Direct Denver Appliance Repair performs refrigerator repair in Denver, including services to repair ice makers that are not working. Learn about common ice maker issues below:
Refrigerator ice makers are one of the most convenient inventions of all time. An ice maker is a little luxury most people might not appreciate. Ice makers are relatively simple machines that don’t feature a lot of complex components that can cause issues.
Like with any appliance repair, there are a few basic things that need to be looked at before assuming the worst. And, remember, if needed, you can replace your ice maker without replacing the entire fridge, dependent on the brand and model. First, let’s review a couple of the causes for an ice maker breaking.
When your ice maker is making ice but it is not dispensing the ice it is usually a mechanical failure vs. an electrical failure. This occurs when shifting food around in the freezer unit, you accidentally shift the control lever up or down. Often the ice maker can get blocked with something else, possibly a chunk of ice. First, check to see if there is anything blocking this part from operating correctly.
Before beginning the process of clearing out the freezer, ensure the ice maker is turned on. This can be done by pulling the control arm down. Sometimes, moving things around in the freezer unit might put the switch in the off position. If the control arm is free, then there could be something jammed inside of the ice maker or it’s not getting a good connection.
Check the Control Arm
When the control arm is down and there’s ice but it is not dispensing it, there could be a mechanical or electrical failure. This is going to need a bit more diagnosing. Ready to begin? First, we need to check the electrical connection. This can be unplugged from the back of the freezer or refrigerator when moving or shifting the freezer contents.
To inspect this, first unplug the freezer and slide it out away from the wall. Then, turn off the water supply. Locate the connection on the rear of the inside of the freezer. Basically this is what connects the ice maker into the freezer. Ensure that it is plugged in the right way.
Next, remove all of the ice that’s in the ice maker itself. This can be accomplished by pouring in a little water to help get any ice that is inside of there out.
Once done, turn on the power to the fridge and then turn on the ice maker. It could take the solenoid a few seconds to engage and fill the mold. When the mold is completely full, wait around 4-5 hours or so to see if you have solved the issue.
Check for Frozen Lines
Other ice maker issues that might cause your ice maker to not make ice are frozen lines. The water lines have been blocked with frost. This is an easy fix.
First, unplug the freezer and find the water shut off valve. Shut the water off and grab a hair dryer to warm the water line or just let the freezer sit turned off for a couple of hours until the line is thawed.
There are some brands and models that have a water filter that can clog or ice over. In these cases, finding the water filter is the first step. Then repeat what was done for the iced line.
When an ice maker is not making big enough pieces of ice, there is a problem with the settings. To adjust the settings, take the top part of the cover of the ice maker off and find a basic control that has plus and a minus signs. To do this, you could need a flat head screwdriver.
ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES
- Refrigerator Noisy
- Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working
- Refrigerator Not Cooling
- How Does a Refrigerator Work?