joyful2beeblogs

A few years ago, I installed a new water filter into the top, right, rear corner of the refrigerator. It was one of those twist filters that screws up into the apparatus that connects it to the water line that runs from the refrigerator’s dispenser to the wall to the water dispenser in the back of the refrigerator.

For some reason, the first few attempts to screw the filter onto the apparatus were unsuccessful. The more I tried, the more frustrated I became. The unsuccessful attempts allowed water to spray out at me, down the back of the fridge and everywhere. Because I was having to reach over the top, right rear of the shelf to get to the plug in part, it was awkward to seat the filter valve to the line. So I found something to go under the filter to catch the water and give me some time to put the filter on correctly without flooding the floor. Finally. I did!

So then I had to remove everything from the frig and dry off the insides and shelves of the fridge, then the objects that I had removed, and replace them. Finally, everything was working and dry.

Not a week later, I noticed that the water wasn’t coming out of the pipe from the ice dispenser area. It had been running fine after the installation. So knowing what I would face if I didn’t prepare properly, I put off removing it again for obvious reasons by using four gallon bottles of spring water for a few days so I could screw up the courage to try again. But finally, I knew what needed to be done.

I removed everything, including the fridge shelves, except for the top one; I pulled out the largest fridge drawer and placed it under the recalcitrant filter. I left one of the other drawers in place but pulled it out to catch water if necessary. I gathered several beach towels and piled them on the floor. Then, I proceeded to remove the filter by twisting to the right. It sprayed what seemed to be more than the last time.

Water spewed out everywhere: down the back of the insides of the refrigerator, where the drawer couldn’t reach. I had no one nearby that I could call out to for help. I was hungry because it was a little past supper time; I had visions of water being all over the floor into the dining room and the hall!

I was getting panicky! What if this didn’t work? So I just piled on more towels and found the refrigerator instructions, which I had just looked at recently for how to turn off the water. And found out there is a shut-off valve!

I pulled the refrigerator out slowly, just enough to look for the valve. But the picture showed the valve to be between the tubing from the wall to the fridge! Mine didn’t have it there.

So I pulled the fridge out further so that my view of the valve was better. I traced the line from the back of the fridge to a small alcove in the wall, and there was the shut-off valve!! As I turned it, I had to ignore the water that had been continuing to flow out of the water outlet in the fridge, I tried to turn the valve to shut the water off. “Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosey!” Yay, it was turning, but was it the right way? I said a little prayer that the water wasn’t going to damage my floors or, worse, electrocute me (but remembered that I had unplugged the fridge from the start).

Then it became harder to turn, and it hurt my hand, so I checked, and the water was a much smaller flow! Yay! I got the Ove Glove and turned the valve all the way off. With the flow much smaller, I thought I would try to reapply the filter to the water outlet. After a few wiggles and poor seatings of the filter to the water outlet (at last!), it screwed together, and there was no more water flowing all over the place!!

Whew! I was so relieved! I dried out everything after removing the drawer with the water in it and dumped it into the kitchen sink. Threw the towels and dish-rags into the washing machine after using them to wipe or mop off everything. At last, it was over!

Having had a long history of back issues, I don’t know how I moved the refrigerator. But I did, several times. My back and shoulders were sore, but they’ll get better. My laminate floors were not wet at all. The water came out of the spout like it should. YAY!

Although I was tired, I was proud of myself for using my brain to resolve a problem; I am resourceful, learn from my mistakes, can tolerate a lot of frustration, and I am persistent in resolving problems.

Post Note: Less than a week later, no water came out of the water spout! I will not ever use that filter again. I went out that day and bought one of the pitchers with the filter in it! Easy, no mess, no fuss!

Post note #2: Several days later, on a whim, I checked to see if the water could be coaxed out of the dispenser spout. It worked! But quickly plugged up. I think there was some kind of sediment in the tube that had blocked the line. I still had the backup filter pitcher, so I converted to that.