The short answer
On the URBD models, water inside the cabinet and water on the floor are two different faults with two different first checks. Inside means the drain has blocked or the seal is letting warm air in; outside means the tray, the line or a connection at the back.
What you observe
- A pool on the floor under the front of the cabinet — Water that has run forward along the cabinet floor and out under the door.
- A sheet of ice on the cabinet floor — Water that pooled and then froze where it stood. It means the drain has been blocked for a while, not that the unit has suddenly started leaking.
- A stale smell alongside the water — Standing water in the base has been there long enough to go stale, which tells you the drain has been blocked for some time.
- Standing water inside, under the bottom shelf or drawer — Condensate that has not reached the drain at all. This is the commonest form on a compact cabinet.
Causes, most likely first
- A blocked condensate drain — First on this family by a wide margin. The drain hole in the cabinet floor is small, it sits where crumbs and label paper collect, and once it closes the water has nowhere to go but forward and out.
- The ice or water supply line and its fittings — On models plumbed for water, a connection at the back or a line pinched when the unit was pushed home will leak under pressure and only at the back. It is lower on this list because most of this family is not plumbed.
- A door seal that is letting warm air in — Second. Warm humid air reaching a cold cabinet condenses on everything it touches, and on a compact unit with a light door a seal that has taken a set produces a steady supply of water rather than an occasional bead.
- Uncovered food and frequent door opening — Every open door delivers humid room air, and uncovered liquid supplies more. On a small cabinet this is enough to overload a drain that is otherwise working.
Check in this order
- On a plumbed model, dry the fittings at the back and watch them — Last of the owner checks, and only relevant on the models in this family that carry a water connection.
- Pull the cabinet out and look at the tray under it — Check it is in position and not overfull before assuming anything inside the cabinet is at fault.
- Put a level on the top of the cabinet, front to back and side to side — Early, because it is free, it is often wrong after a move, and it defeats a drain that is otherwise clear.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Empty the cabinet before you move it: a compact unit full of stock is heavier than it looks and the floor under it is wet.
Models in the URBD family — The models this page covers, as the product spine lists them. With one model in the family, what you find on it is simply what the platform does.
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| UR-BD595WE-ST | black-decker:refrigerator:urbd |
When to call
Call if water appears at the back under pressure rather than collecting slowly, because that is supply water and not condensate, and it will not stop on its own. Call also if a frost sheet keeps returning after the drain is clear - the leak is then a symptom and the cabinet needs diagnosing instead.
Other faults on this family
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
