Why is there water under the crisper drawers?

What it usually turns out to be

1. 01

   The defrost drain has silted up

   Every cabinet melts the frost off its cold coil now and then, and that water is meant to run away down the defrost drain into a shallow drain pan, where warmth from the machinery sees it off. Let that channel line with the fine sludge food residue and dust build up, and the water backs up, spills over the lip and finds the floor of the compartment instead. This is the answer most of the time.

2. 02

   The door has been letting damp air in

   Air carries moisture, and every cupful that gets past a tired door seal turns into frost on the coil and then into more melt water than the drain was ever sized for. A door left ajar by a tall bottle does the same in a single afternoon. Wet drawers plus a cabinet that never seems to rest usually go together.

3. 03

   Defrost is running for longer than it should

   If whatever governs the cycle on your unit lets the defrost heater run past the point the coil is clear, the extra heat makes more water in one go than the channel can take. You see it as puddles that turn up on a rhythm rather than constantly, and often as a fresh-food side that feels a degree or two soft in between.

4. 04

   It is not defrost water at all

   Before any of the above: bagged greens shed a surprising amount, a container can tip out of sight at the back, and a drawer with a cracked corner holds nothing. If the water is only ever under one drawer and never comes back after you dry it, you have found your fault and it costs nothing.

What that means for your kitchen