An unexplained plumbing mystery

[MaggieMae]

My money says you have a leak in the dishwasher

I haven't run the dishwasher for a week. I did have a leak about a year ago, but it was a clogged pipe under the sink so the drainage from the DW overflowed. That was a real mess, but at least I knew what it was.

 

[xsited1]

Look under the sink, while the faucet is running. See if you have a small leak coming from the pea trap, or a leak from the dishwasher.

Oftentimes, it will run out of the corner of the cabinet in a very unobtrusive manner, and wind up pooling in another part of the floor, due to the floor having a slight dip/depression that you can't detect with eyes or by feel.

Happened to me at my house. Pooled in the middle of the living room floor, after traveling underneath a wall from the kitchen.

That happened to me recently. Remember the Tennessee flood of 2010? I left the water running... in Arkansas.

 

[MaggieMae]

Is freon flammable? Maggie you might want to think twice before lighting a match.

I don't think it's a freon leak, but I do think it's related to the frig. Found this, which I'm forwarding to Patrick:

Simple Ways To Know If Your Fridge Is Low On Freon |
Conditions which may seem like lack of Freon but are not:

Evaporator fan not running which ices up the evaporator and raises freezer and fresh-food compartment temperature.

Condenser fan not running which raises temperature of freezer and fresh food compartment.

Dirty condenser which raises temperature of freezer and fresh food compartment.

Defrost problems (if automatic defrost) which ices up evaporator raising temperature in freezer and fresh food compartment.

Old compressor with worn valves that raises evaporator pressure and temperature.

Worn door seals that allow hot air to leak into the freezer or fresh food compartment (Note: Some Haier refrigerator doors won’t seal even when new.)

Clogged filter dryer or capillary tube which keeps the Freon from circulating properly.

However, none of that explains why there was NO water beneath the refrigerator. There was only a tiny bit near one corner (in the front) and then expanded into a huge pool away from the unit itself.

 

[Intense]

Just before 2PM today, I was walking the short distance from my den/office to the kitchen and stepped into a pool of water about the size a half-gallon of spilled water would make.

I backtracked a few feet to the bathroom, and there was nothing overrunning or leaking there.

Stepping over the water in the small hall and into the kitchen, the water seemed to have started around one corner of the refrigerator, which is next to the dishwasher, which is next to the kitchen sink. There was no pooling or overflow in either of those, so I zeroed in on something leaking from the frig, although both the main unit as well as the freezer were both running at normal temperature levels.

So I called the maintenance man, who pulled out the frig. Again, no water beneath the frig. He even unscrewed the entire backing and again could find no leak.

Nothing was leaking from the ceiling, and no water coming up through the floor. It hadn't rained since yesterday (and I would have noticed before now, if it had been caused by rain).

We're both stumped.

I'm curious if anyone here has any building construction or plumbing experience that might explain this phenomena. Without one, I have to conclude that I have a friendly ghost who likes to play tricks.

Is your Refrigerator a Top Mount, SidebySide or a Bottom Freezer??? During the Defrost Cycle, Water is supposed to drain through a Tube that may be clogged and frozen. When that happens a Frozen Lake forms within the freezer drain pan and the freezer floor. When the unit defrosts the water runs across the floor, In a Top Mount, through the vents, under the vegetable bins and out the front door. In a Side by Side or Bottom Freezer, across the freezer floor and out the front door. This only happens once or twice a day, depending on time of year, and how often you open the doors. I hope this is helpful. PM me if this is relevant to your problem.

 

[MaggieMae]

Look under the sink, while the faucet is running. See if you have a small leak coming from the pea trap, or a leak from the dishwasher.

Oftentimes, it will run out of the corner of the cabinet in a very unobtrusive manner, and wind up pooling in another part of the floor, due to the floor having a slight dip/depression that you can't detect with eyes or by feel.

Happened to me at my house. Pooled in the middle of the living room floor, after traveling underneath a wall from the kitchen.

Okay, I'll check that. There is a crack under the sink that I discovered last summer during a battle with fruit flies, which seemed to be coming from under the sink.

 

[MaggieMae]

I wondered what whould happen when I dropped the micro black hole generator in the lake, now I know where the nano wormhole wound up.

So I should worry that I'll soon have to deal with aquatic nymphs breeding in addition to breeding fruit flies? Shit.

 

[MaggieMae]

Just before 2PM today, I was walking the short distance from my den/office to the kitchen and stepped into a pool of water about the size a half-gallon of spilled water would make.

I backtracked a few feet to the bathroom, and there was nothing overrunning or leaking there.

Stepping over the water in the small hall and into the kitchen, the water seemed to have started around one corner of the refrigerator, which is next to the dishwasher, which is next to the kitchen sink. There was no pooling or overflow in either of those, so I zeroed in on something leaking from the frig, although both the main unit as well as the freezer were both running at normal temperature levels.

So I called the maintenance man, who pulled out the frig. Again, no water beneath the frig. He even unscrewed the entire backing and again could find no leak.

Nothing was leaking from the ceiling, and no water coming up through the floor. It hadn't rained since yesterday (and I would have noticed before now, if it had been caused by rain).

We're both stumped.

I'm curious if anyone here has any building construction or plumbing experience that might explain this phenomena. Without one, I have to conclude that I have a friendly ghost who likes to play tricks.

Is your Refrigerator a Top Mount, SidebySide or a Bottom Freezer??? During the Defrost Cycle, Water is supposed to drain through a Tube that may be clogged and frozen. When that happens a Frozen Lake forms within the freezer drain pan and the freezer floor. When the unit defrosts the water runs across the floor, In a Top Mount, through the vents, under the vegetable bins and out the front door. In a Side by Side or Bottom Freezer, across the freezer floor and out the front door. This only happens once or twice a day, depending on time of year, and how often you open the doors. I hope this is helpful. PM me if this is relevant to your problem.

I wish it wasn't Friday, because now I really can't do much until Monday. But I'm copying all this information for maintenance to figure it out. I just hope it doesn't continue to happen through the weekend. So far anyway, however, it hasn't affected the inside temperatures so I shouldn't have any spoilage.

 

[MaggieMae]

Thanks for all the advice, guys. Stay tuned.

 

[boedicca]

Just before 2PM today, I was walking the short distance from my den/office to the kitchen and stepped into a pool of water about the size a half-gallon of spilled water would make.

I backtracked a few feet to the bathroom, and there was nothing overrunning or leaking there.

Stepping over the water in the small hall and into the kitchen, the water seemed to have started around one corner of the refrigerator, which is next to the dishwasher, which is next to the kitchen sink. There was no pooling or overflow in either of those, so I zeroed in on something leaking from the frig, although both the main unit as well as the freezer were both running at normal temperature levels.

So I called the maintenance man, who pulled out the frig. Again, no water beneath the frig. He even unscrewed the entire backing and again could find no leak.

Nothing was leaking from the ceiling, and no water coming up through the floor. It hadn't rained since yesterday (and I would have noticed before now, if it had been caused by rain).

We're both stumped.

I'm curious if anyone here has any building construction or plumbing experience that might explain this phenomena. Without one, I have to conclude that I have a friendly ghost who likes to play tricks.

Is your Refrigerator a Top Mount, SidebySide or a Bottom Freezer??? During the Defrost Cycle, Water is supposed to drain through a Tube that may be clogged and frozen. When that happens a Frozen Lake forms within the freezer drain pan and the freezer floor. When the unit defrosts the water runs across the floor, In a Top Mount, through the vents, under the vegetable bins and out the front door. In a Side by Side or Bottom Freezer, across the freezer floor and out the front door. This only happens once or twice a day, depending on time of year, and how often you open the doors. I hope this is helpful. PM me if this is relevant to your problem.

Bingo - that was going to be my guess. We have an older Sub Zero with the Freezer on the Bottom. Ocassionally, ice forms underneath the vegetable bins. Apparently there is a design flaw in a tube, which clogs up.

 

[Ringel05]

Just before 2PM today, I was walking the short distance from my den/office to the kitchen and stepped into a pool of water about the size a half-gallon of spilled water would make.

I backtracked a few feet to the bathroom, and there was nothing overrunning or leaking there.

Stepping over the water in the small hall and into the kitchen, the water seemed to have started around one corner of the refrigerator, which is next to the dishwasher, which is next to the kitchen sink. There was no pooling or overflow in either of those, so I zeroed in on something leaking from the frig, although both the main unit as well as the freezer were both running at normal temperature levels.

So I called the maintenance man, who pulled out the frig. Again, no water beneath the frig. He even unscrewed the entire backing and again could find no leak.

Nothing was leaking from the ceiling, and no water coming up through the floor. It hadn't rained since yesterday (and I would have noticed before now, if it had been caused by rain).

We're both stumped.

I'm curious if anyone here has any building construction or plumbing experience that might explain this phenomena. Without one, I have to conclude that I have a friendly ghost who likes to play tricks.

Is your Refrigerator a Top Mount, SidebySide or a Bottom Freezer??? During the Defrost Cycle, Water is supposed to drain through a Tube that may be clogged and frozen. When that happens a Frozen Lake forms within the freezer drain pan and the freezer floor. When the unit defrosts the water runs across the floor, In a Top Mount, through the vents, under the vegetable bins and out the front door. In a Side by Side or Bottom Freezer, across the freezer floor and out the front door. This only happens once or twice a day, depending on time of year, and how often you open the doors. I hope this is helpful. PM me if this is relevant to your problem.

I wish it wasn't Friday, because now I really can't do much until Monday. But I'm copying all this information for maintenance to figure it out. I just hope it doesn't continue to happen through the weekend. So far anyway, however, it hasn't affected the inside temperatures so I shouldn't have any spoilage.

I don't know if your drain pan is accessable or not. I had one that would over fill depending on the humidity level simply because I had never taken it out and cleaned it (hard water, mineral build up). I've had no issues with it since I cleaned it out though it's probably due for another cleaning, this reminded me.

 

[MikeK]

My money says you have a leak in the dishwasher

Ditto.

Or overflow from a blockage in the dishwasher drain line.

 

[Sherry]

I've had small puddles from ice randomly falling out of the door dispenser.

 

[zzzz]

Did Mr Natural have anything to with it?

 

[American Horse]

Just before 2PM today, I was walking the short distance from my den/office to the kitchen and stepped into a pool of water about the size a half-gallon of spilled water would make.

I backtracked a few feet to the bathroom, and there was nothing overrunning or leaking there.

Stepping over the water in the small hall and into the kitchen, the water seemed to have started around one corner of the refrigerator, which is next to the dishwasher, which is next to the kitchen sink. There was no pooling or overflow in either of those, so I zeroed in on something leaking from the frig, although both the main unit as well as the freezer were both running at normal temperature levels.

So I called the maintenance man, who pulled out the frig. Again, no water beneath the frig. He even unscrewed the entire backing and again could find no leak.

Nothing was leaking from the ceiling, and no water coming up through the floor. It hadn't rained since yesterday (and I would have noticed before now, if it had been caused by rain).

We're both stumped.

I'm curious if anyone here has any building construction or plumbing experience that might explain this phenomena. Without one, I have to conclude that I have a friendly ghost who likes to play tricks.

Is there a shower or a tub/shower on the other side of the wall from the fridge?

 

[MaggieMae]

Is your Refrigerator a Top Mount, SidebySide or a Bottom Freezer??? During the Defrost Cycle, Water is supposed to drain through a Tube that may be clogged and frozen. When that happens a Frozen Lake forms within the freezer drain pan and the freezer floor. When the unit defrosts the water runs across the floor, In a Top Mount, through the vents, under the vegetable bins and out the front door. In a Side by Side or Bottom Freezer, across the freezer floor and out the front door. This only happens once or twice a day, depending on time of year, and how often you open the doors. I hope this is helpful. PM me if this is relevant to your problem.

I wish it wasn't Friday, because now I really can't do much until Monday. But I'm copying all this information for maintenance to figure it out. I just hope it doesn't continue to happen through the weekend. So far anyway, however, it hasn't affected the inside temperatures so I shouldn't have any spoilage.

I don't know if your drain pan is accessable or not. I had one that would over fill depending on the humidity level simply because I had never taken it out and cleaned it (hard water, mineral build up). I've had no issues with it since I cleaned it out though it's probably due for another cleaning, this reminded me.

Apparently there's no drain "pan" per se (it's a top freezer unit), but condensation is supposed to evaporate automatically. I think the problem is clogging of something, though, that's preventing that process from properly working. There was a lot of cat hair, my hair, and the usual collection of crap that accumulates under a frig, so it stands to reason some of it gets stuck in the mechanisms. I reach as far as I can with vacuum attachments, but have never pulled it out. (Out of sight, out of mind...now I can't wait to see what's lurking beneath my stove. Oh yuk.)

 

[MaggieMae]

My money says you have a leak in the dishwasher

Ditto.

Or overflow from a blockage in the dishwasher drain line.

I haven't run it for over a week, and I think that would have shown up long before now. The dishwasher is on the opposite side of the frig where I determined the leak might have started anyway. This just suddenly appeared, like something burst, not a slow leak.

 

[MaggieMae]

I've had small puddles from ice randomly falling out of the door dispenser.

I don't have one of those. All my appliances came with the unit, and they're bare bones Kenmore. (I don't even have a light in my oven!)

 

[MaggieMae]

Did Mr Natural have anything to with it?

 

[MaggieMae]

Just before 2PM today, I was walking the short distance from my den/office to the kitchen and stepped into a pool of water about the size a half-gallon of spilled water would make.

I backtracked a few feet to the bathroom, and there was nothing overrunning or leaking there.

Stepping over the water in the small hall and into the kitchen, the water seemed to have started around one corner of the refrigerator, which is next to the dishwasher, which is next to the kitchen sink. There was no pooling or overflow in either of those, so I zeroed in on something leaking from the frig, although both the main unit as well as the freezer were both running at normal temperature levels.

So I called the maintenance man, who pulled out the frig. Again, no water beneath the frig. He even unscrewed the entire backing and again could find no leak.

Nothing was leaking from the ceiling, and no water coming up through the floor. It hadn't rained since yesterday (and I would have noticed before now, if it had been caused by rain).

We're both stumped.

I'm curious if anyone here has any building construction or plumbing experience that might explain this phenomena. Without one, I have to conclude that I have a friendly ghost who likes to play tricks.

Is there a shower or a tub/shower on the other side of the wall from the fridge?

Nope.

 

[rightwinger]

My money says you have a leak in the dishwasher

Ditto.

Or overflow from a blockage in the dishwasher drain line.

I haven't run it for over a week, and I think that would have shown up long before now. The dishwasher is on the opposite side of the frig where I determined the leak might have started anyway. This just suddenly appeared, like something burst, not a slow leak.

Run it and see what happens. It is a major source of kitchen leaks and water has a funny way of trickling through cabinets and walls