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An ice maker is a necessity for your home. You’ll need it to make ice for drinks and for preparing entrees and other things. But an ice maker can stop functioning properly after a while. It can create ice that isn’t building up well, or it might stop working altogether.
Your ice maker could experience one of many problems, including:
- The machine not making ice
- The machine freezes up
- It keeps on making ice even when you don’t want it to
- The ice that it does produce isn’t as efficient or sturdy as you wish
You can fix the ice maker in your home yourself without having to call anyone else for help. Here’s a look at how well you can repair your ice maker, including how you can resolve many of the more common concerns that you might experience when getting your ice maker working.
Related: Best Sonic Ice Machines and Nugget Ice Makers
Checks At the Start
You’ll have to look at how well the ice maker is working at the start. You can use a few points to see how well your setup is working if you need any extra assistance. You can use a few points here to resolve the problems that you might experience:
- Review the bail wire on your ice maker. The bail wire is over the ice tray. The wire should be in a down position to ensure the ice maker stays active.
- Review the water supply line behind your refrigerator. The line should allow water to flow through and be easier to manage.
- Check the fill tube that handles the ice tray. The tube might be bent and unable to take in water. It may also have frozen up to where water cannot go through.
These troubleshooting points should work before you start trying to fix your ice maker. The efforts are to ensure the unit isn’t malfunctioning. Sometimes the issue may come from a brief thing that you can fix, so it helps to take a careful look at what you are getting out of your ice maker.
Review the Water Fill
The first thing you can do when fixing your ice maker is to review how the water fill setup works. The water fill should work to ensure there are cubes coming out of the ice tray. Here’s what you can do to fix the problem:
1. Disconnect the power from the ice maker.
2. Remove the ice maker from your water source.
3. Review the fill tube on the ice maker. Look at whether there are any ice buildups or other foreign items getting in the way.
4. Look at the fill valve and the outlet tube to see that there are no obstructions.
5. You might have to replace the water fill tubes if necessary. You have to detach the old ones and replace them as necessary.
6. You can connect all the parts and then activate the power and water once again. The ice maker should start working well.
What If It Keeps Making Ice?
Sometimes the ice maker might keep on making ice even when you do not need anymore. You have to do these things to help you remove the ice:
1. Shut off the ice maker by lifting the bail wire up.
2. Remove the ice maker from the refrigerator. You might have to use a screwdriver to make it work.
3. Clean the ice maker. You can do this to clear out all the things inside the ice maker. The effort can reset the level that the refrigerator can read.
4. Place the ice maker back in the refrigerator.
The important part is to ensure you don’t struggle when trying to clear out the ice maker. You should see there are no problems with whatever might work when trying to make it run.
Managing the Filter
One other problem that can influence how an ice maker works involve how the filter works. The water filter can help you in managing the water and allowing enough to flow. The filter also ensures the water stays clean. A filter that does not work well might cause a backup or other issues that might develop.
The rule of thumb is to replace your water filter every six of twelve months. The timeframe should be enough to ensure the water stays clean and safe.
Here are some steps for how you can fix your water filter and prevent it from being a threat:
1. Figure out where your water filter is located. The position will vary in each section. You can find the filter attached to the ceiling part of the fridge or around the waterline. Be sure to turn off the power and water before accessing this part.
2. Check the instructions on how to replace the filter in your unit. Each fridge has a different rule for how well you can replace the filter.
3. Check on the new filter that you’re going to use. It needs to fit in the proper space without being bulky or otherwise hard to use.
Thawing the Ice
The ice that builds up in your ice maker can be another concern to note. The ice can build up from freezing conditions and from the lines and other features not moving as well.
You will have to thaw out the ice if there are any problems here. There are a few steps you can use to get your ice issue in check.
1. Shut off the power to your refrigerator.
2. Clear the ice bin from your refrigerator. Be sure to remove any loose bits of ice from the area.
3. Find the area on the fill tube that is frozen.
4. Use something warming on the hose. A hairdryer may be good enough in some cases. Avoid applying any intense heat around any plastic parts, as that heat might cause some fatigue around the area.
5. Clear up any water that starts dripping while you dry up space. Excess water can cause a risk of an electric shock around your ice maker.
6. Be sure the fill tube is all the way clear before you place everything back together. Everything should also be dry to prevent anything from becoming too damp while in use.
The effort should help you in keeping this part of the refrigerator safe. You have to keep everything protected to prevent any possible issues from developing.
What If It Doesn’t Eject Ice?
There’s also the concern of an ice maker failing to eject ice. An ick maker that does not eject ice well could be failing due to the small motor next to the machine. You would have to contact a professional to see what the issue is and to get the problem fixed up before it can get worse. A proper repair is necessary for ensuring your ice maker can keep on functioning well. Also, each ice maker uses a different motor array. You have to use something that fits well and provides enough power.
What If the Cubes Are Too Small or Hard?
Any case where the ice cubes are too small or hard could be due to the water pressure being weak. You may experience cubes that are too small or hard because the water pressure is low.
An idea for checking on your water pressure is to collect enough water in a measuring cup for five seconds. You can do this by using the water dispenser in your fridge if you have one. Check and see if you have at least a quarter of a cup of water or three fluid ounces after five seconds. Anything that isn’t producing enough could be a sign that the water pressure is too low.
How Long Does It Take for the Fridge to Recover?
It should not take all that long for the fridge to recover and work again after a bit. You can expect the water to start coming out once again after a brief bit. It might take a few moments for the water to come out, but it should not be too hard to manage.
An idea would be to allow the water to drain out for a bit before you use it some more. This includes allowing the ice maker to produce a tray of ice and for the water to flow for a bit. The goal is to ensure everything is clean and that anything that might have come up while fixing the problem is cleared out. The effort ensures the fridge will stay functional.
A Final Word
The best thing to do when fixing your ice maker is to resolve the problem as soon as possible. It is easier for you to fix your ice maker when you first notice the issue. Waiting too long to fix the problem can make the effort a little more challenging to manage. Be sure to look at how well your ice maker is working and that whatever you have isn’t going to be hard to manage.