It is summertime and you are in the middle of a heat wave. You fill a glass of soda and open the door of your ice maker to add some ice to it.
AND OOPS….!
Your ice maker is not working. You have already thrown a party the next day. What is gonna happen to that? Don’t worry.
What if we tell you, more often than not, it is a problem you can fix on your own?
Here is a list of some obvious problems that may hinder your ice maker from working properly. Let us look into these problems and their easy solutions.
Does it Have Power?
So the first thing we need to check is whether or not your ice maker is attached to a power supply line. Or the power button on the unit is switched On.
It is not always easy to find a power button on your ice maker. Sometimes, particularly if you have a modern unit, these buttons are hidden behind the storage bucket or anywhere in your machine.
Look for it and see if it is not powered Off. It can be the easiest and yet quite common problem you might be facing.
If it does have a power supply then try to restart your unit. Some ice makers do have a “reset” option on the control panel. Just hold it for a few seconds and the unit will restart.
If your unit does not offer such a button you can simply plug it out, wait for a few minutes, and plug it in again. You might have already fixed the problem.
Sometimes, the switch of your refrigerator ice maker is attached/linked to the door switch. Do you see that light switch on the side of your refrigerator? It turns On when you open the door of the fridge and turns Off when you shut it.
The same button in some models is interconnected to the switch of your ice maker. If you open the door of your fridge and the light does not turn On it means you have a faulty door switch and for the same reason your ice maker has stopped working.
You can simply fix your ice maker by fixing that door switch.
Are There Any Kinks in the Waterline?
Whether you are using a commercial ice maker or a refrigerator ice maker, it needs a continuous water supply. If the water supply is hindered for any reason, the machine automatically stops working.
Here is how to check if this is the reason behind your faulty ice maker. Pull out your unit from its place, and turn Off the water supply. Unscrew the water line attached to your ice maker.
Once you have taken it off the unit, put it in a water bucket or sink and turn On the water supply. If the water falls out freely, it means the line is not kinked or clogged.
If it does, the machine has stopped working because it is not getting enough water or no water at all. Unclog the pipe or replace it and attach it again. You have solved the issue!
Are the Ice Trays Getting Water?
If the water supply from the outside of the machine is fine and yet the ice trays are not getting any water, the problem may lie inside the unit.
Don’t freak out. It is still not a big deal. All kinds of ice makers have fill-tubes through which the water is filled in the molds to form ice. Due to extreme temperatures, water can freeze in these fill tubes, hindering the water flow to the molds. No water flow means no ice.
The solution is as simple as you can imagine. Simply pour some warm water on your fill tube and the ice in it will melt down.
Pro tip: There is yet an easier remedy. Take that blow dryer from your wife’s dressing room and blow that ice out! No mess of hot water spilling down.
Is It Sending a False “Capacity Full” Signal?
Every ice maker just makes as much ice as its storage bucket can hold. Once the storage basket is filled it tells the ice maker in one way or the other to stop making more ice. Your unit will resume making ice once there is more room in the storage bucket.
If the storage bucket is sending a false signal of full capacity, your ice maker will stop making more ice. Here are the three most common systems used for the purpose in ice makers.
In some units, there is a horizontal wire fixed at the top of the ice maker’s bucket. It is called the “bail arm”. Sometimes, ice can drop onto it, making it unable to move. When it does not go back to its proper place, the ice maker does not make more ice.
Check for the bail arm in your unit, above the ice bucket. If there is any ice stuck on it, just get it removed and it will continue its job once again.
In most of the portable ice makers, this sign is given by a lever fixed at the top side of the ice bucket. Check if the lever is stuck because of some stray ice cube.
Nowadays, many modern ice makers use an infrared beam to send the signal of the capacity being full. If there is something hindering the beam to convey the signal. Clear its way and you are good to go.
Hope you found the fault in your unit till now.
If not, let us continue with us and you will get it.
Is It Set to the Right Temperature?
The ideal temperature for your freezer or an ice maker is 0 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature of your unit is higher than that, it will certainly face a problem. Higher temperatures can cause the ice making process to slow down, or even stop it altogether.
If you are living in too hot a climate, or if your kitchen is too hot, you might need to set it to a temperature even lower than 0.
Bring it to the right temperature and it will work better.
Is Your Water Filter Clean?
Are you using your ice maker with a filter installed in it? When did you change it last?
Experts recommend changing your water filter every 6 to 9 months. Maybe sooner if you live in an area with a hard water supply. The impurities in the water can clog the filter. Your ice maker will not get enough water pressure and won’t work properly.
Change the filter in time and enjoy fresh ice.
Pro tip: Always use the filter which is recommended by the company. Different ice makers need different water pressure coming from the filter. Using a different brand may not give the right water pressure and cause problems in making ice.
Is There Any Ice Caught in the Ejector Fingers?
“Ejector fingers” are made to slide the ice off the ice molds. If these fingers are stuck because of some frozen ice, the ice maker may stop working properly. Clear the fingers of all ice and let them do their job again.
Is Water Temperature Too High?
If the summers in your area are extremely hot, the temperature of water you are feeding your machine is definitely going to be high too. Check if this is the problem your ice maker is facing and resolve the issue.
Ideally the temperature of the water you feed your ice maker should be around 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Is Your Ice Maker Clean?
A dirty ice maker is not an ideal ice maker. For proper maintenance, you need to clean your ice maker every 6 to 9 months.
If you have a portable ice maker, you can take its rear panel off by unscrewing it and give it a deep clean treatment. The accumulated dust and debris stop ventilation from the unit making it hard to work.
Deep cleaning your unit may get it to work again.
Check the Fridge Door
If the door of your fridge is not getting tightly shut, it may not freeze ice. Always make sure that the door seals are in good condition. Any air escaping from your unit will make it suffer.
Time to Call the Plumber
If you have checked all the above mentioned points, there is hardly any hope left for a DIY.
You better call a plumber before it is too late. The professional plumber, with a certificate from your government, will check if the inner mechanism of the machine can be repaired or not.
In most cases, it is the refrigerant that may have leaked from your unit. Your plumber will refill the gas and patch up the place from where it escaped.
Or, if you have had that unit for a long time, it is time to replace it. Because the average age of an ice maker is 5 to 6 years only.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to reset my ice maker?
Resetting your ice maker can solve many problems but, sometimes, “how to reset it” becomes a problem in itself.
You need to find a power button on your unit. Turn it Off and then On again and you have done it. If you don’t find a power button on your unit you can simply plug it out and plug it in again after a few minutes.
What is the average lifespan of an ice maker?
Most ice makers work for 5 to 6 years only.
Can a plumber fix my ice maker?
Sure they can unless the problem is beyond fixing. What else are they made for?
How do I defrost my ice maker?
You can pour some warm water to defrost it. You can either pour it through a vessel or you can also use a spray bottle to get to those hard to reach areas.
