Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

defective refrigerator water dispenser

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator broken? If so, you can try to repair the problem on your own or call Hometown Appliance Repair for refrigerator repair Suffolk, Virginia.

There are several reasons for a water dispenser in a refrigerator to not work anymore. Again, some suggestions might sound a little strange. However, something as simple as an off switch has been the cause in the past. Be sure to review the more obvious potential problems prior to proceeding with refrigerator repair. Let’s start to cover this appliance repair problem and see all of the reasons we can reference for a broken water dispenser on a refrigerator.

The cause of a water dispenser not working is typically an installation issue, a filter problem or frozen water lines:

Refrigerator Installation Issues

You just purchased a 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 problem.

If the brand new refrigerator is replacing an older refrigerator that didn’t include an ice maker or water dispenser, there’s a chance that you don’t have a functioning water line near this area of the kitchen. A water line is commonly run from under a house either in a crawl space or basement. You can get this type of water line at just about any home repair store and they are pretty easy for even the average homeowner to install. Typically they have a a built-in water shut-off valve, which is important so that if you need to move the refrigerator, you can shut off the water.

If you have an attached water line, is the valve turned on? The valve handle should be in line with the hose. And, is water going through the pipe you have used to connect the water line? Obvious and basic questions, but items that have to be checked.

If you removed the doors during installation the water dispenser isn’t plugged in. Check the manual to find the wire harness for the particular model of refrigerator. Check that it’s plugged into the refrigerator.

If the water line is hooked up, usually there is air in it. So, lifting and lowering the water dispenser lever to get the air out is needed.
Filter Problems

On some popular models, there are various filters. These filters might “expire”, clog or become frozen. All of the filters are based on your style and brand of refrigerator. If the filter is clogged it can cause slow filling or no flowing. It’s suggested that your filter be replaced every 6 months. Replacing filters in a refrigerator can be difficult. If you run into hiccups, go online or call us and learn the right process to replace a filter.

One idea is to fill the filter with water before installing it. A lot of time the water filters will need a long time to fill, which might lead you to assume the water dispenser on the refrigerator is not working. You will want to read the directions if all else fails. To be certain it is not air caught in the water lines, we recommend to depress the dispenser arm for around 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank might also be the source of the problem as well on some refrigerators. If the tank freezes it will start to leak onto the food bins. Minimal food in the fresh food bins could cause freezing.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES