But in 9 out of 10 cases, it’s not a major breakdown. It’s just a clogged defrost drain.
Modern fridges self-defrost. Melting ice turns into water, which flows down a small drain hole at the back of the freezer (or behind the crisper drawers) and into a pan where it evaporates. how to unblock fridge drain
You don’t need to empty the whole fridge. Remove the bottom drawer or two to access the drain hole (a small dime-sized opening, often half-hidden under a plastic cover). But in 9 out of 10 cases, it’s not a major breakdown
If the drain keeps clogging every few months, buy a 99-cent piece of copper wire. Strip it, coil one end around the freezer heater element (if accessible), and drop the other end into the drain channel. The copper conducts heat down the tube and prevents ice dams permanently. Melting ice turns into water, which flows down
The problem: dust, food debris, and freezer burn sludge turn into a thick, greenish-brown gunk that plugs the drain. Water has nowhere to go, so it backs up and leaks out the bottom of the fridge.