Fix it
Why is my fridge leaking water inside?
Water pooling under the crisper drawers or sheeting to the floor is nearly always the defrost system’s little drain losing its way — a pencil-width channel that carries meltwater to an evaporation pan and clogs with remarkable ease.
What it usually is
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A frozen or clogged defrost drain
Every defrost cycle melts frost that must drain through a small hole at the back of the freezer or fridge compartment. Debris or refrozen water dams it, and the melt goes under the drawers instead. The overwhelming favorite.
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The water supply line to the ice maker weeping
The small line at the back seeps at its fittings — a floor puddle behind or beside the machine, independent of defrost timing.
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A cracked or shifted drain pan underneath
The pan that evaporates the meltwater can crack or sit askew after the fridge is moved; water appears at the floor with a dry interior.
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Door gaskets letting humid air in
A leaky gasket condenses room humidity inside; excess frost and water production overwhelms the normal drain path. The dollar-bill tug test finds weak gasket sections.
What you can check yourself
Find the drain hole (behind rear panel or under the drawers per model), clear it with a pipe cleaner, and flush warm water through until it runs to the pan. Check the pan seating and the supply-line fittings with a dry paper towel. Test gaskets with the bill tug and clean them — grime is often the whole gasket problem.
When it’s a job for a pro
Chronic refreezing of the drain often means a failed drain heater or a defrost-system fault — a proper repair visit. Supply-line and valve replacements are quick professional jobs that beat a slow leak warping the floor.
Drain clearing is $0 DIY; drain-heater or defrost repairs typically run $150 to $350; supply-line fixes $100 to $250. The kitchen floor is the expensive part — catch it early.
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