Freon Is Leaking From the Copper Wire on the Bottom of My Refrigerator

Freon

• Freon is one type of refrigerant used to cool household refrigerators. Most refrigerant leaks occur inside the refrigerator box and are difficult to locate. It is more common to find water leaking from the back of the unit than it is to see Freon. The copper wire at the bottom of your refrigerator is part of the coolant systems and carries refrigerant to the compressor and throughout the rest of the unit.

Issues

• While Freon is potentially hazardous, domestic refrigerators do not contain enough to be a true health hazard, even if they are leaking. The danger of a refrigerant leak isn’t exposure to it; instead, the danger is damage to your refrigerator. Losing even a small amount of Freon reduces the appliance’s ability to cool itself. The compressor will run harder and longer to compensate, increasing your energy costs and putting unnecessary wear on the compressor. If the leak goes unresolved, the refrigerator won’t be able to keep food cool, putting you at risk for food spoilage.

Solutions

• Don’t try to repair the leak on your own; the actual source of the leak could be located higher up along the copper pipe and be difficult to access. Contact an appliance repair specialist. She will be able to locate the true source of the leak and assess the cause. This allows her to fix it so it will not happen again. Using a specialist also reduces your risk of voiding the unit’s warranty during repairs.

Considerations

• Be prepared to either use a second refrigerator in your garage or go without during the repair process. The source of Freon leaks is often so small it is difficult to find without using electronic detectors designed to locate refrigerant. Many techs prefer to take a leaking refrigerator back to a repair shop, where they can track down the source of the Freon leak while having all of their tools easily available.