QuickFix Appliance Repair offers refrigerator repair in Sioux City, including professional services to fix ice makers that aren’t working. Learn about common ice maker problems below:
Refrigerator ice makers are possibly one of the most convenient inventions ever. An ice maker is a little luxury a lot of people not appreciate. Refrigerator ice makers are simple machines that do not feature a lot of complex components that might have issues.
Like with any appliance repair, there are basic things that need to be looked at before assuming the worst. And, remember, if needed, you are able to replace the ice maker without replacing the entire refrigerator, dependent on the model. First, let’s review a few of the causes for an ice maker failure.
If the ice maker is making ice but it is not dispensing it it is usually means there is a mechanical failure versus an electrical problem. This happens when reorganizing things around in the freezer unit, you might push or pull the control switch up or down. Most of the time the ice maker can be blocked with something else, including a piece of ice. So, check to see if there’s anything blocking this from working the right way.
Before starting the process of clearing out the freezer, ensure the ice maker is on. This can be done by moving the control arm down. From time to time, moving things around in the freezer might put the switch in the off position. If the the switch is free, then there may be ice jammed inside the ice maker or it is not receiving a good connection.
Check the Control Arm
When the control is down and there is ice but it’s not ejecting it, there might be a mechanical or electrical issue. This will require a bit more troubleshooting. Ready to proceed? First, we have to check the electrical connection. This can become unplugged from the back of the freezer when shifting or moving the food in the freezer.
To inspect this, unplug the fridge and pull away from the kitchen wall. Turn off the freezer’s water supply. Locate the valve on the back of the inside of the freezer unit. Essentially this is what connects the ice maker into the freezer unit. Be sure that it is plugged in correctly.
Then, remove all of the ice that is in the ice maker itself. This can be accomplished by pouring in a small amount of water to help to get ice that’s inside of there out.
Once this is done, turn on the power to the fridge and turn on the ice maker. It might take the solenoid component a few seconds to engage and fill the mold. After the mold is full, wait 4-5 hours to see if you’ve solved the issue.
Check for Frozen Lines
More ice maker issues that will cause your ice maker to not make any ice are frozen water lines. The water lines might be blocked with frost. This is an easy issue to fix.
Unplug the freezer and locate the shut off valve. Turn the water off and then get a hair dryer to heat up the line or just let the fridge sit shut off for a couple of hours until the line is thawed.
There are some models that have a water filter that can clog or ice over. In these situations, finding the filter is the first step. Then repeat the same process that was done for the iced water line.
If your ice maker is not making large enough pieces of ice, there is an issue with the ice maker settings. To adjust the settings, take the top part of the cover off and locate a standard knob that has plus and a minus symbols. For this process, 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?