Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

refrigerator water dispenser image

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator not dispensing water? If not, you can try to solve the issue on your own or call Crown Citrus Heights Appliance Repair for refrigerator repair Citrus Heights, California.

There are a lot of reasons for the water dispenser in a kitchen refrigerator to stop working. Again, some reasons could sound a little strange. However, something as obvious as an off switch has been the culprit in the past. Be sure to review the more obvious potential issues before proceeding with refrigerator repair. Let’s start to cover this appliance repair problem and see what solutions we can cite for a broken water dispenser on a refrigerator.

The reason for a water dispenser not working is usually either an installation problem, a filter issue or frozen water lines:

Refrigerator Installation Issues

You just bought a new refrigerator with a water dispenser, but it’s broken. The water dispenser has to be hooked up to the water line. That might be the problem.

If the brand new refrigerator is replacing a prior refrigerator that did not have a water dispenser or ice maker, there is a chance that you don’t have a functioning water line near this area. Most of the time a water line is usually run from underneath the home either in a crawl space or basement. You can purchase this line at just about any home repair store and they’re very easy for the average homeowner to install. Typically they have a a water shut-off valve, which is necessary so that if you ever need to relocate the refrigerator, you can turn off the water.

If there’s a connected water line, is the valve turned on? The valve handle must be lined up with the hose. And, is there water going through the pipe you have used to connect the water line? Obvious and questions, but items that need to be confirmed.

If you had to remove the refrigerator doors during installation it’s possible the water dispenser isn’t plugged in. Review the manual to see the wire harness for that particular refrigerator. Ensure that it is plugged into the refrigerator.

When the water line is connected, most of the time there’s air in the water line. So, engaging and disengaging the dispenser control on the refrigerator to get the air out of it is necessary.
Filter Problems

On some of the household refrigerators, there are different filters. These filters could “expire”, clog or get frozen. All of the filters are based on the model and brand of refrigerator. If the filter is clogged it can cause slow filling or no flowing at all. It’s suggested that your filter is changed every 6 months. Changing filters in a refrigerator can be challenging. If you run into hiccups, go online and learn the proper process to change a filter.

One idea is to fill the filter with water prior to installation. Typically the water filters can need a long amount of time to fill, which might cause you to believe the water dispenser on the refrigerator isn’t working right. You should read the manual if all else fails. To be sure it’s not air caught in the water lines, depress the dispenser lever for around 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank could be the source of the problem as well on some refrigerators. If the tank is frozen it will leak onto the fresh food bins. Low amounts of food inside of the fresh food bins could cause freezing to happen.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES