Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

defective refrigerator water dispenser picIs the water dispenser on your refrigerator not dispensing water? If so, you can try to solve the issue by yourself or call Brentwood Appliance Repair for refrigerator repair Brentwood, New York.

There are a lot of reasons for the water dispenser in a kitchen refrigerator to not work. Again, some of the suggestions are going to sound a bit crazy. However, something as obvious as a power switch on the refrigerator has been the culprit in some instances. Be sure to check the obvious potential problems prior to moving forward with refrigerator repair. Let’s start to tackle this appliance repair problem and see all of the solutions we can cite for a broken water dispenser on a refrigerator.

The reason for a broken water dispenser is usually either an installation issue, a filter problem or frozen water lines:

New Refrigerator Installation Issues

You just purchased a brand new refrigerator with a water dispenser, but it’s broken. The water dispenser must be connected to the home’s water line. That could be the issue.

If your new refrigerator is replacing a previous refrigerator that didn’t have an ice maker or water dispenser, there is a chance that you do not have a functioning water line running to this area. A water line is typically run from underneath the home either in a basement or crawl space. You can purchase this line at nearly any home repair store and they are very easy for even the typical homeowner to install. Usually they have come with a built-in water shut-off valve, which is important so that if you need to move the refrigerator, you can turn off the water.

If there’s an attached water line, is the valve on? The valve handle must be lined up with the hose. And, is water running through the pipe that you have used to connect the water line? Simple and basic questions, but things that need to be confirmed.

If you had to remove the refrigerator doors during installation it is possible the water dispenser might not be plugged in. Review the manual to see the wire harness for the particular model of refrigerator. Check that it’s plugged into the refrigerator.

Once the water is hooked up, most of the time there’s air in the water line. So, lifting and lowering the dispenser lever on the refrigerator to get the air out is necessary.
Filter Issues

On some of the models, there are different filters. These filters can “expire”, clog or get frozen. All of the filters are dependent on the model and brand of refrigerator. If your filter is clogged it can cause slow filling or no flowing at all. It is suggested that your filter be replaced every 6 months. Replacing filters in a refrigerator can be difficult. If you have problems, go online and learn the proper process to replace a filter.

One recommendation is to fill up the filter with water prior to installation. A lot of time the water filters will take a long amount of time to fill up, which could cause you to think that the water dispenser on the refrigerator isn’t working right. You will want to read the owner’s manual if all else fails. To ensure it’s not air trapped in the water lines, depress the dispenser arm for about 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank might be the reason for the issue as well on some refrigerators. If the water tank is frozen it will start to leak onto the food bins. Limited food in the fresh food bins might cause freezing.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES