hot water. The purpose of the rubber duckbill is to prevent cold air in the freezer compartment from blowing through that drain hole and escaping into that rear compartment where the compressor and fan is. If you put your finger near that drain hole while the fridge is working you will feel that cold air. A P-trap is a much better solution because it completely blocks cold air in the freezer from blowing through the drain line but can't clog up like that duckbill. That drain line is so small that leaving the duck bill off probably has minimal effect, obviously you've proven it works fine without it. So you might be losing a small bit of efficiency but not affecting the overall operation. If you have central air conditioning in your house, you'll find a similar P trap in the condensate line, only it's much bigger. Without that P trap the cold air in your furnace plenum would blow out the drain line and be "wasted" by blowing into the basement instead of blowing through the ductwork into your house.
It's true anything can clog, but it's all relative. The duckbill will clog from just dirt and fluff, the ptrap would need something bigger, like pieces of food. The design of the tray and cover where the water gets collected makes it pretty much impossible for anything to get in there except the dustbunnies that blow around in the freezer.
Thanks for the video!! Very helpful! Just a couple of other items that helped me also. I was able to use a bucket of very hot water and a fish tank siphon to clear the drain hole without taking the door off and the drawers out.... Saves a lot of time!!!! Lots of water on the floor but it's still way better than taking everything off. Also I have a p-trap in the back instead of the chute. The p-trap also clogs with slime so you have to remove that and fully clean it out. Thanks again!!
After releasing the clog with boiling water - I used my shop vac from the back to suck all the crap remaining out then I used the blow side to force air through the drain from the front. I also used the shop vac to blow the remaining ice particulate and water into the drain so I did not have to remove the interior back of the freezer. Thank you for your insights !
Thank you. My fridge started making a periodic high pitch noise like a stuck vent trying to move for a number months. Then came the bottom freezer icing up which I noticed when the slide out freezer drawer started dragging on the ice buildup. This solution is like taking a potato out of a car exhaust pipe ... the change in sound was noticeable. Some water flowed into the evaporation pan immediately when I removed what is in effect a plug. I absorbed some of the water in the pan to insure it did not overflow and then left it run for a few days. The result has been no more excess noise and the freezer has no more ice buildup plus I didn't have to remove the freezer drawer to get at the back pannel since removing the plug opened the dam returning the drainage back to normal. Good fix. A 1/4 inch socket is what you need to remove the back pannel.
Thank you so very much for taking the time to do this video. It is truly educational. I consider myself totally inept when It comes to fixing things, but with your help I was able to fix my refrigerator!!! I feel so happy for that. All the best to you and once again many thanks.
I can't wait to try this! Our floor is ruined under the refrigerator because it leaked so much for so long. I guess it didn't bother the previous owners of our home, but it sure bothers us! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us! You are helping us all to save lots of money!
Praise the refrigerator Gods for you. I have been dealing with this freaking leak for > 6 years. I have been dealing with 1/2" sheets of ice, taking them out with a butter knife, having them break into pieces on my kitchen floor, always having to put a towel if front of the freezer. NO More you devil whirlpool! thank you, thank you.
Thank you so much. I installed a kit to prevent the water build-up but it didn't work. After watching your video about adding hot water through the drain, I tried it. And it works. I confirmed that water was going to the drain. Thanks so much.
Great video. Have had our Whirlpool for about 2 years now and are dealing with this issue. Knew someone else out there would be having the issue and made a video about it. Thanks a bunch!
Thanks for the great video! Solved our problem, took less than an hour. We actually ran a pot of hot water in the coffee pot then used a meat injector with no needle and put the water on the drain hole. Worked great!
Oh, that meat injector is a good idea. I don't have one so I just used a Pyrex glass measuring cup to pour the water all along the venting and in the drainhole.
Thanks for the tip on melting the ice in the drain, and how to get the drawer out! I'll be going with the replacement drain, though, which costs $15 on Amazon, I don't want to let the hot air in unnecessarily.
Glad I found this video. I think this may be my problem. Freezer ices up when the temperature drops down cooler after humid days. Fridge not cold enough when this happens. Already changed the control board thinking this was the issue. I can put it into forced defrost and it'll clear up for a few days. I don't think all the ice in the bottom is totally defrosting and draining properly.
Great job on this. My side by side Maytag had the same problem. Took off back panel. Took off black rubber 90 degree fitting from the freezer defrost drain. It was plugged with purple goo. Cleaned under hot water with a stiff wire as a scrubber. Skinnied up a toothbrush so it fit up the freezer defrost drain pipe, (about 3/8" I.D. plastic). Took Dawn dish washing liquid on skinny brush and spun it up into the small drain pipe. Did this eight times until the dirt looking stuff was no longer coming out on the brush. Shop vac, (skinny hose) sucked it out just in case. Opened up freezer. 2 foot tall back panel had 3 screws on the top, (hex head). I took two off. One was impossible. Gently bent up panel. The drain sheet metal pan had ice between it and the drain fitting. YOU HAVE TO DO THIS IF YOU WANT IT TO DRAIN! Unplug fridge so you are not fighting the fan... Took heat gun and melted the 3/4" thick ice sheet, (just to speed up the melt/loosen the grab between plastic fridge shell and the metal funnel). Took big flat blade and broke ice out that was plugging the drain hole. Had cookie sheet below freezer to catch ice that I broke off the bottom of the freezer. FYI. The freezer coil is heated every few hours to melt the frost off the coil up behind all your frozen stuff. The water has to drain to to pan under the fridge. The water is evaporated from the pan with help from the fan. Any way with lots of tools ready, it took about 45 minutes. Just move stuff from freezer to fridge and it is fine in that amount of time without it running. Again. Awsome video! Saved me hundreds or thousands on a nine year old Maytag. (Vacuum all lint and dust off everything when you are back there. It gets nasty every 3 or 4 years.)
I made the same mistake in not defrosting the drain in side the freezer, did your fix of putting hot water down it and will see, should be god now. Thank you so much for this video!
Thank you so much! I just did this, so only time will tell if it's permanent, but it sure looks like exactly the issue I've been avoiding fixing for several years. THANK YOU!
Great video! After dealing with ice buildup on the drain inside the freezer…still couldn’t get the damn thing to drain. Found this video and problem solved! Outstanding!!
This video helped me several years ago when my freezer started leaking - Revisited this again today to do the same fix - Thank you so much for posting this
Thank you, sir! Electricity was out for 36 hours in January and I guess that was enough for it to finally catch up to me in July-August. Ice in the bottom 3-4 times and water in front of fridge on the floor. Although it took me 2.5 hours between vacuuming the back of fridge, finally relenting to remove the freezer front and drawers (found how to remove the drawers in another video) and pouring hot water all along the vents and the drainhole. Checked to make sure it was draining into the pan before closing it all back up. Now, let's HOPE it stays that way as I'm sure this refrigerator costs 2x more times what I paid for it 11 years ago.
Wish I saw this video 3 weeks ago when I made my fix. I bought the replacement kit ($15-20) removed the ice from the bottom floor of the freezer compartment, but didn't defrost the drain hole that you show. My fix lasted about 4 days before I had water on the floor. Then I had to go back in and melt everything and clear the hole with a few pipe cleaners just to be sure. Thanks for the video - you'll help others
Thank you for posting this. I have an Amana by whirlpool with the bottom freezer. leaking water and this worked! I will add for those wandering the actual procedure that I used a small driver to remove the hex screws from the back panel (where the collecting pan is) and inner freezer panel (which is necessary to access the drain hole) then a screwdriver-type-pick to break up the ice around the drain hole, and surrounding areas, and then used my gooseneck kettle to pour warm water down the hole to ensure that it was all cleared out. its been bout 3-4 hours and no water leaking . saved a technician fee of maybe $250 and a new fridge for maybe $800. took about an hour or less including cleaning up .
Thanks for this video. This is exactly what's happening to me. I've taken to placing towels in the bottom of the freezer to absorb the water. I eventually have to remove the towels, get the ice off them and dry them. I do it every couple weeks. Luckily I keep very little in the lower freezer, so I've just pulled out the grate that comes along. Question I have is how did you get the water poured down the grate in front on the front / inside of the freezer? Does that piece come off, or did you use a watering can.... Just trying to figure how to make sure the water gets down to the desired point w/o pouring all over the freezer linter itself? Thank you for your feedback, and good video.
Omg you're a life saver! I'm going to try this, ours is leaking so bad it completely soaked a towel we had down around the bottom. We live in an apartment and we are afraid to tell the landlord to fix it. So hopefully we can fix it by our selves. Thank you!
I have a KitchenAid side by side fridge. I saw the video.. and I found the drain plug inside the fridge was easier to access than the French Door freezers. I cleaned the drain plug with a wire and ran hot water with baking soda thru it using a turkey baster. I saw the water drain. I was thinking of putting a thin tube like a ballpoint pen refill or a stainless steel straw into it and leaving it there. I think that will open the duckbill valve a little letting any water seep thru.
Moon Pie Yes, but less trouble than pulling the fridge out and replacing a part from the back. I found an old steel telescopic antenna from a kid's R/C toy and I broke a segment off which I inserted into the valve. I just jiggle it every month and remove it to wash and re-insert. Acts like a drain they put in the the body after surgery!
Thanks for this quick video. I think whirlpool made a change in my model. I had a tube instead of a shoot. I cleaned it the best I could but I think it will happen again.
Great video! Just upgraded the nipple in the back with the p-trap kit, but didn't get all the ice out of the line so will be using a turkey baster with hot water to clear it this next go-around.
Thank you SO MUCH! My husband was able to fix our freezer after watching this video even though it was a different model so the line was not exactly the same !
Yep, this is exactly correct. I used hot water and a turkey baster right on the drain. Feels like it's a pattern of Whirlpool under-engineered appliances and selling upgrades when they become an issue. From them going back to an older ice maker retrofit, P-tube replacement for the drain. I guess the grommet was to prevent some non-existent splatter, but it should have been a hose in the first place just like the water going in. Big brains!
Hey thank you very much for this video & the information it contains. It is much appreciated! We've already totally defrosted our freezer three or four times only to keep having the same problem. Armed with this information, it might actually work this time! Thanks again!
So if your freezer is full on ice and the drain pan is dry this is probably your problem! I followed your method of removing the Rubber grommet. Bad design that does not function as designed. Probably also what started the problem. I took an old ketchup bottle and 4 feet of conduit "1/2 " OD electrical Conduit" and pumped very hot water through. I used a wet vacuum to remove the flush water from the pan evaporate pan under the compressor fan in the back of the refrigerator. In the future I plan to use the same system but will add vinegar to the flush. I'm thinking that without the plug/grommet it should flush it just fine without needing to open the back. Thanks
Agreed 100%. It’s such a pain. Multiple attempts. Still froze and dripped on the floor now I’m letting my refrigerator sit unplugged for 24 hours just to make sure what a nightmare. Thanks whirlpool.
Great video! My Whirlpool is a later model but had the exact same issue....the issue was that the S trap in the drain line became clogged with slimy mold. One the tube was blocked, water backed up into the drain and froze. The fix was straightforward, melt the ice inside, remove the drain tube and clean it out. Not sure what caused the slimy mold or if it will come back.
I was able to fix this, from the front, no tools required on a whirlpool side by side. I unplugged, remover the bottom slide out shelf, and poured hot water over the ice in the bottom of the freezer and got the ice sheet out. Then I soaked up all water with a sponge. I let a small electric space heater run in the freezer for 30mins, checking every 10 mins to clean up any water around the heater. I taped three large Starbucks straws together and fed it as far as I could down the drain hole and gave it a couple good blows and sucks. It seems as if it cleared up any ice or other obstructions. I poured hot water down the drain hole and it disappeared rapidly. Voila! Problem solved, no tools required, just three straws, which are hard to come by in California these days.
If they get really out of level it can also cause ice on the bottom. I left my fridge off for 24 to 30hrs but didn't work. Has worked in the past as I've turn my fridge off 2x per yr as a prevented thing. But also has been iced up beside the unlevel thing. Fridge must be a decade old. Haven't been turning it off 2x per yr as I have this whiny roommate that throws a hissy fit if I leave it off for that long. I wish he'd grow some.⚽ 😂. Then again it might really be plugged this time. So another fun wkend. Thank you for the great video.
This sorted my problem out perfectly - my water tube was in the shape of a under sink tube so I cant take it off as the drip tray isnt underneath the outlet ! other than that the hot water trick did the trick - thankyou so much!
Worked for me too! Thank you. It took me aboit 10 cups of boiling water till it finally thawed and water ran through it. I removed the black cap completely
I replaced the P-trap, and also replaced the old rubber grommet with the new plastic tube-like stub that slips over the stub of the spout that sticks down from the compartment roof. Then I used a hair dryer inside the freezer until the water began coming out the new P-trap. I thought that fixed it, but a week or so later the leak started again, so I'm betting that I didn't do a good enough job of melting the ice. I'm too lazy to take out the freezer walls (though I have instructions on how to do that as a last resort), so I will follow your lead and use lots of hot water. I plan to take the back off so I can also observe when the water really flows freely.
Great advice for novice. My whirlpool bottom freezer has done this the last 3 July's in a row. By the time I realized the problem everything thawed. Apparently the freezer quit then started up again. I never had water on the floor. Is there a safety switch to shut the unit off? I lost some product but now I'm paranoid about putting anything important like sockeye salmon in this freezer. I've watched a few videos on this problem but it seems like others with this problem the freezer keeps working whereas mine thaws completely then starts up on its own. Input please. Is there a safety switch or what?
You are my savior! This has been plaguing me for months. We referred to it as "water under the fridge" and it became an inside joke amongst my friends. It stopped being funny after a week. I had no idea what was causing this to happen but you're video perfectly explained it and provided the optimal solution. Thank you so much for taking the time to help others out. May nothing but good things come your way.
The appliance manufacturer play these dirty little trick to get you into thinking that you need to go out and buy a new fridge. Thanks to people and videos like yours the power is going back into the peoples hands !
thanks for watching
6 year old video just saved my sanity. For the life of me I could not figure out why our fridge was leaking water. Fixed, thank you sir!
thanks
I have the same refrigerator, same problem. Your fix may just do the trick. So many people are having the same problem, seems like a bad design issue. You may have saved me some money. Thanks.
your welcome, have a good weekend
thanks for taking the time to post this for the benefit of all us DIY homeowners on a budget.
Protect this man at all costs!! I was losing my mind every 2 weeks or so. Sad thing is that I oversee 5 hotels engineers and was to lazy to figure it out!! Awesome video
glad it helped you. Have a good weekend
This was exactly what was going on with our fridge for the past several years. We've just been chiseling out the ice every 3 months. THANK YOU. Commented, liked, and subscribed.
hope the video helped you
We have this cleaning every week, I’ll try this .
I have needed this video for 5 years! I just fixed mine with your help!! Thank you for sharing; now I don't have to buy a new refrigerator!!!!!!!!!!
Hi, saw a rather large pool of water under my French Door Whirlpool. My wife called a repairman and was quoted (over the phone) $169/to start. Then I got on UA-cam and saw your video. With my sons help we fixed the problem and within 45 minutes the fridge is running normal again. Thank you so much for the help.
Thanks so much for this information my fridge has been leaking for months could not afford to call for repair. I can do this myself.Thanks too you.YEA!!!
You're my hero! Thank you so much for the very informative video. This refrigerator of mine was almost out the door.
Thank you..I will try this .I am so tired of walking on the overflow of water and Removing the ice from bottom every other week..
Thanks for the video. Our refrigerator was out of warranty and didn't want to pay for a repair. We watched your video and the instructions were spot on. Repaired in about 45 minutes from start to finish.
Great video. It was exactly what I needed to resolve the leaking freezer issue that had been going on for months. THANK YOU!
Your video and advice did the trick. Thanks! The big takeaway for me was your advice about not underestimating just how much boiling water is needed to melt the ice. I almost gave up thinking it was another issue and then I heard the water flowing down in to the tray in the back.
As soon as I tapped that downspout all this water came gushing out it was clogged. Thank you for the info!
Glad it helped!
Thanks for your help on this! Just bought a new home and the fridge was leaking just as you said.
This is a great temp fix but you need to order the replacement p trap kit as mentioned on other posts. When you take that nasty grommet off you’ll feel the cold air rushing out of the freezer. The new p trap kit will fix that. Happy fridge! Now I can put the hammer back in the garage!
Dude, you totally sound like John Reilly. Thanks for the video. Wish there was an easier way of cleaning out that drain.
Really helpful and all I needed to resolve this problem. Thanks so much for the video. Well Done!!
This is an excellent video. I found water standing in front of the Whirlpool. Great job.
Great video, thanks. I made the mistake of not completely thawing the drain hole with hot water. The purpose of the rubber duckbill is to prevent cold air in the freezer compartment from blowing through that drain hole and escaping into that rear compartment where the compressor and fan is. If you put your finger near that drain hole while the fridge is working you will feel that cold air. A P-trap is a much better solution because it completely blocks cold air in the freezer from blowing through the drain line but can't clog up like that duckbill. That drain line is so small that leaving the duck bill off probably has minimal effect, obviously you've proven it works fine without it. So you might be losing a small bit of efficiency but not affecting the overall operation. If you have central air conditioning in your house, you'll find a similar P trap in the condensate line, only it's much bigger. Without that P trap the cold air in your furnace plenum would blow out the drain line and be "wasted" by blowing into the basement instead of blowing through the ductwork into your house.
Why wouldn't this ptrap get clogged just as the nipple did. Kinda like the ptrap in the kitchen sink clogging over time from debris collecting in it?
It's true anything can clog, but it's all relative. The duckbill will clog from just dirt and fluff, the ptrap would need something bigger, like pieces of food. The design of the tray and cover where the water gets collected makes it pretty much impossible for anything to get in there except the dustbunnies that blow around in the freezer.
I agree, great video, helped so much, Thank you!
Great information. Thanks
Your video is still helping. I just fixed my fridge, thanks to you! Thanks again! 😁
Glad I could help!
Thanks for the video!! Very helpful! Just a couple of other items that helped me also. I was able to use a bucket of very hot water and a fish tank siphon to clear the drain hole without taking the door off and the drawers out.... Saves a lot of time!!!! Lots of water on the floor but it's still way better than taking everything off. Also I have a p-trap in the back instead of the chute. The p-trap also clogs with slime so you have to remove that and fully clean it out. Thanks again!!
Great troubleshooting video. Was the same problem on our Maytag refrigerator. Thanks for sharing the information.
After releasing the clog with boiling water - I used my shop vac from the back to suck all the crap remaining out then I used the blow side to force air through the drain from the front. I also used the shop vac to blow the remaining ice particulate and water into the drain so I did not have to remove the interior back of the freezer. Thank you for your insights !
Thank you. My fridge started making a periodic high pitch noise like a stuck vent trying to move for a number months. Then came the bottom freezer icing up which I noticed when the slide out freezer drawer started dragging on the ice buildup. This solution is like taking a potato out of a car exhaust pipe ... the change in sound was noticeable. Some water flowed into the evaporation pan immediately when I removed what is in effect a plug. I absorbed some of the water in the pan to insure it did not overflow and then left it run for a few days. The result has been no more excess noise and the freezer has no more ice buildup plus I didn't have to remove the freezer drawer to get at the back pannel since removing the plug opened the dam returning the drainage back to normal. Good fix.
A 1/4 inch socket is what you need to remove the back pannel.
Thank you so very much for taking the time to do this video. It is truly educational. I consider myself totally inept when It comes to fixing things, but with your help I was able to fix my refrigerator!!! I feel so happy for that. All the best to you and once again many thanks.
Thanks for watching, glad it helped
I can't wait to try this! Our floor is ruined under the refrigerator because it leaked so much for so long. I guess it didn't bother the previous owners of our home, but it sure bothers us!
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us! You are helping us all to save lots of money!
Praise the refrigerator Gods for you. I have been dealing with this freaking leak for > 6 years. I have been dealing with 1/2" sheets of ice, taking them out with a butter knife, having them break into pieces on my kitchen floor, always having to put a towel if front of the freezer. NO More you devil whirlpool! thank you, thank you.
your welcome!
Butter knife? Good thinking. Beats the hammer drill that punctured the refrigerant coils.
Plastic spatula works good too!
Thank you so much. I installed a kit to prevent the water build-up but it didn't work. After watching your video about adding hot water through the drain, I tried it. And it works. I confirmed that water was going to the drain. Thanks so much.
Great video. Have had our Whirlpool for about 2 years now and are dealing with this issue. Knew someone else out there would be having the issue and made a video about it. Thanks a bunch!
Your welcome
This will save me a $200 service call. Thank you!!
Great solution to a common Whirlpool problem, thanks!
Thanks for the great video! Solved our problem, took less than an hour. We actually ran a pot of hot water in the coffee pot then used a meat injector with no needle and put the water on the drain hole. Worked great!
good idea, have a good week
Oh, that meat injector is a good idea. I don't have one so I just used a Pyrex glass measuring cup to pour the water all along the venting and in the drainhole.
This is insightful. I regret buying a refridgerator with a freezer on the bottom. This leaking has caused floor damage. Live and learn.
Thank you, I’m going to try that. I’m fed up with defrosting every month
Thank you for this Video! Fixed my problem, though sadly not before the flood.
Thanks for the tip on melting the ice in the drain, and how to get the drawer out! I'll be going with the replacement drain, though, which costs $15 on Amazon, I don't want to let the hot air in unnecessarily.
Glad I found this video. I think this may be my problem. Freezer ices up when the temperature drops down cooler after humid days. Fridge not cold enough when this happens. Already changed the control board thinking this was the issue. I can put it into forced defrost and it'll clear up for a few days. I don't think all the ice in the bottom is totally defrosting and draining properly.
Great job on this. My side by side Maytag had the same problem. Took off back panel. Took off black rubber 90 degree fitting from the freezer defrost drain. It was plugged with purple goo. Cleaned under hot water with a stiff wire as a scrubber. Skinnied up a toothbrush so it fit up the freezer defrost drain pipe, (about 3/8" I.D. plastic). Took Dawn dish washing liquid on skinny brush and spun it up into the small drain pipe. Did this eight times until the dirt looking stuff was no longer coming out on the brush. Shop vac, (skinny hose) sucked it out just in case. Opened up freezer. 2 foot tall back panel had 3 screws on the top, (hex head). I took two off. One was impossible. Gently bent up panel. The drain sheet metal pan had ice between it and the drain fitting. YOU HAVE TO DO THIS IF YOU WANT IT TO DRAIN! Unplug fridge so you are not fighting the fan... Took heat gun and melted the 3/4" thick ice sheet, (just to speed up the melt/loosen the grab between plastic fridge shell and the metal funnel). Took big flat blade and broke ice out that was plugging the drain hole. Had cookie sheet below freezer to catch ice that I broke off the bottom of the freezer.
FYI. The freezer coil is heated every few hours to melt the frost off the coil up behind all your frozen stuff. The water has to drain to to pan under the fridge. The water is evaporated from the pan with help from the fan.
Any way with lots of tools ready, it took about 45 minutes. Just move stuff from freezer to fridge and it is fine in that amount of time without it running.
Again. Awsome video! Saved me hundreds or thousands on a nine year old Maytag. (Vacuum all lint and dust off everything when you are back there. It gets nasty every 3 or 4 years.)
I made the same mistake in not defrosting the drain in side the freezer, did your fix of putting hot water down it and will see, should be god now. Thank you so much for this video!
Thank you so much! I just did this, so only time will tell if it's permanent, but it sure looks like exactly the issue I've been avoiding fixing for several years. THANK YOU!
Mine has never done it again..thanks
ADD is multitasking we have the same problem. Ice on bottom but also our ice maker stopped working! Could that be related??
Great video! After dealing with ice buildup on the drain inside the freezer…still couldn’t get the damn thing to drain.
Found this video and problem solved! Outstanding!!
Glad it helped, have a good weekend
This video helped me several years ago when my freezer started leaking - Revisited this again today to do the same fix - Thank you so much for posting this
Glad it helped
PERFECT VIDEO!!!!! I have been dealing with this problem for 10 years now and I'm so glad this is the FIX!!!! Thanks for sharing!
glad I could help
This worked for me. Thanks for posting. Saved me some $$
Thank you, sir! Electricity was out for 36 hours in January and I guess that was enough for it to finally catch up to me in July-August. Ice in the bottom 3-4 times and water in front of fridge on the floor. Although it took me 2.5 hours between vacuuming the back of fridge, finally relenting to remove the freezer front and drawers (found how to remove the drawers in another video) and pouring hot water all along the vents and the drainhole. Checked to make sure it was draining into the pan before closing it all back up. Now, let's HOPE it stays that way as I'm sure this refrigerator costs 2x more times what I paid for it 11 years ago.
yeah inflation is crazy!!! it should be good for you now
Wish I saw this video 3 weeks ago when I made my fix. I bought the replacement kit ($15-20) removed the ice from the bottom floor of the freezer compartment, but didn't defrost the drain hole that you show.
My fix lasted about 4 days before I had water on the floor. Then I had to go back in and melt everything and clear the hole with a few pipe cleaners just to be sure.
Thanks for the video - you'll help others
Follow Me just wondering how things are holding up on your fridge and if you're still having problems
Thank you for posting this. I have an Amana by whirlpool with the bottom freezer. leaking water and this worked! I will add for those wandering the actual procedure that I used a small driver to remove the hex screws from the back panel (where the collecting pan is) and inner freezer panel (which is necessary to access the drain hole) then a screwdriver-type-pick to break up the ice around the drain hole, and surrounding areas, and then used my gooseneck kettle to pour warm water down the hole to ensure that it was all cleared out. its been bout 3-4 hours and no water leaking . saved a technician fee of maybe $250 and a new fridge for maybe $800. took about an hour or less including cleaning up .
Good to hear
Thanks for this video. This is exactly what's happening to me. I've taken to placing towels in the bottom of the freezer to absorb the water. I eventually have to remove the towels, get the ice off them and dry them. I do it every couple weeks. Luckily I keep very little in the lower freezer, so I've just pulled out the grate that comes along.
Question I have is how did you get the water poured down the grate in front on the front / inside of the freezer? Does that piece come off, or did you use a watering can.... Just trying to figure how to make sure the water gets down to the desired point w/o pouring all over the freezer linter itself?
Thank you for your feedback, and good video.
Omg you're a life saver! I'm going to try this, ours is leaking so bad it completely soaked a towel we had down around the bottom. We live in an apartment and we are afraid to tell the landlord to fix it. So hopefully we can fix it by our selves. Thank you!
Follow the video exactly, mine has never done it again
Thank you for this. So tired of mopping and smashing ice out of the freezer. Be gone nipple!
Nice phrase, lol.
I have a KitchenAid side by side fridge. I saw the video.. and I found the drain plug inside the fridge was easier to access than the French Door freezers. I cleaned the drain plug with a wire and ran hot water with baking soda thru it using a turkey baster. I saw the water drain. I was thinking of putting a thin tube like a ballpoint pen refill or a stainless steel straw into it and leaving it there. I think that will open the duckbill valve a little letting any water seep thru.
Moon Pie Yes, but less trouble than pulling the fridge out and replacing a part from the back. I found an old steel telescopic antenna from a kid's R/C toy and I broke a segment off which I inserted into the valve. I just jiggle it every month and remove it to wash and re-insert. Acts like a drain they put in the the body after surgery!
On the latest episode of MacGyver?
Thank you!! This has been a problem for a year!
Glad it helped
Thanks for this quick video. I think whirlpool made a change in my model. I had a tube instead of a shoot. I cleaned it the best I could but I think it will happen again.
Great video! Just upgraded the nipple in the back with the p-trap kit, but didn't get all the ice out of the line so will be using a turkey baster with hot water to clear it this next go-around.
ohhowhappygardener did that work ...
Worked like a charm. No more towels on the floor to soak up water. Thanks!
good to hear, have a great night
That sounds like what i have so its empty the drawers and get some ice oit and hot water that drain. Appreciate the time and great video.
Good video. I did the same thing and a couple years later it plugged again. That black nipple you described was the issue and had to go.
Thanks so much for this video!
Thank you SO MUCH! My husband was able to fix our freezer after watching this video even though it was a different model so the line was not exactly the same !
glad you got it fixed
Yep, this is exactly correct. I used hot water and a turkey baster right on the drain. Feels like it's a pattern of Whirlpool under-engineered appliances and selling upgrades when they become an issue. From them going back to an older ice maker retrofit, P-tube replacement for the drain. I guess the grommet was to prevent some non-existent splatter, but it should have been a hose in the first place just like the water going in. Big brains!
Hey thank you very much for this video & the information it contains. It is much appreciated! We've already totally defrosted our freezer three or four times only to keep having the same problem. Armed with this information, it might actually work this time! Thanks again!
Your welcome
So if your freezer is full on ice and the drain pan is dry this is probably your problem!
I followed your method of removing the Rubber grommet. Bad design that does not function as designed. Probably also what started the problem. I took an old ketchup bottle and 4 feet of conduit "1/2 " OD electrical Conduit" and pumped very hot water through. I used a wet vacuum to remove the flush water from the pan evaporate pan under the compressor fan in the back of the refrigerator. In the future I plan to use the same system but will add vinegar to the flush. I'm thinking that without the plug/grommet it should flush it just fine without needing to open the back. Thanks
Thanks for the video!
Agreed 100%. It’s such a pain. Multiple attempts. Still froze and dripped on the floor now I’m letting my refrigerator sit unplugged for 24 hours just to make sure what a nightmare. Thanks whirlpool.
Fantastic video dude! I just did mine, fingers crossed!
Great video! My Whirlpool is a later model but had the exact same issue....the issue was that the S trap in the drain line became clogged with slimy mold. One the tube was blocked, water backed up into the drain and froze. The fix was straightforward, melt the ice inside, remove the drain tube and clean it out. Not sure what caused the slimy mold or if it will come back.
Thanks!! it work, I use a pump for turkey to put water in the hole
Using a turkey baster to get hot water in the hole just might work. Thanks for the tip!
Nice dude, appreciate the video! Tired of leaving towels on the kitchen floor 😅
Glad I could help!
You’re a Saint thank you ! That’s it. Finally! I’ve done all the other “fixes” too. This is the only thing that worked.
Glad it helped, have a good weekend
@ADD is multitasking, I learnt you can cut the bottom of the rubber tube so its wide enough to drain the water.
I was able to fix this, from the front, no tools required on a whirlpool side by side. I unplugged, remover the bottom slide out shelf, and poured hot water over the ice in the bottom of the freezer and got the ice sheet out. Then I soaked up all water with a sponge. I let a small electric space heater run in the freezer for 30mins, checking every 10 mins to clean up any water around the heater. I taped three large Starbucks straws together and fed it as far as I could down the drain hole and gave it a couple good blows and sucks. It seems as if it cleared up any ice or other obstructions. I poured hot water down the drain hole and it disappeared rapidly. Voila! Problem solved, no tools required, just three straws, which are hard to come by in California these days.
Nice job
Thank you for posting the original how to:-)
If they get really out of level it can also cause ice on the bottom. I left my fridge off for 24 to 30hrs but didn't work. Has worked in the past as I've turn my fridge off 2x per yr as a prevented thing. But also has been iced up beside the unlevel thing. Fridge must be a decade old. Haven't been turning it off 2x per yr as I have this whiny roommate that throws a hissy fit if I leave it off for that long. I wish he'd grow some.⚽ 😂. Then again it might really be plugged this time. So another fun wkend. Thank you for the great video.
Good explanation on the need to completely de-ice.
Thanks.. mine's still working good
Thank You so much this was exactly my problem. Easy fix thanks to you!
Cool
Very helpful video, allowed us to fix our freezer, thank you.
Good to hear
Thank you. Mine was clogged with hair like you said
This sorted my problem out perfectly - my water tube was in the shape of a under sink tube so I cant take it off as the drip tray isnt underneath the outlet ! other than that the hot water trick did the trick - thankyou so much!
Glad it helped
Worked for me too! Thank you. It took me aboit 10 cups of boiling water till it finally thawed and water ran through it. I removed the black cap completely
Thanks for watching, have a great day
I want to thank you for this video. We had the same problem with our fridge and with your video, we were abble to fix it 😁
Great to hear!
Thanks
Pretty sure I got it fixed up!
Thank you sir. Much appreciated
My man! Not all heroes wear capes, but I bet this guy freakin does!
Hey thanks for watching hope the video helps you my fridge has been perfect ever since have a good night
thanks its very helpful
Thank you for sharing...I will definitely try this. I am sick of stepping in a puddle every morning.
Thanks for watching have a good night
@@addismultitasking3504 well I did it and im still puddle free....THANK YOU.. THANK YOU!!
Thanks for the video, we have the same problem, will try this fix over the weekend.
mines worked great ever since
You have A LOT OF COMMON SENSE Thank you!!!!
I hope it helped you
Thanks for the tip
I replaced the P-trap, and also replaced the old rubber grommet with the new plastic tube-like stub that slips over the stub of the spout that sticks down from the compartment roof. Then I used a hair dryer inside the freezer until the water began coming out the new P-trap. I thought that fixed it, but a week or so later the leak started again, so I'm betting that I didn't do a good enough job of melting the ice. I'm too lazy to take out the freezer walls (though I have instructions on how to do that as a last resort), so I will follow your lead and use lots of hot water. I plan to take the back off so I can also observe when the water really flows freely.
Great tip thank you
I need to get on it. Thanks
Very helpful-I kept the little rubber nipple (see Mark Leininger's comment, below), but I was frustrated trying to get it back in place.
My KING! This is the exact video I need to save my dayyyy! 😁🎉
Glad I could help!
Great advice for novice. My whirlpool bottom freezer has done this the last 3 July's in a row. By the time I realized the problem everything thawed. Apparently the freezer quit then started up again. I never had water on the floor. Is there a safety switch to shut the unit off? I lost some product but now I'm paranoid about putting anything important like sockeye salmon in this freezer. I've watched a few videos on this problem but it seems like others with this problem the freezer keeps working whereas mine thaws completely then starts up on its own. Input please. Is there a safety switch or what?
Worked for me! Thanks for showing this solution! Mine had the p-trap hose already and it was clogged and the drain opening was frozen.
You are my freaking hero!!! Thanks so much
I'm glad I could help thanks for watching
Thank you!! I think it’s working great. My tube was completely clogged with slime.
glad it helped
You are my savior! This has been plaguing me for months. We referred to it as "water under the fridge" and it became an inside joke amongst my friends. It stopped being funny after a week. I had no idea what was causing this to happen but you're video perfectly explained it and provided the optimal solution.
Thank you so much for taking the time to help others out. May nothing but good things come your way.
thanks, glad I could help, mine hasn't done it since. Have a good rest of the day
@@addismultitasking3504 Thank you! You as well.
Hey guys I have a question! I couldn’t remove the black rubber completely… how did you guys do it?
Ty sir. Worked just like you said. The rubber piece is useless.
Glad it helped