A refrigerator defrost drain is important in keeping the refrigerator in good working condition; the same applies to an Amana refrigerator.
The importance of a defrost drain cannot be over-emphasized, as it ensures the refrigerator functions properly and keeps odor out of it.
In your Amana refrigerator, you need to know where the defrost drain is to know how to maintain the refrigerator’s condition.
In this article, I’ll show you where the defrost drain is in your Amana refrigerator.
The Amana refrigerator defrosts drain is in the freezer’s back wall. It goes from the freezer through the refrigerator until it reaches a drain pan at the bottom of the appliance. When you finally locate the defrost drain, you can complete the maintenance needed to keep your Amana refrigerator in tip-top condition.
Where Is the Defrost Drain in My Amana Refrigerator?
Locating the drain in your Amana refrigerator is pretty simple; check the freezer’s back wall. The Amana defrost drain runs from the freezer to the refrigerator to a drain pan at the bottom.
If the drain line gets clogged, water that normally passes through it could build up inside your fridge, causing it to smell or not function properly.
With the location of your Amana refrigerator drain known, you can easily access it in case of a clogged drain line.
Remove the lower door panel from the freezer compartment to get to the defrost drain. Then, remove the two screws holding the lower door panel in place.
Take the lid off the freezer section and move the panel down until it doesn’t touch the floor. Next, check the floor for a hole where you took the panel out; the ice cubes should fall into a bucket.
How Do I Know If My Amana Fridge Defrost Drain Is Clogged?
You can know if your Amana fridge defrost drain is clogged when you see one of these signs in your refrigerator;
- If you notice your refrigerator’s ice maker stops working.
- The refrigerator is not properly cooling, or the food is melting.
- Frost/ice accumulation inside the freezer compartment.
- An occasional alcoholic-like odor emanates from your refrigerator.
- A layer of ice covers the coil or panel around the coil.
- Leaking water underneath the refrigerator.
- Water puddle under the vegetable drawers or at the refrigerator’s base.
- Both the refrigerator and the freezer will be at room temperature.
- The presence of ice at the defrost drain hole.
Usually, the cause of this issue is food and debris that has backed up in the drain pipe, which may have caused a blockage in coolant circulation.
The easiest way for you to figure out if this has happened to your Amana refrigerator defrost drain is by taking off the front panel.
Once you know the cause of the clog in your Amana defrost drain, you can go ahead to fix whatever the problem is.
The good thing about it is that you can fix the clog with little knowledge and at little to no cost without needing to call a repairer.
Where Is the Drip Pan on an Amana Refrigerator?
To access the drip pan on your Amana refrigerator, check the back of your fridge on the bottom panel in the right-hand corner.
The drain pan is near the ice maker and contains an opening that allows you to remove any ice buildup in this area.
The drain pan sits below a small fan that blows any condensation or moisture collected onto a tray at the bottom of your refrigerator.
As moisture builds up in your refrigerator, it needs to be removed so that it doesn’t cause damage to other components within your Amana refrigerator.
It is important to clean your refrigerator drain pan every few months or when you notice increased moisture collecting in your freezer area.
To clean your Amana refrigerator drain pan, remove it from its position and soak it in warm water with mild soap.
Scrub away any stuck debris or ice to ensure that there isn’t a buildup that could cause damage.
After cleaning, replace your drain pan in its proper place and allow it time to dry before using it again.
Why Is My Amana Freezer Leaking Water?
There are several reasons your Amana freezer leaks water, but the most common is a clogged drain line.
Therefore, keeping your Amana defrost drain clean and unclogged is important so the water can flow freely.
In the table below are some causes of your Amana freezer leaking water.
| Causes | Description |
|---|---|
| A cracked drain pipe. | If the drain pan is cracked, the freezer may leak. |
| Defrost the freezer. | Defrosting can also look like a leak because the water has to drain. |
| A broken door seal. | A broken seal door allows air in the freezer to melt; hence, water leaks. |
| A clogged drain hole. | Your freezer may leak if the defrost drain is blocked with food and debris. |
| Improper balance of the freezer. | If one leg of your freezer is faulty and it isn’t balanced, your freezer can leak. |
| Faulty temperature control. | If there’s a problem with the temp control, the freezer becomes warm and starts leaking. |
| Defective water inlet valve. | Leaks might happen from a malfunctioning or low-pressure water intake valve. |
However, if you do notice a leak in your Amana freezer, it would be best for you to contact a specialist to help fix it to avoid further damage to your fridge if you can’t do it yourself.
You can, however, check for leaks in your refrigerator by looking out for the signs mentioned in the table above.
If your Amana freezer is leaking water, there are a few steps you can take to correct it. First, turn off your Amana refrigerator’s water supply valve to stop additional leaks.
How to Fix a Leaky Amana Freezer Water?
With the cause of the leak known, you can fix your leaking Amana freezer by;
#1. Leveling the Refrigerator
If the cause of your leaky freezer is an unbalanced refrigerator, you can fix it by raising or lowering the refrigerator’s leg. Then ensure it is balanced and set up right by using a level.
#2. Unclog the Drain
If the cause of your leak is a clog in your drain, you have to figure out why it is clogged. For example, suppose it is because of ice or food.
If it’s because of ice, you can thaw the ice with a hairdryer at a low temperature, and if clogged with food, ensure you remove the food from the drain and unclog it.
#3. Replace Broken Door Seal
If the cause of your leaky refrigerator is due to the door seal being dirty or broken, if it’s dirty, clean it with a dishtowel and detergent, but if it’s broken, replace it.
#4. Replace Defective Water Inlet Valve
If you have a defective water inlet valve, correct it by ensuring the water pressure isn’t too low by checking if water comes out very well from it or using a water pressure regulator.
If it still leaks, then you change the water line. However, if changing the water line still doesn’t stop the leak, change the valve itself.
How to Clean the Defrost Drain on an Amana Refrigerator?
It would help if you cleaned out your Amana refrigerator’s defrost drain periodically, every three months, depending on how you use it.
The defrost drain is located under the front right-hand corner of the freezer and may be hidden by ice or frost. You’ll need a Phillips head screwdriver, a dish brush, and a container to get to it.
Cleaning it with just one of these tools is possible, but they are much easier to work with when you use them together.
The first step is to remove all of the food from your freezer, and if there is any ice or frost, ensure you clean it off.
The second step is to locate where your drain tube ends up in your house. You can usually locate it by looking for air holes along its path.
The third step is to open your drain pipe so that you can clean out your refrigerator defrost drain. There should be a cap on it; unscrew it and pull it off. Inside, you’ll see a grid made of metal fins.
That is where food will end up if it enters your pipe during use. That’s why you need to clean it out. How you clean it will depend on how much debris has built up in there over time.
The fourth step is to clean out the defrost drain. If it is only lightly coated with ice and food bits, you can take a dish brush and scrub it clean.
If a lot of grime is built inside, you will want to pour vinegar into your pipe until it starts flowing freely, or you make use of warm water.
Let that sit for 30 minutes before pouring warm water to melt away any remaining gunk. Once your drain is clean, it’s time to put it back together. Just screw on your cap, and you’re done!
Check it every time you notice ice buildup on your coils (usually once a month), and clean it as soon as you see anything in there.
Be proactive about it, and don’t let a small clog become an ice blockage that causes serious damage to your fridge.
Conclusion
In summary, Amana refrigerator defrosts drains are usually found on the freezer’s back wall. Therefore, it doesn’t matter the model of your Amana refrigerator; you will usually find it here.
You must clean your defrost drain periodically as this helps prolong your refrigerator’s life and keep it functioning correctly.
