Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

refrigerator water dispenser pic

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator not working? If not, you can attempt to repair the issue on your own or call Ally Appliance Repair for refrigerator repair Hempstead, New York.

There are several reasons for a water dispenser in a kitchen refrigerator to not work anymore. Again, some reasons are going to sound a bit crazy. However, something as simple as a power switch has been the culprit before. Be sure to review the more obvious potential issues before proceeding with complicated refrigerator repair. Let’s begin to tackle this appliance repair problem and see what solutions we can cite for a broken water dispenser on a refrigerator.

The cause of a water dispenser not dispensing is typically either an installation issue, a filter problem or frozen water lines:

Refrigerator Installation Issues

You just purchased a new refrigerator for your kitchen with a water dispenser, but it is broken. The water dispenser has to be connected to the home’s water line. That might be the issue.

If the brand new refrigerator is replacing an old refrigerator that didn’t feature an ice maker or water dispenser, there’s a possibility that you don’t have a functioning water line running to this area of the kitchen. A water line is typically run from under the home either in a basement or crawl space. You can buy this line at nearly any hardware store and they are pretty simple for the average homeowner to install. Typically they have a a built-in water shut-off valve, which is necessary so that if you ever need to relocate the refrigerator, you can shut off the water.

If you have a connected water line, is the valve turned on? The valve handle must be lined up with the hose. And, is water going through the pipe you have installed to connect the water line? Obvious and basic questions, but items that need to be checked.

If you removed the doors during installation the water dispenser may not be plugged in. Check the manual to find the wire harness for that particular model of refrigerator. Ensure that it is plugged into the refrigerator.

When the water line is hooked up, usually there is air in it. So, lifting and lowering the dispenser control to get the air out is needed.
Filter Issues

On some household models, there are various filters. These filters can “expire”, become clogged or get frozen. All of the filters are based on the model and type of refrigerator. If your filter is clogged it can cause slow filling or no flowing. It is recommended that your filter is changed every 6 months. Replacing filters can be challenging. If you run into hiccups, go online and find the right method to change a filter.

One suggestion is to fill up the filter with water prior to installing it. Typically the water filters will take a long time to fill, which might cause you to assume that the water dispenser isn’t working. You should read the directions if nothing is working. To be sure it is not air trapped in the water lines, depress the dispenser arm for around 5 minutes.

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

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES