If any of you are handypeople I'd like some advice on my refridgerator, it's a whirlpool, electric about 16 yrs old and I keep finding water in the bottom under the veggie bins, I mop it up and within a week it's back???? I realize it's about at the end of it's life expectancy but wondering if something is stopped up somwhere, the freezer section is frost free so I'm thinking this water isn't going where it's supposed to. thanks Carol

-- Carol in Tx (cwaldrop@peoplescom.net), November 24, 2001

Answers

Hi. We have a 21 yr old GE and it does the same thing--husband says it's caused by the coils (we have them on the "ceiling" of the fridge) defrosting themselves.

-- Dawn (olsoncln@ecenet.com), November 24, 2001.

defrost and clean thoroughly even if it is frost free. there is a little drain tube that may have mildew stopping it up and the defrost water isn't going the right place

-- Rose (open_rose@hotmail.com), November 24, 2001.

Carol, we fix this problem every couple of years.

Open your fridge door and look at the underside of the freezer compartment. There is one screw holding a plastic drain assembly coming out of your freezer compartment. If you take this plastic cover off, you will see a hole in the back of your fridge wall. The cover itself may be full of mildew goo. Clean it with soap and water.

You can clean the inside of the hole in the back of your fridge wall by wrapping a thin cloth around something stiff like an ice pick. Just wipe it out as long as you're getting stuff.

This may entirely fix the problem and usually does for us. If the problem persists, you'll have to take the tube assembly off the back and clean the tube out. DON'T replace your fridge just yet. It isn't really broken.

-- helen (no@address.please), November 24, 2001.

If you remove the grate underneath the door you will see a plastic tray that is supposed to catch the water that is collecting in the bottom of you fridge. The info about the drain being stopped up is correct it is a minor problem. Over the life of the fridge floatsum and jetsum will collect at the drain just as it does in your sink, and mold will grow and clog the drain. All you have to do is clean it usually warm soapy water is good enough just don't let the tray underneath over flow empty it in the sink. normally you don't deal with it because the accumulation of water is so slight that it evaporates from the tray before the tray over flows. If the tray hasn't been cleaned over the life of the fridge it'll be pretty fuzzy and funky. This is also a good time to vacuum the cooling coils underneath the fridge too that will prolong the life of the fridge.

-- Ed (smikula@bellsouth.net), November 24, 2001.