KitchenAid Built-In Refrigerator in Palm Harbor: Peeling Ice Maker, Leaking Filter Housing, and a Filter That Was Never Installed

This is a follow-up visit for a repeat client in Palm Harbor. We’d already done a big job on their KitchenAid built-in side-by-side refrigerator — a sealed system repair where we replaced the evaporator. The refrigerator is well over 20 years old, and during that repair we noticed a few more things worth taking care of.

An ice maker that was never used

The clients had never actually used their ice maker. It still worked, but the coating on the ice maker’s mold had started to peel off — and flakes of that coating end up in the ice once it’s in use. Rather than start using it in that condition, we replaced the ice maker.

Side by side, the difference is easy to see: the new ice maker (left) has a clean mold, while the old one (right) has coating flaking off inside the cavities.

The replacement is a genuine Whirlpool service part — Whirlpool makes KitchenAid refrigerators.

No water filter — and a leaking housing

We also noticed that a water filter had never been installed in this refrigerator. On top of that, the old filter housing was leaking, so it was replaced as well. Then a new everydrop filter 5 went in.

Result

The KitchenAid now has a new ice maker, a new filter housing that doesn’t leak, and a water filter in place for the first time. Together with the evaporator replacement on the earlier visit, this refrigerator is back in shape.

If your ice maker’s coating is starting to peel, or you’re not sure whether your refrigerator even has a water filter in it, it’s worth having it checked. See our ice maker repair page and high-end appliance repair page for more.