18
Picked up a weird trick for stuck ice maker augers yesterday
I was helping a buddy swap out a fridge compressor in an old Whirlpool and he showed me something. He used a heat gun on low for about 30 seconds right where the auger shaft meets the plastic housing. Said it expands the plastic just enough to break the ice bond without melting anything. It worked like a charm on a unit that was totally locked up. Has anyone else tried heat instead of prying or soaking?
2 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In2 Comments
cora_ramirez1mo ago
Hit up a local repair shop owner about this same trick and he warned me the key is keeping the heat moving so you don't warp the plastic. @rayy83 is right that 45 seconds on low does the trick but I'd add you gotta spin the auger by hand as it cools to let the plastic settle back evenly. Another thing nobody mentions is moisture trapped in the housing can re-freeze into a worse bond if you don't dry the shaft after. I always hit it with a quick blast of compressed air after the heat gun just to clear any condensation. That extra step keeps me from having to go back in a week later when the ice decides to lock it up again.
8
rayy831mo ago
Used to be all about pouring hot water down the shaft or trying to pry the thing loose with a screwdriver. Always worried I'd crack that plastic housing. Tried that heat gun trick last week on a stuck Maytag, kept it on low for maybe 45 seconds, and the auger spun free with just a light tap. Never going back to my old ways, this is way cleaner.
1