Dark Spots on Hardwood Floors in Tarpon Springs? A Cracked Refrigerator Water Line Was Leaking Under the Boards
- Symptom
- Dark stains spreading on the hardwood floor near the refrigerator.
- Cause
- The water line to the refrigerator had cracked from age and was dripping under the hardwood.
- Fix
- We pulled the refrigerator out, shut the water off and removed the old line. The floor still needs to be dried out.
The new owners of this home in the Crescent Oaks neighborhood of Tarpon Springs found us through a neighbor’s recommendation. They had bought the house not long before, and the hardwood floors were beautiful. After a while they noticed dark stains showing up in places on the boards.
They suspected the refrigerator. They were right.
Sunday morning
We came out on a Sunday morning and pulled the KitchenAid side-by-side out from the wall.
The water line that feeds the refrigerator had cracked from age, and it had been dripping.
Where the water went
There’s a big gap between the wall and the hardwood right behind the refrigerator. The water dripped through that gap and ran under the floor. There’s likely a lot of it under the boards now, and that’s why they turned black. The wood soaked it up.
What we did
We shut the water off and took the old line out, so the leak is stopped. We left the refrigerator pulled out so the area can dry. The floor itself still has to be dried out, and that’s the next step.
If you see dark spots on a floor near your refrigerator, don’t wait. Pull the fridge out and check the line and shutoff valve, or give us a call. Our refrigerator repair service covers water line leaks like this in Tarpon Springs and nearby.
FAQ
Can a refrigerator water line damage a hardwood floor?
Yes. A cracked water line can drip for a long time without anyone seeing it. In this Tarpon Springs home the water ran into the gap behind the fridge and soaked in under the boards, which turned them dark.
How do I know if my refrigerator's water line is leaking?
Dark or soft spots on the floor near the refrigerator are a warning sign. Pull the fridge out and look at the line and the shutoff valve behind it, or have a technician do it.