Introduction
Modern refrigerators have left their predecessors in the dust with high-tech features, artificial intelligence, and big flat screens slapped on their door. The water and ice dispenser are a coveted feature that comes with high-end modern refrigerators. However, they are also easy to break down. When that happens, you can hire a professional to fix them by searching for “refrigerator repair near me”. However, if you’re a DIY enthusiast you may want to know about why the dispenser breaks down in more depth and fix it yourself. Let’s check out some tips for a refrigerator not dispensing water or ice.
Tips & Tricks
- Broken water inlet valve or fill valve – Modern refrigerators with water or ice dispensers would have a water supply line connected to them and at least one fill valve. These electric valves can open and close automatically to regulate the flow of water to the refrigerator and secondary fill valves control the water flow inside the refrigerator.
The secondary fill valves are designed for more control over the ice maker and water dispenser. If you’re confused about the total number of fill valves and their location inside your refrigerator, you should refer to the technical sheets and user manual of your fridge.
When these valves malfunction, they don’t open up properly and block the flow of water. If your refrigerator has seen a few years, the valve may malfunction due to wear and tear. However, if you have a new refrigerator, the problem may be a foreign object or some sort of buildup obstructing the fill valve.
Once you’ve figured out the total number of fill valves and their location in your fridge, remove the access panels to reach the fill valve. Disconnect electric connections to the valve and unscrew it to remove it from its place. Clean and remove any obstructions or replace them with a new fill valve.
- Water Line is frozen – Your refrigerator has numerous water lines inside it. Some enter the refrigerator through the inlet valve at the back of the fridge while others reach out to different parts of the refrigerator including the water filter. Your fridge may also have other branching water lines from the filter to the water dispenser and ice maker.
If your refrigerator is still making ice, but not dispensing water, the water line from the filter to the water dispenser may be frozen. This happens if the refrigerator temperature is set too low or the refrigerator is in an environment where the ambient temperature is drastically low.
To fix this problem, you need to clean the frozen line by thawing it internally. Before you think about attempting this fix yourself, it’s important to note that this is a tricky fix and should be left to professionals. That’s because this water line is usually hidden inside the fridge door or behind other hard-to-access panels.
Start with a simple hack. Turn off the refrigerator and let it thaw out slowly. This may take a few hours and you need to move the food inside your fridge to a secondary refrigerator so that they don’t go bad.
Otherwise, you can buy a water line thawing kit. These kits allow you to gently pump hot water to the frozen line and melt it slowly. You can make one yourself with a syringe and some plastic tubes. If the problem is due to low ambient temperature, move the refrigerator to someplace else that has central heating. That’s why you don’t put a refrigerator in the basement or the attic.
- Union Connector blocked – Refrigerators need an efficient design to prevent leaks due to kinks and save space. That’s why manufacturers usually don’t use long tubes or hoses for water lines. Instead, the water lines are segmented and connected at strategic locations with union connectors.
Unlike a standard coupling, union connectors aren’t a permanent component. You can connect and disconnect them to change water lines as and when needed. This is usually done for easy serviceability.
Like the inlet valves, these connectors can get damaged over time or have some obstructions blocking the flow of water. That results in the same outcome of choking water supply to the ice maker or water dispenser.
Fortunately, replacing a union connector is very easy. Pull the refrigerator plug from the socket and shut off the water supply to the refrigerator as well. Press on the water dispenser level to drain out any remaining water. Make sure you have a bucket or a few towels to avoid messing up your kitchen or living room.
Refer to the user manual and open the access panel that leads to the union connector. Then remove the faulty union connector and replace it with a new one. Make sure you make a snug connection so that there are no leaks.
- Low water pressure – Refer to the user manual of your fridge and it should have the minimum water pressure required by the water dispenser and ice maker to work properly. Without strong pressure, the dispenser simply won’t work as intended.
There are several reasons behind low water pressure. It may be internally related to your home’s plumbing or the water supply line valve to the refrigerator isn’t opened wide enough.
Move the refrigerator a few inches away from the wall and check the water supply line connected to the inlet valve. Grab the valve lever and open it all the way so that the water dispenser gets all the pressure that can be provided by your home’s plumbing. If that doesn’t fix the problem, check the water pressure coming into your home and get it fixed by a plumber.
Conclusion
By now you should be aware of the problems that may cause your refrigerator’s ice or water dispenser to break down. The fixes are easy enough if you know your tools and can get your hands on the replacement components. On the other hand, you can hire a pro to do it for you by searching for “refrigerator repair near me”.