Hometown Appliance Repair is experienced in refrigerator repair in Suffolk, including professional services to fix ice makers that are not working. Learn about some common ice maker problems below:
Refrigerator ice makers are one of the most convenient inventions ever. An ice maker is a little luxury a lot of people certainly take for granted. Refrigerator ice makers are relatively simple machines that do not have a lot of parts that could cause problems.
As with any repair, there are basic things that need to be reviewed before thinking the worst. And, remember, if necessary, you are able to replace the ice maker without replacing the entire fridge, dependent on the model. First, let’s review a couple of the reasons for an ice maker breaking.
If your ice maker is making ice but it is not ejecting the ice it is usually means there is a mechanical problem opposed to an electrical failure. This happens when moving food around in the freezer unit, you accidentally push or pull the control switch up or down. A lot of the time the ice maker might get jammed with something, including a piece of ice. So, look to see if there is anything blocking this part from operating correctly.
Before starting the process of clearing out the freezer, check that the ice maker is on. This can be done by pulling the control arm down. From time to time, moving food around in the freezer unit can put the control into the off position. If the control arm is free, then there could be food stuck inside of the ice maker or it’s not getting a good connection.
Check the Control Arm
When the control is down and there is ice but it is not dispensing it, this could be an electrical or mechanical problem. This is going to need a bit more troubleshooting. Ready to get started? First, we have to inspect the electrical connection. This could be unplugged from behind the freezer or refrigerator when moving or shifting the food in the freezer.
To check this, unplug the fridge and move it out from the wall. Turn off the water supply. Locate the connection on the back of the inside of the freezer. Basically this is what connects the ice maker into the freezer. Ensure that it is actually plugged in correctly.
Next, remove all of the ice that is inside of the ice maker itself. This can be completed by pouring in a small amount of water to help to get the ice that is inside of there out.
Once this is done, restore power to the fridge and then turn on the ice maker. It may take the solenoid component a couple of seconds to engage and fill the mold. After the mold is 100% full, wait 4-5 hours or so to see if you’ve solved the problem.
Check for Frozen Lines
Other ice maker problems that could cause your ice maker to not make any ice are frozen lines. The water lines might be clogged with frost. This is a pretty simple fix.
Unplug the refrigerator and locate the water shut off valve. Shut the water off and then grab a hair dryer to heat up the line or let the fridge sit without being on for a few hours and wait until the line is thawed.
Some models that feature a water filter that can freeze or ice over. In these situations, locating the water filter is the first step. Then repeat the same process that was done for the iced water line.
When your ice maker is not making big enough pieces of ice, there’s a problem with the settings. To adjust the the ice maker settings, take the top part of the cover of the ice maker off and find a standard knob that displays plus and a minus symbols. To do this, you may need a flat head screwdriver.
ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES
- Refrigerator Noisy
- Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working
- Refrigerator Not Cooling
- How Does a Refrigerator Work?