FYI...turn off ice maker

[Joe Kieve]

We recently went out of town for a week and because of a water disaster last year, I cut the water supply off to the house but didn't shut off the icemaker. A few days after we returned, I noticed ice wasn't being dumped into the bin. I got online and after several hours and numerous websites found the solution, (thankfully just before deciding to replace the icemaker).

Since I didn't shut it off, the supply line to the icemaker had frozen and wasn't letting water fill the icemaker. Using a hair dryer, I thawed the line and so far everything is back to normal.

Bottom line...if you shut off water supply to your house for an extended period, shut off your icemaker too.

[George Bokros]

Not sure why this was a problem for you. We keep little ice in ours because we use little for the two of us. Ours thinks the bin is full sometimes for four days or more and the water line never freezes. The water line on ours runs up the outside of the cabinet and enters at the top directly into the ice maker. Do you have ice through the door?

[Matt Meiser]

But if you do empty it, at least with a french-door, bottom freezer model. I did shut off our ice maker when we temporarily put the fridge in the dining room to do flooring. The next day there was a small puddle on the floor. Luckily we'd pulled the carpet in there too so it was just on the OSB and not enough to damage it. I wiped it up and a few hours later it was back. After a couple more times of this I looked and there was a big chunk of half-melted cubes inside.

[David Masters]

It's a good idea. My son returned after a long weekend out of town to discover that his ice maker's fill switch had failed and the ice maker encased in a block of ice. Until that happened, the water ran out of freezer and ruined his wood floor, and caved in the drywall ceiling of his finished basement.

[Joe Kieve]

George...Yes I do have ice through the door. It's a Whirlpool, side by side. The only thing I can figure is that the ice bin wasn't full and when I shut off the water supply to the house, a little bit was able trickle through the icemaker line and then froze. I'm certainly open to other causes.

[Dave Anderson NH]

You guys have mentioned some very good reasons why my wife and I will only buy a fridge without an ice maker. Our latest being purchased earlier this year. I have heard innumerable stories of problems and failures of icemakers. When we really need ice a 5 pound bag for $.99 is our alternative.

[Jerome Stanek]

Another reason is the house that our company has in Vagas only gets used about once a month and it may be close to 60 days. The one time I was out there the one driver made coffee using the water from the door and every one that drank it got sick but those that didn't were OK

[Dave Lehnert]

I'll check it out. I too have a Whirlpool, side by side. My fridge stopped making ice after the water was cut off for repairs due to a road crew hitting the water main.
I have been buying 5lb bags of ice and dumping it into the bin. dispensed though the door. Taste much better & may keep doing it that way.

Where was the line frozen ?

[Dan Hintz]

My fridge stopped making ice after the water was cut off for repairs due to a road crew hitting the water main.

Make sure the line is clean of debris... after work on the main, plenty of debris will flow through it, and that junk easily clogs a mesh filter.

[Joe Kieve]

Dave...the line was frozen inside the freezer, right at the top where water enters for the icemaker.

[Dave Lehnert]

Dave...the line was frozen inside the freezer, right at the top where water enters for the icemaker.

Thanks.............

[ken masoumi]

some very good reasons why my wife and I will only buy a fridge without an ice maker. .

When we replaced our old fridge,we looked for a medium size modern fridge with french doors and without an ice maker,couldn't find a decent one so we had no choice but to get one with the ice maker but never connected the water line for it.

[Ole Anderson]

Had a number of ice makers and never a problem like that. We currently have a 2 door, 2 drawer Whirlpool. Our biggest problem is the ice going stale because we don't use it enough. Our water has been shut off for 3 months a year for the last 6 years and we leave the fridge on. No problem. I learned to shut off the water long ago when our toilet cracked while we were out of town for the weekend.

[Stan Calow]

One of the standard recommendations for ice maker problems (like re-boot your computer) is to turn the fridge off, empty it of perishables, and leave the doors open for a few hours. It will unfreeze any line. The blockage can be anywhere in supply or drain line.