Why is My Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working?

Is the water dispenser on your refrigerator not dispensing water? If so, you can try to solve the issue on your own or call United Appliance Repair for refrigerator repair Hillsboro, Oregon.

There are a lot of reasons for a water dispenser in a refrigerator to not work. Again, some suggestions are going to sound a little strange. However, something as obvious as a power switch on the refrigerator has been the reason in the past. Be sure to inspect the obvious potential problems prior to moving forward with refrigerator repair. Let’s start to tackle this appliance repair issue and see what solutions we can come up with for a broken water dispenser on a refrigerator.

The reason for a broken water dispenser is usually either an installation error, a filter issue or frozen water tubes:

Refrigerator Installation Problems

You just bought a brand new refrigerator for your kitchen with a water dispenser, but it is not working. The water dispenser has to be connected to the home’s water line. That might be the issue.

If the new refrigerator is replacing a prior refrigerator that did not have an ice maker or water dispenser, there’s a chance that you do not have a water line near this area. A water line is typically run from underneath the home either in a crawl space or basement. You can acquire this type of water line at just about any home repair store and they’re pretty simple for even the average homeowner to install. Usually they have include a water shut-off valve, which is necessary so that if you should need to move the refrigerator, you can shut off the water.

If there is an attached water line, is the valve turned on? The valve handle needs to 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 need to be checked.

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

If the water is connected, most of the time there’s air in the water line. So, engaging and disengaging the dispenser lever on the refrigerator to get the air out is necessary.
Filter Problems

On some of the household models, there are different filters. These filters can “expire”, become clogged or freeze. All of the filters are based on your model and type of refrigerator. If the filter is clogged it might cause slow filling or no flowing period. It is suggested that your filter is replaced every 6 months. Replacing filters can be challenging. If you run into hiccups, go online and find the proper method to replace a filter.

One recommendation is to fill up the filter with water prior to installation. Typically the water filters need a long time to fill up, which might cause you to assume the water dispenser on the refrigerator is not working. You should read the owner’s manual if all else fails. To be sure it’s not air trapped in the water lines, depress the dispenser lever for around 5 minutes.

A frozen water tank might be the cause of the issue as well in some models. If the tank is frozen it will leak onto the food bins. Low amounts of food in the fresh food bins could cause freezing.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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