Viking Refrigerator Leaking Water Underneath: Water Supply Line Replaced in San Mateo
A Viking VCBF036RSS in San Mateo was leaking from underneath. The refrigerator itself was fine; the supply tubing behind it had failed, so I installed the correct water line and dried the area.
Repair at a glance
| City | San Mateo, CA |
|---|---|
| Appliance | Refrigerator |
| Category | High-End Brands |
| Brand & model | Viking VCBF036RSS bottom-freezer refrigerator |
| Repair date | |
| Customer complaint | Water was leaking from underneath the refrigerator. The water was sometimes clear and sometimes brown. |
| Diagnosis | The water line from the wall that supplies the refrigerator was damaged. The tubing originally connected was not designed for this type of refrigerator connection, and water was spraying onto the floor. |
| Repair cost | $192 (parts and labor) |
| Warranty | 6 months on parts and labor |
| Outcome | Repaired |
What I found
The tenants noticed water under the Viking refrigerator, sometimes clear and sometimes brownish. After pulling the refrigerator out, I could see the water was not coming from inside the unit but from the line that feeds it from the wall.
That tubing had been damaged somewhere along its length, and water had been spraying out behind the refrigerator long enough to stain the floor and swell the side of the neighboring cabinet. The tubing that had been installed was not made for this kind of refrigerator water connection, which is why it gave out.
How I replaced the water line
I removed the old tubing and installed an 8 ft PEX ice maker supply line rated for refrigerator connections, connected it at the wall valve and at the refrigerator, and routed it so it would not be pinched when the unit goes back into the opening.
With the water on, I checked both connections for drips. Then I wiped the floor, cleaned out the dirt that had collected under the refrigerator, dried everything as much as possible and pushed the refrigerator back in place.
Result
The leak stopped with the new supply line, and the correct type of tubing should keep the same problem from coming back. The total was $192 with a 6-month warranty.
Part replaced: refrigerator water supply line (PEX ice maker line).
Photos from this repair
The Viking refrigerator before it was pulled out. 
Towels on the floor where water was coming out. 
The old tubing that had been feeding the refrigerator. 
The floor behind the refrigerator after the leak. 
Water damage on the side of the cabinet next to the refrigerator. 
The new PEX supply line before installation. 
Connecting the new line at the wall valve. 
The new line routed behind the refrigerator. 
The refrigerator going back into place after cleanup.
Need Viking refrigerator repair?
$85 diagnostic applied to the repair. Serving San Jose, San Francisco & the Bay Area.