The short answer
On a Bourdeau cellar the usual leak is condensate the cabinet made itself - either a blocked drain channel holding it inside, or a tray that cannot evaporate it inside a closed opening. There is no plumbing on this cabinet, so nothing can be leaking from a supply.
What you observe
- Water pooling in the bottom of the cabinet — The drain channel is blocked and the condensate cannot leave.
- A damp patch on the floor of the joinery opening — The tray is overflowing where you cannot see it.
- Water running down the inside of the glass — Condensation - expected on a humid cabinet, not a leak.
- Noticeably more water in summer — Humidity, which drives everything on this page.
- NEAR MISS - a wet tray at the back — The tray exists to hold water. Overflowing is the fault.
Causes, most likely first on this brand
- A condensate tray that cannot evaporate — First in a built-in opening. The tray relies on warm moving air; sealed into a cabinet behind a restricted grille, it fills and spills onto the joinery floor.
- A blocked drain channel or drain hole — Second. The channel at the base of the cold surface silts with dust and label debris, and the water then collects inside the cabinet.
- A door that does not seal or self-close — Third, and the multiplier behind both. More humid air in means more condensate than the system was built to move.
- A cabinet that is not level — Fourth. Tilted forward, the condensate runs to the door rather than to the channel at the back.
- A cracked or displaced tray — Last, usually after the cabinet has been moved. It drips continuously with a dry interior above.
Check in this order, and why
- Remove the plinth or grille and look at the floor of the opening — A built-in leak is invisible until you do, so do it first.
- Look at the base inside the cabinet — A pool there means the drain channel rather than the tray.
- Find the drain hole at the base of the cold surface — Dust, label paper or ice in it is the answer.
- Check the door seals and self-closes — Humid air feeds every cause on this list.
What an owner can safely check
- Open the plinth and dry the opening completely — Then lay paper towel and check daily; how fast it wets tells you how fast the leak runs.
Tools: paper towel, screwdriverAbout 30 min
- Clear the drain channel and hole — Wipe the channel and clear the hole with a cotton bud or soft tube; never force anything metal into it.
Tools: cotton bud, warm waterAbout 20 min
- Level the cabinet with a slight backward tilt — So condensate reaches the channel and the door closes itself.
Tools: adjustable wrench, spirit levelAbout 25 min
- Re-seat the tray at the back — With the power off, check it sits square under the drain outlet and is not cracked.
About 20 min
- STOP HERE if water returns with a clear drain and level cabinet — The tray or the drain path behind the panel then needs a technician.
Before you open anything
Safety
Switch the cabinet off at its breaker before removing the plinth or reaching behind it - a built-in may be hardwired and a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Never clear a drain hole with wire; the cold surface behind it punctures easily and that ends the appliance. Empty the shelves before moving a loaded cabinet, and dry the joinery properly, because water under a built-in reaches the cabinetry before anyone sees it.
When to call a technician
Call when the drain is clear, the cabinet is level, the door seals and water still collects. That means the tray or the drain path behind the panel, neither of which is owner work on a built-in. Call sooner if the floor of the opening or the surrounding cabinetry is staining or swelling, because water under a fitted cabinet damages the kitchen faster than it damages the appliance.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
This page covers the Bourdeau built-in single-zone wine cellars, whose tray sits inside a closed joinery opening. Countertop wine coolers drip from a small drain point in open air and are covered on their own page, linked below. Not here by design: tray part identifiers, drain dimensions and humidity ranges, which differ by family.
Links: - [Brevino countertop wine cooler dripping water](/blog/brevino-refrigerator-water-leak-2)
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
