Preventing Floor Damage Due to Refrigerator
seg...@gmail.com
Just purchased my first house and it has beautiful wood floors in the
kitchen. This concerns me a little when it comes to refrigerator
leaks. I know there are drip pans in the refrigerator but have read
that leaking is still a common problem due to various issues. Just
wondering if there was a solution in laying something down underneath
the refrigerator just in case there was external leaking? Maybe some
sort of thin plastic mat or similar? A new refrigerator is being
delivered at the end of this month and wanted to have something in
place just in case.
Thanks!
Bewildered
<seg...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1169149127.7...@q2g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
My floor is messed up in front of the fridge and the dishwasher.
> Thanks!
>
N8N
I'd be more worried about the feet marring the floor when you slide it
around to clean; I'm wondering if maybe one of those office chair mats
might not be the ticket.
nate
BobK207
My floor is messed up in front of the fridge and the dishwasher. <<<<<,
I was going to say don't worry since my mom's house has had oak
flooring in the kitchen for ~20 years. And my kitchen has had oak for
10 years....only moisture problem is near the outside slider....finish
has taken beating from water
Maybe the moisture trouble is geographic location specific?
no moisture problems but high heels sure have take a toll........
cheers
Bob
Malcolm Hoar
A mat will likely make matters worse if you do have a slight
leak. Any water will just run off the edge onto the floor.
Even worse, it will get drawn under the mat by the capillary
effect. With no way to evaporate, that water will inflict
maximum damage on your floor.
You'd need a full drip-pan that will hold and retain any
water that might leak. That's likely to look pretty ugly.
You might make a detailed examination of your new
refrigerator when it's delivered and see if you can
identify any likely points of failure based on the
actual design/layout of that model.
Above all, do actually take the time to read the
instructions that ship with your new fridge (yeah,
I know that's a novel concept). It may well include
recommendations for maintenance that will greatly
lessen the risk of leaks (e.g. regular cleaning of
various drain holes/lines that collect condensation,
water dispenser overflow etc.
With wood or laminate floors, always wipe up any splills
that do arise as quickly as possible. A single ice cube
that misses the mark and ends up on the floor will melt
and quite possibly create a small mark. Do that once or
twice a month for a few years and the floor will not be
looking in very good shape.
--
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
| Malcolm Hoar "The more I practice, the luckier I get". |
| ma...@malch.com Gary Player. |
| http://www.malch.com/ Shpx gur PQN. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
seg...@gmail.com
people are putting rugs/mats everywhere if they have wood floors - in
front of the range, sink, dishwasher and fridge. I probably would have
gone with tile if I had the choice but bought the place new and they
had wood floors on the main floor (kitchen and living room).
Just worried that something will leak somewhere and cause me lots of
pain.
Malcolm Hoar
>Thanks for all of yor replies. I have been reading around and it seems
>people are putting rugs/mats everywhere if they have wood floors - in
>front of the range, sink, dishwasher and fridge. I probably would have
>gone with tile if I had the choice but bought the place new and they
>had wood floors on the main floor (kitchen and living room).
>
>Just worried that something will leak somewhere and cause me lots of
>pain.
That floor will need refinishing at some point. If the quality of
the materials and finish is low and/or the wear and tear to which
you and your family subject it to is high, that point will arrive
sooner rather than later. Then you can decide to refinish it or
put that money toward a new (tile) floor (which is not a huge
investment, in the grand scheme of things).
nhurst
anything?
You could probably have them put down a few extra coats of poly where
the fridge is going to go if you really wanted them to.
-Nathan
Puddin' Man
>Hello,
>Just purchased my first house and it has beautiful wood floors
I wouldn't be responding if I didn't love wood in general,
and quality hardwood in particular ...
>n the
>kitchen. This concerns me a little when it comes to refrigerator
>leaks. I know there are drip pans in the refrigerator but have read
>that leaking is still a common problem due to various issues. Just
>wondering if there was a solution in laying something down underneath
>the refrigerator just in case there was external leaking? Maybe some
>sort of thin plastic mat or similar? A new refrigerator is being
>delivered at the end of this month and wanted to have something in
>place just in case.
>
>Thanks!
Dollar-to-a-donut, your nice wood floor, even finished, is
quite porous.
Think of all the spills, etc a kitchen floor takes over the
years. Got kids? They gonna drop Gawd-Knows-What on it
from time to time ...
I'd put a full floor covering in before anything was delivered.
Cheers,
Puddin'
"Life is nothing but a competition to be the criminal rather
than the victim."
- Bertrand Russell
Art
bottom freezer does. I try to roll it on a drop cloth but it doesn't always
do the trick.
"N8N" <njn...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1169149467.1...@51g2000cwl.googlegroups.com...
krw
njn...@hotmail.com says...
I have my refrigerator on a sheet of window plastic (lexan?) cut to
the size of the 'fridge. I put the leftover piece of the plastic
sheet on the floor in front to roll it onto (it gets stored behind
the 'fridge). Works great.
--
Keith
mm
>
>Bewildered wrote:
>> <seg...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:1169149127.7...@q2g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>> > Hello,
>> > Just purchased my first house and it has beautiful wood floors in the
>> > kitchen. This concerns me a little when it comes to refrigerator
>> > leaks.
I have never had floor problems under the fridge, but nonetheless, I
would say that one never sees the floor under the fridge, and no one
ever moves the fridge to another location, so I would just let nature
and mechanics take their course.
OTOH, I WOULD CONSIDER putting a dike under the fridge so that leaks
from the part you can't see don't spread to places you can see.
I would most likely use silicone sealant, to build a levee in a square
such that it couldn't be seen by anyone standing or sitting on a
chair, and wouldn't be destroyed by the wheels when the fridge is put
in or moved out, but surrounded any part from which water might drip.
I did this in my car once when the convertible top let water run down
the metal sheet behind the back of the rear seat. I drilled a whole
at each corner, and built a wall with silicone in layers until it was
about 3/4 of an inch high. I think you could get buy on a quarter
inch. You would benefit from a way to see if there was water in the
lake bed you create.
**I think they used to call this silicone cement, when sold in 4 oz.
tubes, but I've found if one uses the cap and the tapes the camp shut
well, partly used tubes will stay good at least 6 months.
MORE below.
>> I don't have a solution, but don't let anyone tell you it isn't a problem.
>> My floor is messed up in front of the fridge and the dishwasher.
>> > Thanks!
>> >
>>>>>>but don't let anyone tell you it isn't a problem.
>My floor is messed up in front of the fridge and the dishwasher. <<<<<,
>
>I was going to say don't worry since my mom's house has had oak
>flooring in the kitchen for ~20 years. And my kitchen has had oak for
>10 years....only moisture problem is near the outside slider....finish
>has taken beating from water
>
>Maybe the moisture trouble is geographic location specific?
>
>no moisture problems but high heels sure have take a toll........
I used to go to receptions weekly at a place that used, I'm sure,
commmercial grade tile, 12 inch squares. When looking from the right
angle, with the light behind the floor, where the reception lines were
one could see 100's of dents from high heels. By this time it must
have been hard even to stand there in such shoes.
>cheers
>Bob
Banty
>
>On 18 Jan 2007 12:02:21 -0800, "BobK207" <rkaz...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>Bewildered wrote:
>>> <seg...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>> news:1169149127.7...@q2g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>>> > Hello,
>>> > Just purchased my first house and it has beautiful wood floors in the
>>> > kitchen. This concerns me a little when it comes to refrigerator
>>> > leaks.
>
>I have never had floor problems under the fridge, but nonetheless, I
>would say that one never sees the floor under the fridge, and no one
>ever moves the fridge to another location, so I would just let nature
>and mechanics take their course.
Best thing: rip up the damn sticks - they don't belong in the kitchen, and put
in a nice tile floor.
Well, that's *my* opinion :-)
This trend is going the way of carpet in the bathrooms. (Remember that?)
Banty
mm
>
>>I have never had floor problems under the fridge, but nonetheless, I
>>would say that one never sees the floor under the fridge, and no one
>>ever moves the fridge to another location, so I would just let nature
>>and mechanics take their course.
>
>Best thing: rip up the damn sticks - they don't belong in the kitchen, and put
>in a nice tile floor.
I certainly see that pov. There are 4 townhouses that are the lowest
in my n'hood, and when it rains enough and the sewer backs up, all 4
basements get wet, but no other house has ever gotten wet.
After one incident, the woman two doors away complains that her
natural fiber carpeting will have to be replaced. I'm thinking, who
would get natural fiber for a basement! One with a sump pump!
>
>Well, that's *my* opinion :-)
>
>This trend is going the way of carpet in the bathrooms. (Remember that?)
I remember it. I had it. My roommate in Brooklyn said roaches would
live under it, but they never did. I had found a remnant in the
trash iirc, and wanted to use it. I did my little room with one piece
and my privaye bath with the other. (He had his own bathroom and
couldn't really complain.)
>Banty
George E. Cawthon
I would be more worried about damaging the floor
when the refrig is rolled into place. Make sure
it is on something--cardboard or any thin hard
material.
If you are a person that pays attention to and
notices things that are not quite right, water
damage from a refrig is unlikely. Or, you could
get a refrig that doesn't have an automatic ice
maker, then the chances of any water damage will
be nil. If the water supply for the ice maker
starts to leak, chances are that nothing you do
will make much difference as the water will just
run all over the floor.
If you really want to put something under the
refrig, get a piece of vinyl (linoleum) to fit the
space. And get another piece the same size so you
can roll the refrig out for cleaning and protect
the floor. If you do this, the first piece should
stop about 1 inch in front of the the front wheels
so it is not noticeable.
WebUncle.com
Here's a link to copy/paste with an example of one (60 inch underlay):
http://www.tollco.eu/vattenskydd_produkt.php?product=5
They come in many sizes. I'm not endorsing this one, but you can see it
for an example. Any similar product would work fine.
Hope this helps.
WebUncle.com
--
Unquestionably Confused
> replying to seglie, WebUncle.com wrote:
>> seglie wrote:
>>
>> Hello,
>> Just purchased my first house and it has beautiful wood floors in the
>> kitchen. This concerns me a little when it comes to refrigerator
>> leaks. I know there are drip pans in the refrigerator but have read
>> that leaking is still a common problem due to various issues. Just
>> wondering if there was a solution in laying something down underneath
>> the refrigerator just in case there was external leaking? Maybe some
>> sort of thin plastic mat or similar? A new refrigerator is being
>> delivered at the end of this month and wanted to have something in
>> place just in case.
>> Thanks!
>
>
> The best thing you can do is put a fridge/freezer underlay on the floor.
extended period while on vacation?"
Okay, forget about the spoiled food, but what happens to the ice in your
through the door dispenser? It melts, runs down the front of the
refrigerator and all over the floor.
When departing for any extended period of time (>2 days) we shut off the
ice maker and empty the bin.
DAMHIK<g>
bob haller
>
> no moisture problems but high heels sure have take a toll........
>
> cheers
> Bob
bob haller
just imagine if google self driving cars are as good as google groups:(
Oren
wrote:
>arent heels awesome on women
Awesome!
Harry K
My fix-it guy last year when here on a call said that you can't even order a fridge without a water thingy any more. I hate them for the space they take up and the maintenance.
Harry K
Stormin Mormon
"Love how you roll your Rs. "
"Ah, these high heels...."
-
.
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
. www.lds.org
.
.
Stormin Mormon
> start date of this thread 2007:(
>
> just imagine if google self driving cars are as good as google groups:(
>
hit me in 2007?
Across America, a man is hit by a car every
23 minutes, and boy is he ever sick of it.
LJ Fugate
Having to refinish floors now bc the dishwasher leaked all night and flooded the kitchen floors buckled
--
For full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/maintenance/preventing-floor-damage-due-to-refrigerator-186422-.htm
micky
<06a651b231d3369c...@example.com> wrote:
>Exactly I致e had both to leak they were top of line appliances
hardwood floor in a kitchen, at least since linoleum was invented.
I said so years ago when I first read about it.
Maybe in up to the 1800's when there was no choice, but I think then the
floors might have had cracks that would drain the water through, so it
didn't soak the wood so much, or the boards were thicker and much less
likely to warp.
Ceramic tile is also a bad idea because it increases the odds that a
dropped glass or china item will break.
gfre...@aol.com
wrote:
>In alt.home.repair, on Sat, 27 Feb 2021 14:45:03 +0000, LJ Fugate
><06a651b231d3369c...@example.com> wrote:
>
>
>I hate to pile on, but that's why it was always a bad idea to put a
>hardwood floor in a kitchen, at least since linoleum was invented.
>
>I said so years ago when I first read about it.
>
>Maybe in up to the 1800's when there was no choice, but I think then the
>floors might have had cracks that would drain the water through, so it
>didn't soak the wood so much, or the boards were thicker and much less
>likely to warp.
>
>Ceramic tile is also a bad idea because it increases the odds that a
>dropped glass or china item will break.
caught with one of those raised lip trunk liners if you could find one
the right size.
Hopefully you would see it filling up with water before it overflowed.
They do make water sensors you can put under appliances like that to
alert you when there is a problem.
I think it is just a CMOS gate with a printed circuit grid that shorts
out an input if it gets wet.
trader_4
With a dishwasher though, no place to put it. Somebody could make one
that was smaller, flatter so that you could slip in under with the front
panel off, but then you'd have to change the battery. Batteries do last
many years though, so it could be a good idea.