In short
Water under a refrigerator comes from one of three places: the defrost drain, the water line, or condensation. On this machine the first suspect is door seal leaking, so humid air condenses inside.
What you observe
- Water under the crisper drawers inside the cabinet — Classic blocked defrost drain: the water backs up and over.
- A puddle on the floor at the front — Water has run forward under the cabinet, which usually means the drain or the pan.
- A puddle at the back or under one corner — Points at the supply line, the valve or a cabinet that is out of level.
- NEAR MISS — water appears only when the dispenser is used — That is the dispenser line or its drip tray, and it has its own fix.
Causes, most likely first on a Shomson refrigerator
- Door seal leaking, so humid air condenses inside — This produces water inside the cabinet with no plumbing involved at all. Ranked first on a Shomson refrigerator: it produces water without a pipe being involved, which is why it is so often missed.
- Ice maker fill overshooting or the fill tube spraying — That water freezes in the bin and melts onto the floor whenever the freezer warms slightly.
- Defrost drain blocked — The drain carries melt water from the evaporator to the pan, and food debris or ice blocks it.
- Cabinet out of level, so the drain does not fall to the pan — The drain relies on gravity, and a cabinet tipped the wrong way holds the water instead of shedding it.
Check in this order, and why
- Close the door on a sheet of paper right round both doors — Anywhere the paper slides out freely is where the humid air gets in.
- Look for a sheet of ice under the bin or water tracking down the freezer wall — Switch the ice maker off for a day: if the water stops, it is answered.
- Look for water or ice under the crisper drawers at the back of the cabinet — Water pooling there is the drain, not the plumbing.
What an owner can safely check
- Test both door seals with paper, then wash the gaskets and check the doors close square — A gasket that is clean, warm and sealing stops the condensation at source.
Tools: sheet of paper, warm soapy waterAbout 20 min
- Switch the ice maker off for a day and see whether the water stops — If it does, clear the fill tube with warm air before turning the maker back on.
About 15 min
- STOP HERE if the next check needs a panel off or a meter on live terminals — That is where the owner checks end and a service call begins, whatever the ranking says.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the refrigerator or switch off its breaker before removing any panel — a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Leave the door switch wired as you found it. Never take a knife, a screwdriver or a heat gun to frost on an evaporator: the tubing behind it is thin, pressurised, and a puncture ends the appliance. Empty a loaded cabinet before you move it.
When to call a technician
Owner work here is the drain, the pan, the seals and the levelling. A weeping valve, a split line inside the cabinet and a drain blocked beyond the opening are technician work — and a mains leak should have the supply valve shut immediately. Branded spares are unlikely to exist, but door gaskets, seals and switches are often generic enough that a technician can source an equivalent.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
This page covers the Shomson refrigerator as a class, not one family or model line. Where a family- or model-specific page exists for your unit it is linked above and it is the better answer — read it first. Deliberately not here: part numbers, wiring colours, panel removal order and torque figures, all of which differ between families under one nameplate.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
