My Refrigerator Is Leaking With Grease Underneath

Inspection

• If it appears that your refrigerator is leaking grease underneath, chances are that you will find that the grease-like substance beneath is not, in fact, grease. Refrigerators have few moving parts and those that do are not typically lubricated with any type of grease. Inspect the substance closer. Upon closer inspection, you are likely to find that the substance is not grease per se, but is more likely to be dark liquid that is either oily or dirty.

Drain Pan

• Because refrigerators will sometimes leak water and condensation, they are equipped with a small drain pan located beneath the unit that can be pulled out and cleaned by removing the kick plate from the front of the unit. If this becomes dirty or dusty and mixes with moisture, it can turn the liquid dirty so that it appears to be grease. Clean out your condensation drip pan if this appears to be the case.

Compressor

• If you're not lucky enough to just have a dirty drip pan and the substance appears to be oily and grease-like, chances are that you might have a leaky compressor. Although these types of leaks tend to be rare, they are possible if the compressor or its lines are damaged in some way. The substance leaking out from under the refrigerator is a combination of compressor oil and refrigerant. Although most of the refrigerant will evaporate, its interaction with the oil will create a greasy residue that looks very much like leaking grease.

Solution

• If you have a damaged compressor and it's leaking oil, the unfortunate reality is that you will likely have to replace it. Because compressors are the main part of the refrigerator responsible for the cooling process, these parts are generally pretty expensive and require installation by a qualified technician. In some cases, it might be advisable to purchase a new refrigerator rather than replacing the compressor.