Frost free Refridgerator drain pan

[Guest guest]

Holy Cow !

I checked my frost free refridgerator drain pan

yesterday for the first time in like

.... ever.

You wouldn't believe what I found there.

It was full of water, looked like it had

over flowed in the past, and had *something*

in it. This *something* looked very much

like motor oil. Probably it was some strange

combination of bacteria and mold, ect..

Everytime the fridge blower comes on,

it blows effluvia from this pan, into the house.

Yuck !

So, I cleaned the pan real good with bleach.

Then filled it with salt like May

suggested in his book, " The Mold Survival Guide "

Hopefully, this will help.

This stuff is freaking insane. Why aren't doctors

screeching this from the roof tops?

Todd

P.S. I noticed the drain pan had a foam pad

underneath it, presumably to soak up any

overflow from the drain pan. This was stained

a dark reddish brown (like the gunky in the pan).

I believe the pad is infested with whatever was

in the pan, as well. But that is for another day.

Check your drain pans.

[Guest guest]

Am I the only one with a refridgerator with

a drain pan?

I wonder what one does if this drain pan is

inaccessible? The refridererator in question

is an older model, possibly even from the 1970's.

Has this subject been discussed before?

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> Holy Cow !

>

> I checked my frost free refridgerator drain pan

> yesterday for the first time in like

> ... ever.

>

> You wouldn't believe what I found there.

> It was full of water, looked like it had

> over flowed in the past, and had *something*

> in it. This *something* looked very much

> like motor oil. Probably it was some strange

> combination of bacteria and mold, ect..

>

> Everytime the fridge blower comes on,

> it blows effluvia from this pan, into the house.

> Yuck !

>

> So, I cleaned the pan real good with bleach.

> Then filled it with salt like May

> suggested in his book, " The Mold Survival Guide "

> Hopefully, this will help.

>

> This stuff is freaking insane. Why aren't doctors

> screeching this from the roof tops?

>

> Todd

>

> P.S. I noticed the drain pan had a foam pad

> underneath it, presumably to soak up any

> overflow from the drain pan. This was stained

> a dark reddish brown (like the gunky in the pan).

> I believe the pad is infested with whatever was

> in the pan, as well. But that is for another day.

>

> Check your drain pans.

>

[Guest guest]

I know. This is weird isn't it? Sounds like water should GO

someplace. However I think water just collects in drain pan and then

evaporates???? Someone help me if this is wrong.

>

> Am I the only one with a refridgerator with

> a drain pan?

>

> I wonder what one does if this drain pan is

> inaccessible? The refridererator in question

> is an older model, possibly even from the 1970's.

>

> Has this subject been discussed before?

>

[Guest guest]

Barb,

A favorite beef of mine!

Every frost-free has to have a drip pan to collect the melt water from the

defrost cycle. This is how the freezer is frost free. Every few hours, a

heating coil melts the ice on the freezer coils. The melt water drips into a

tray where heat and air flow from the compressor are used to help evaporate

the water.

Unfortunately, water (or spilled milk, fruit or meat juice, or Coke) also

drains into the drip tray from the very bottom of the frig. This food brew,

along with any collected house dust serves as the nutrient for the microbial

stew that festers in the tray.

Since the air from the compressor often blows over this " stuff, " the

products of bacteria, yeast and mold are often aerosolized. In addition, the

dander and mold collected on the evaporator coils from the previous ten home

owners is also blown out by the air flow.

So find the tray and clean the coils. As noted previously, you need a

36-inch crevice tool (vacuum attachment) to clean the coils. The tray is

either accessed from the front grille under the frig door or at the rear

(where you will probably have to remove an access panel to get to it).

If you have environemntal sensitivities, wear an N95 mask to do this work.

Clean the tray (elbow grease and diluted bleach). As Todd noted (so long as

the tray isn't metal and there are no exposed metal screws) keep a few

tablespoons of salt in the tray and this will prevent microbial growth for a

while. Eventually, the salt crystallizes on the edge of the tray, out of the

water and it is no longer effective so you have to repeat cleaning about

once a year.

C. May, M.A., CIAQP

May Indoor Air Investigations LLC

1522 Cambridge Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

617-354-1055

www.mayindoorair.com

www.myhouseiskillingme.com

> 10b. Re: Frost free Refridgerator drain pan

> Posted by: " barb1283 " barb1283@... barb1283

> Date: Sun May 27, 2007 9:25 pm ((PDT))

>

> I know. This is weird isn't it? Sounds like water should GO

> someplace. However I think water just collects in drain pan and then

> evaporates???? Someone help me if this is wrong.

>

>

>>

>> Am I the only one with a refridgerator with

>> a drain pan?

>>

>> I wonder what one does if this drain pan is

>> inaccessible? The refridererator in question

>> is an older model, possibly even from the 1970's.

>>

>> Has this subject been discussed before?

>>

[Guest guest]

Well, was hoping someone would ask this question so I wouldn't have to. Because

I am sure the frig I have was designed to be puzzle for me.

I have tried to get to that stinkin drain pan several times. My coils cover the

whole thing. I have tried to remove it. But, it is deep and the coils sit in

it, where I'd have to pick up the frig to get it over the lip. (This is a newer

frig) I have tried to stick everything in there, but it is sooooo tight nothing

fits. I clean the coils that I can reach, but can see stuff I can't get too.

Is there some trick to getting this drip pan out? Or did they design this one

just for me? So, I could sit and look at it for hours trying to figure it out,

while they are sitting back having a good laugh. hehehehe

[] Re: Frost free Refridgerator drain pan

Barb,

A favorite beef of mine!

Every frost-free has to have a drip pan to collect the melt water from the

defrost cycle. This is how the freezer is frost free. Every few hours, a

heating coil melts the ice on the freezer coils.

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[Guest guest]

I found one in my temporary apartment....lots of strange looking stuff

in there and anchored with a screw that I cannot reach. I cleaned the

coils on my refrig when I moved in but didn't see the drain pan. On

my refrigerator at home my drain pan is usually clean so didn't hunt

for this one, but this one is full of dried up gunk, 3 dimentional at

that, looks like burnt tofu cakes in there. I'm glad someone

mentioned this. Can't be healthy.

>

> Well, was hoping someone would ask this question so I wouldn't have

to. Because I am sure the frig I have was designed to be puzzle for

me.

>