Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

broken refrigerator water dispenser image

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator not working? If not, you can attempt to solve the problem on your own or call Delta Des Moines Appliance Repair for refrigerator repair Des Moines, Iowa.

There are many reasons for a water dispenser in a kitchen refrigerator to not work anymore. Again, some reasons could sound a bit crazy. However, something as simple as a power switch has been the culprit before. Be sure to check the obvious potential issues 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.

The cause of a broken water dispenser is usually an installation problem, a filter issue or frozen water tubes:

Refrigerator Installation Problems

You just installed a new refrigerator with a water dispenser, but it is broken. The water dispenser must be connected to the water line. That could be the issue.

If your new refrigerator is replacing an older refrigerator that didn’t include a water dispenser or ice maker, there is a chance that you don’t have a water line running to this area. A water line is commonly run from underneath the home either in a crawl space or basement. You can buy this line at nearly any hardware store and they’re very easy for even the typical homeowner to install. Usually they have come with a water shut-off valve, which is necessary so that if you ever need to relocate the refrigerator, you can shut off the water.

If there’s an attached water line, is the valve turned on? The valve handle should be lined up with the hose. And, is there water running through the pipe you have used to connect the water line? Obvious and common questions, but items that need to be confirmed.

If you removed the doors during installation the water dispenser is not plugged in. Read the manual to see the wire harness for that particular model of refrigerator. Be sure that it’s plugged into the refrigerator.

When the water line is hooked up, usually there is air in the water line. So, engaging and disengaging the water dispenser control to get the air out of it is necessary.
Filter Issues

On some of the popular models, there are various filters. These filters could “expire”, become clogged or get frozen. All filters are dependent on the style and brand of refrigerator. If your filter is blocked it will cause slow filling or no flowing. It’s recommended that your filter should be changed every 6 months. Replacing filters in a refrigerator can be hard sometimes. If you run into issues, go online and learn the proper process to change a filter.

One suggestion is to fill up the water filter with water prior to installing it. Typically the water filters need a long amount of time to fill up, which might lead you to think the water dispenser on the refrigerator isn’t working right. You should read the owner’s manual if nothing is working. To be sure it’s not air caught in the water lines, depress the dispenser lever for around 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank might also be the source of the problem as well in some refrigerators. If the water tank is frozen it will leak onto the fresh food bins. Small amounts of food in the fresh food bins might cause freezing to occur.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES