Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator not working? If so, you can try to repair the issue on your own or call Giles Appliance Repair for professional refrigerator repair California.

There are many reasons for a water dispenser in a kitchen refrigerator to stop working. Again, some of the suggestions could sound a little strange. However, something as obvious as an off switch on the refrigerator has been the reason in the past. Be sure to inspect the obvious potential problems before moving forward with refrigerator repair. Let’s begin to tackle this appliance repair issue and see what reasons 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 Problems

You just purchased a new refrigerator for your kitchen with a water dispenser, but it is broken. The water dispenser must be hooked up to the home’s water line. That might be the reason for the problem.

If your new refrigerator is replacing an older refrigerator that did not have an ice maker or water dispenser, there is a chance that you do not have a water line running to this area. Most of the time a water line is typically run from underneath the home either in a crawl space or basement. You can get this line at nearly any home repair store and they’re pretty simple for the average homeowner to install. Typically they have come with a built-in water shut-off valve, which is important so that if you should need to relocate the refrigerator, you can turn off the water.

If you have a water line, is the valve on? The valve handle should be in line with the hose. And, is water going through the pipe you have installed to connect the water line? Obvious and common questions, but things that have to be confirmed.

If you had to remove the doors during installation it’s possible the water dispenser may not be plugged in. Read the owner’s manual to find the wire harness for that particular refrigerator. Check that it is plugged into the refrigerator.

Once the water is hooked up, most of the time there’s air in it. So, lifting and lowering the water dispenser control to get the air out of it is needed.
Filter Problems

On some popular models, there are various filters. These filters might “expire”, become clogged or freeze. All filters are based on the style and brand of refrigerator. If your filter is blocked it will cause slow filling or no flowing period. It is recommended that your filter should be changed every 6 months. Changing filters in a refrigerator can be challenging. If you run into issues, go online or call us and find the right process to replace a filter.

One recommendation is to fill up the water filter with water prior to installation. A lot of time the water filters will need a long amount of time to fill up, which could lead you to assume that the water dispenser is not working. You should read the owner’s manual if all else fails. To be certain it’s not air trapped in the lines, depress the dispenser lever for around 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank might be the source of the issue as well in some models. If the tank freezes it will leak onto the fresh food bins. Minimal food inside of the fresh food bins will cause freezing.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

• Refrigerator Not Cooling
• Refrigerator Noisy
• Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Working
• How Does a Refrigerator Work?