The homeowner must first empty the freezer and remove the rear panel inside the freezer compartment. This exposes the evaporator coils and the drain trough underneath them. The drain hole is usually visible in the center or to one side of this trough.
To understand the importance of the defrost drain, one must first understand the refrigerator's defrost cycle.
With the repair complete, John was relieved to see that the water had begun to drain, and the ice was starting to melt. He breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that the problem had been solved without requiring a costly replacement of the entire fridge.
When this drain becomes clogged, it can lead to water pooling in your crisper drawers, ice buildup on the floor of the freezer, and even foul odors in your kitchen. Common Signs of a Clogged Defrost Drain
It was a typical summer morning for John, until he opened his fridge to grab a cold drink and was greeted by a mini-pool of water on the bottom shelf. He groaned in frustration, wondering what could have caused the mess. As he investigated further, he noticed that the ice maker was frozen solid, and the freezer was a block of ice. It was clear that his fridge had stopped defrosting properly.
In many models, a frozen drain leads to a thick sheet of ice forming on the floor of the freezer.
Turkey baster, hair dryer (or steamer), copper wire (14-gauge), baking soda, vinegar, long nylon brush.