A clogged or frozen defrost drain is the most common reason a fridge leaks. After that, look at the water supply line and its fittings, and at a filter that isn't seated. Start by working out where the water appears, because the location tells you which of those to check first.
Find where the water is coming from
Before you pull the fridge out, dry the floor completely and lay a few paper towels along the front and sides. Check them after a couple of hours. Where they get wet tells you a lot.
Water inside the fresh food compartment, pooling under the crisper drawers, or ice on the freezer floor usually means the defrost drain. Water at the front edge on the floor can be the drain too, or a fridge that tilts forward. A puddle that starts at the back usually leads to the water supply line, the inlet valve or the drain pan. Drips under the dispenser point to the filter or the dispenser itself.
Rule out the obvious too. Samsung notes that melted ice from the dispenser or a spill is often mistaken for a leak. If the water appears only after someone gets ice, watch the chute.
- Water inside the cabinet or ice on the freezer floor: defrost drain.
- Puddle at the front only: drain, or the fridge isn't tilted back.
- Puddle starting at the back: supply line, inlet valve or drain pan.
- Drips below the dispenser: water filter or dispenser.
Clear a clogged or frozen defrost drain
A frost-free fridge regularly melts the frost off its freezer coil. That water runs down a trough into a small drain hole, through a tube and into a pan under the fridge, where it evaporates. When crumbs, food residue or ice block the drain, the water backs up and overflows into the cabinet, then onto the floor through the bottom of the door.
Whirlpool says clogs most often form in the defrost drain, and Repair Clinic calls it the most common cause of leaks. The drain hole is usually at the bottom of the freezer's back wall, sometimes hidden behind a removable panel. Samsung says to pick out debris by hand or flush it with warm water, and Repair Clinic says to thaw any ice first, then flush with hot water.
Unplug the fridge and empty the freezer. If the drain is frozen solid, let it thaw with the doors open (towels on the floor). Then use a turkey baster to push a cup or two of warm water into the drain hole and watch whether it flows out to the pan under the fridge. A pipe cleaner can loosen debris near the opening. Don't jam anything stiff or sharp into the tube, since the cooling coil sits right next to it.
If the drain freezes or clogs again within a few weeks, the defrost system itself needs a look, and that's a job for a technician.
Check the drain pan underneath
The drain pan sits under the fridge. On Samsung models it's at the back, often behind a metal cover; your manual shows where yours is and whether it slides out. It's meant to evaporate water, not hold it, so a pan that's cracked, out of place or full of sludge can spill.
With the power off, slide the pan out if your model allows it and look for cracks. Samsung suggests washing a dirty pan before putting it back. A pan that's brimming every time you check is getting more water than normal. A door that doesn't seal is one possible reason, covered further down.
Level the fridge so water drains back
Fridges are designed to lean back slightly. That tilt keeps water in the drain trough flowing the right way and lets the doors swing closed on their own. A fridge that leans forward can send meltwater over the front of the drain pan.
Set a level on top of the cabinet, front to back. Raise the front leveling legs or rollers a turn or two at a time until the cabinet tips back a little. Samsung's check is that a correctly installed door swings closed on its own. Your owner's manual gives the exact adjustment for your model.
Inspect the water supply line and inlet valve
Fridges with an ice maker or dispenser have a thin supply line, usually 1/4 in (6 mm) copper or plastic, running from a shutoff valve to the inlet valve at the back of the cabinet. A cracked line, a loose compression nut or a line that got kinked when the fridge was pushed back can all drip.
Cut the power and close the water shutoff first. GE says the shutoff is usually behind the fridge, under the kitchen sink, or in the basement or crawl space. If yours is a saddle valve, the small valve where the 1/4 in copper line meets the cold water pipe, GE says to close it by turning it clockwise until it stops.
Pull the fridge out carefully and check the line along its whole length, the connection at the shutoff valve, and the fitting at the inlet valve. Repair Clinic notes that a cracked inlet valve or a loose fitting at the valve will leak, so make sure the line is tight at that connection. Replace a torn or cracked line rather than taping it, as Whirlpool advises. A plastic line that has gone stiff and brittle is worth replacing while you're there.
A see-through plug inside a plastic line is ice. Whirlpool's advice is to leave the fridge unplugged for about two hours so it melts. A clog you can't see through needs a technician.
Reseat or replace the water filter
A filter that isn't locked in place can drip into the filter compartment or make the dispenser dribble. Whirlpool lists a poorly installed filter as a cause of dispenser leaks. Take it out and reinstall it until it clicks or turns fully into place.
Look at the filter head as well. Repair Clinic says a cracked filter head, a torn or missing seal, or a cracked filter housing will leak, and the fix is to replace the cracked part. GE refrigerators that use the RPWFE filter can show a Leak Detected message linked to the filter, and reseating or replacing the filter usually clears it.
Look at the door gaskets and the water tank
A gasket that doesn't seal lets warm, humid kitchen air in. That moisture condenses on the cold walls and runs to the bottom of the compartment, and it can overload the drain. Close the door on a sheet of paper in several spots. Where it pulls out with no resistance, the seal is weak. Clean the gasket, and replace it if it's torn or flattened.
Some models have an internal water tank that chills water for the dispenser. Tank leaks can be tiny and hard to spot, and Repair Clinic's advice is to replace a leaking tank rather than glue it, since glue doesn't hold on that plastic. Samsung models with an AutoFill pitcher show 76C, or blink the AutoFill light, when water turns up in the pitcher area.
When to call a professional
Call a technician if the defrost drain keeps freezing after you've cleared it, if the leak is coming from inside the cabinet wall or the back panel of the freezer, or if the inlet valve itself is cracked and you're not comfortable replacing it. Persistent leaks with a clean drain and a tight supply line usually need someone to check the defrost system.