How To Clean Or Replace Your Freezer's Drain Line

Almost all modern freezers have either an auto-defrost system, an automatic ice maker, or both. If that is the case in your freezer, then you will also have a drain line that travels from the freezer to a sink or drain somewhere in the house. When this line becomes clogged, you will find that water is either pooling up beneath the freezer, or ice is starting to build up inside the freezer. This is a problem you need to fix right away, or it will only get worse.

Evaluating the Drain Line

The first thing you will want to do is pull the appliance away from the wall so you can gain access to the drain line. If necessary, unplug the freezer so you have easy access. The drain line is a small plastic tube that comes out near the bottom of the freezer and typically goes into the floor (where it then travels to the nearest drain below it). You may need to take off the back cover of the freezer to access the end of the line, if this is the case, it can be done by simply taking off the small screws along the back edge.

Once you have access to the drain line, pull it off the freezer and look at it closely. See if it has any cracking to it. In addition, squeeze the line to see if it is at all brittle. If it has cracks or is brittle, you will want to replace the line. If not, cleaning it out will be sufficient.

Cleaning the Line

The ideal choice is just cleaning the line as that will be much easier. To do this, carefully take a small amount of bleach and pour it into the tube. You will need to go very slow in order to avoid spilling it. Make sure to avoid getting any bleach on your clothes. Allow the bleach to flow down the tube to help kill any mold or mildew, so that it will come loose. After dumping about a cup of bleach down the tube, flush it out with fresh water and reattach it to the freezer.

Replacing the Tube

If you find that the tube is damaged, you will need to replace it with a new one. You can purchase new tubing from any hardware store. Just make sure you get a tube that is long enough to reach the drain and the same size as the original. The easiest way to get the new tube in place is to tape it to the end of the old tube and then gently pull the old one down from below. This will allow the new one to slide right into place. You can then remove the tape and discard the old tube. Hook the new tube up to the back of the freezer, and replace the back covering.

Whether you had to clean the tube or replace it completely, you can now plug the freezer back in and move it back in place. It should allow the water to flow out easily, preventing any further water from being backed up. If you find that further repairs to your freezer are necessary, you might need to call an appliance repair company like Ross Appliance Services.

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