The short answer
Water at a freezer is either melt water that cannot get out, condensation forming where warm air is getting in, or — on a plumbed upright — the ice-maker supply. The reason a displaced or cracked drain pan heads the ranking on a Criterion is simple: a machine that has just been installed or moved is far more likely to be reporting its setup than its age, and setup faults appear immediately rather than gradually. Clearing the drain, mopping and fixing the seal are owner work; a cracked pan, an internal valve or a sealed-system fault is not. The order below is written for a unit that is new, newly installed or recently moved; a machine that has run in the same spot for years ranks differently.
What it looks like from the front
- Water on the floor at the front of an upright — A blocked defrost drain overflowing forward.
- Wet patch at the back of a plumbed cabinet — The supply line, its valve or a push-fit joint.
- Water pooling in the bottom of a chest cabinet — Normal during a defrost, a fault otherwise: the drain plug or the drain channel.
- NEAR MISS — Condensation on the outside in a humid garage — Common in summer on a cabinet with poor clearance, and not a leak.
Likely causes in order
- A displaced or cracked drain pan — First on this brand: a machine that has just been installed or moved is far more likely to be reporting its setup than its age, and setup faults appear immediately rather than gradually. The pan over the compressor evaporates the melt water; knocked out of place when the cabinet is moved, it spills onto the floor instead.
- A humid room and no clearance around the cabinet — Second: In a damp garage or utility room, condensation forms on the outside of the cabinet and runs to the floor, which reads as a leak from underneath.
- The ice-maker supply line or valve — Third, and the last to suspect: On a plumbed upright, the line and its shut-off valve live behind the cabinet where a weep runs unseen down the wall and across the floor. What feeds a machine changes when the machine changes rooms, so on a recent installation the taps, drains, vents and outlets are the first suspects.
The order to work in
- Look underneath at the back for the pan and check it is seated — A crooked or overfull pan explains floor water with a perfectly clear drain. It goes first because on a recently installed or recently moved unit this is what the move breaks, and it costs nothing to rule out.
- Check whether the water is on the outside of the cabinet rather than inside it — Outside condensation with a dry interior is a room problem rather than an appliance fault.
- Dry the joints and check them with a tissue after an hour — Tissue finds a weep long before a hand does and identifies the joint.
Owner-side steps
- Close the supply valve and see whether the water stops — If it stops, the fault is on the supply side; if not, look at the defrost drain instead.
Tools: tissue, towelsAbout 20 min
- Clear the drain with warm water poured slowly, and confirm it runs through — Do not push wire into the tube — it pierces easily.
Tools: warm water, tray, towelsAbout 35 min
- Stop here if the next move needs a meter on live terminals — That is where an owner check ends and a service call begins.
Safety first
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Refrigerant is licensed work: oil or a hiss at the compressor means stop and call, and two people move a cabinet this size.
When to call a technician
Call when the drain runs freely, the gasket seals, the supply valve is proven and water still appears — a cracked pan or a defrost sensor fault needs the cabinet moved and opened. One line to keep in mind while you wait: A freezer holds food safely at 0 °F (−18 °C) or below.
Related pages for this appliance
What is deliberately not here
This page covers Criterion freezers as a class, not one family or model line. No family- or model-specific page exists beneath it yet; when one is published it will be linked here and it will outrank this page for a named model. Deliberately not here: wiring colours, resistance values, torque figures and part numbers, which differ between families.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
